iSmudge No More

Despite all the money I’ve put in Tim Cook’s cookie jar over the years, I don’t update my phone often. My approach is simple: I buy the most expensive phone I can afford, then run it into the ground over six or seven years.

Lately, though, my old iPhone X had been on its last legs. The battery would be gasping for life by about 10:30 in the morning, which felt like a sign. So, I upgraded to the latest 16 Pro—the compact version, not the aircraft-carrier-sized fondle slab.

When you hold onto a phone for more than half a decade, the upgrade is noticeable. It’s a serious technological leap. But the thing I notice most? The screen doesn’t pick up fingerprints!

The case? Sure, that thing needs a wipe-down every few hours. But the screen? No matter how greasy or grubby my hands get, it stays remarkably smudge-free. I’m kind of amazed.

I know we’re all supposed to be raving about Apple Intelligence, but beyond a few useful photography tricks, it’s all the usual nonsense. The fingerprint-proof glass, though? That’s something I can actually appreciate. I could spend all day mashing my fat little fingers all over this thing, and it wouldn’t get so much as a smudge.

Try doing that, AI.