283: ‘Some Kind of Sandwich’ With Dieter Bohn

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The conversation centers on three 2020 product stories: Apple’s iPad Magic Keyboard, the iPhone SE, and early Android flagships. The hosts debate design trade-offs, especially weight, keyboard layout, trackpad behavior, and missing function keys on the Magic Keyboard; praise the iPhone SE’s performance and camera quality despite dated design and battery concerns; and argue that Android flagship pricing and 5G hype are increasingly driven by carrier/Qualcomm dynamics rather than clear user benefits.

Main Topics: iPad Magic Keyboard design trade-offs (Priority: 5/5): The speakers dissect the Magic Keyboard’s weight, magnetic strength, dock-like stability, materials, lack of function keys, and the awkward placement of certain keys on the 11-inch version versus the 12.9-inch version. Trackpad and cursor support on iPadOS (Priority: 5/5): They discuss how iPadOS 13.4 trackpad support materially improves text editing and pointer use, while still leaving inconsistencies in app behavior and awkward text-selection mechanics. iPhone SE as a value phone with premium internals (Priority: 5/5): The iPhone SE is framed as an unusually strong $400 phone with flagship-class A13 performance, solid camera output, and broad appeal to budget buyers, Touch ID fans, and small-phone users, tempered by concerns about battery life and future camera longevity. Android flagship landscape in 2020 (Priority: 4/5): They compare Samsung Galaxy S20 models, OnePlus 8 Pro, and the broader Android premium market, emphasizing that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865, 5G, and carrier relationships shape what phones cost and how they compete. 5G hype versus real-world value (Priority: 4/5): The hosts argue that 5G is still mostly a marketing story for most consumers in 2020, with limited practical payoff relative to LTE, despite potential rural-network upside later on. Apple’s interaction model decisions (Priority: 4/5): They revisit Apple’s removal of 3D Touch, the absence of haptic-touch behavior on the SE in certain contexts, and the way iPhone UI paradigms changed after Face ID and the loss of the home button.

Key Arguments: The Magic Keyboard should be judged as two products (11-inch and 12.9-inch), because weight, stability, and typing feel differ enough to matter in real use. Apple likely hid weight specs because the keyboard is heavier than many expected, and the reaction would be negative once review units arrived. The 11-inch Magic Keyboard compromises some keys poorly; the bracket and hyphen keys are especially awkward compared with Logitech’s layout choices. Despite the smaller trackpad, iPadOS pointer support feels excellent for scrolling, clicking, and text editing; software support matters more than hardware size. The iPhone SE is remarkable because Apple combines a $400 price with the A13, making it faster than any competing Android phone and even faster in single-threaded performance than a 16-inch MacBook Pro. The SE’s biggest risks are long-term battery degradation and whether its camera and lack of night mode will age well. Apple’s design constraints mean the SE had to keep the old body style; alternatives like Face ID, in-screen fingerprint sensing, or asymmetrical bezels would have broken the price and design goals. Android flagship phones are increasingly expensive because Qualcomm’s 865 requires 5G, and carriers are helping push 5G as a buying trigger. Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra illustrates spec-race overreach: a huge sensor and 108MP camera sound great, but autofocus and tuning problems undermine the result. 5G is not yet worth the premium for most users; LTE is already good enough for common use cases, and the real-world benefits are still limited. Apple’s removal of 3D Touch and partial support for haptic touch on the SE creates edge-case frustration, but the old long-press/3D Touch split was already too confusing. The Magic Keyboard feels more like a dock than a case, and that makes it especially good for desk use while still being portable enough to move around a home.

Data Points: iPhone SE price: $400 - Starting price discussed as the key appeal of the new SE. Magic Keyboard open angle: 90 to 130 degrees - Apple’s stated usable angle range for the Magic Keyboard. Magic Keyboard charging speed: about 85% of direct charging / 21W vs 25W - The keyboard’s pass-through charging was corrected after re-measurement. iPhone SE processor: A13 - The SE uses Apple’s flagship chip, enabling top-tier performance at low cost. Single-threaded performance comparison: faster than a $3,000 16-inch MacBook Pro - Used to underscore how strong the A13 is in real-world and benchmark terms. iPhone SE battery: same size as iPhone 8 battery - Referenced via teardown discussion and used to question longevity. iPhone SE camera module: swappable with iPhone 8 camera module - Used as evidence that the SE likely uses the iPhone 8-era camera hardware or something very close. Android flagship chip: Snapdragon 865 - Qualcomm’s 2020 flagship SoC, tied to 5G-only support. Galaxy S20 Ultra camera: 108 megapixels - Flagship Samsung sensor discussed as ambitious but not fully successful. Video resolution criticism: 720p - Mentioned in relation to poor laptop camera quality, especially in low light. Battery/charging correction: roughly 21W through Magic Keyboard vs 25W direct - An example of re-measured real-world charging performance.

Pivotal Quotes: "I think they should have included function keys." — Dieter Bohn: Critique of the iPad Magic Keyboard for lacking hardware shortcuts that would make iPadOS more usable. "It feels more like a dock than it does a case." — Dieter Bohn: Summary of how the Magic Keyboard is best understood physically and functionally. "It is the fastest phone that you could get, and it's only $400." — Dieter Bohn: Core praise for the iPhone SE’s combination of price and flagship performance.

Implications: Consumers should weigh real use over spec hype: the SE is an exceptional value, while 5G and ultra-premium Android features remain premature for many buyers. Apple’s iPad keyboard and UI choices improve desk use but still reveal friction in portability and input.