This is the first time in this Grandma‘s life that I am finally considered the most cool by my grandchildren. Why? Because PopPop (grandpa) and I got two of the first iPhone Xs. It was a pleasure to impress our oldest teenage grandson by letting him know, when he watched people lined up for hours on television to get their iPhone X, that we preordered ours online and it came the morning of the second day they were available for sale. Our grandson appreciated our ingenuity. He just loved being one of the first to hold a real iPhone X in his hands and get to play with it. A grandchild’s pleasure magnifies a grandparent’s pleasure!
What do we love about this iPhone X? Everything! We love that we knew that it was not called an iPhone letter X, that it was a Roman numeral, and it was The TEN before grandchildren did. Here are the rest of the best reasons for a Boomer grandparent to buy an iPhone X.
Face Recognition
I love being able to open my phone by just holding it up to my face. The face recognition feature is a time saver and it is so easy. The face recognition feature works the first time most of the time. I love not having to put my code in, especially since with my last iPhone my grandson taught me that I should keep it more secure and put a six digit code in rather than a four digit code. Six digits every time was a pain to open the phone. My previous iPhone was too old for the thumb print, but my ipad has that, and face recognition is much better, the best. If you only have a four digit code on your electronics you should listen to my grandson and change it to a six digit code.
The Battery Life
Our previous iPhones had battery life that died too soon. I got a Mophie (battery charger that fits over the iPhone) upon the recommendation of my son-in-law, and even with the Mophie booster charge, the battery never lasted a full day. This battery in the iPhone X is wonderful. It never seems to run out. Yes, our grandchildren can play more games.
We Boomer Grandparents are meant to have an iPhone X as we get up at least once a night. Recently, I learned we should never keep our iPhones and iPads charged overnight. I learned that if you keep them plugged in out for the entire night you are going to overcharge the battery. The iPhone X does not need that long period of time to charge and when it gets to 100% charge if you leave it charged overnight when it goes down to 99% the battery charges again. Those of us of Boomer Grandparent age most likely have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Yes, this is finally a benefit and gives me the advantage of unplugging my iPhone X and of course my iPad at the same time, lengthening the life of my electronics.
No Home Button
My grandson asked how I liked not having a home button. Being mechanically challenged having no home button initially scared me. However it is a dream. It is one less movement that I have to make and learning to swipe instead of press became second nature very quickly. There is one action is a bit difficult and that is closing apps. You must swipe up and hold your finger on the first app you are trying to close until you see a bunch of apps appear. You must hold your finger on the top open app until you see minus signs appear on all the open apps and press the minus signs to close the apps. The first few times I forgot how to do this, and asked Siri, who immediately refreshed my recollection.
Camera Quality
This Grandma has become the family photographer since the grandchildren were born. I want to have enough pictures for their annual album that have PopPop and me in them. I have to admit that I have not mastered the new portrait feature, and my pictures with the regular iPhone X camera are enough and a great improvement. When I compare taking a portrait picture with taking a regular picture I don’t very much see the difference. When my grandson does it, there is a great portrait picture. This is where I might take a class on photography using the iPhone X. The new iphone X even gives us a reason to obtain a new hobby!
Siri
My Siri is a man with a British accent. I love it. I must admit that PopPop changed the settings for me so that I could have that voice as my Siri. My Siri still does not understand me all of the time and I hope that my Siri learns as I continue to use Siri. But what I love about Siri in the iphone X is that while my phone is locked I can just say “hey Siri“ and I can get access to Siri. If I forget how to do something, or need an immediate answer to something that having Siri has spoiled us, I just ask Siri and Siri explains it to me and I do not have to even unlock my phone. I am reluctant to explain to our grandchildren that we, as children, and adults, never had immediate access to answers about anything and everything as it makes us seem so old. Remember World Book and Britannica encyclopedias!
The Cool Grandparent Factor
I started the post with the cool factor, and there is even more grandparent cool in owning an iPhone X. Previously, this Grandma had an iPhone 5. Every time a new iPhone came out, we considered getting it and decided that it did not have enough new features to justify the expenditure. We became in our grandchildren’s eyes, who had iPhone 7s, of the older generation and uncool. Being Boomers, we want always to be youthful and cool, especially to our grandchildren.
Having an iPhone X has clearly changed that image. Because of the price, it is more inaccessible to the grandchildren and they want to use ours with us. It teaches them delayed gratification as they have to pool all of their birthday and holiday money for a good period of time in order to get one. PopPop and I became most cool getting the first iphone Xs in the family. All of grandchildren now have another reason to want to spend time with us and our iPhone Xs. Being with grandchildren is the best time in the world.
Most of all, it is the first time in my history as a grandma that I am able to explain electronics to my grandchildren!
That reason alone is reason enough to run out and buy an iPhone X.
Joy,
Mema
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