The Reason I Recommended "iPhone 17 Pro or Higher" — Why I Abandoned Easy Compatibility for a Construction Business App
The Reason I Recommended "iPhone 17 Pro or Higher" — Why I Abandoned Easy Compatibility for a Construction Business App
Recently, I made the bold decision to set the recommended operating environment for our construction DX app, "HOUSECAN," quite high. This is not about the minimum requirements, but the recommended environment for stable professional use.
iPhone 17 Pro or higher, iPad Pro M5 or higher.
You might wonder, "Are you asking customers to buy such expensive devices?" In fact, the app will run on older iPhones. Even though it runs, why recommend the latest models?
Today, I would like to write about the background behind that decision.
Why do professional LiDAR apps require specific hardware?
HOUSECAN is a fairly heavy app that simultaneously handles RoomPlan, LiDAR, photos, point clouds, and building component information.
If an internal error (such as worldTrackingFailure) occurs during continuous scanning, the work stops instantly. If you have to redo the work on-site, both travel expenses and labor costs are wasted.
There are several factors directly linked to this stability: RAM capacity, heat dissipation performance, OS, app design, RoomPlan/AR session management, photo storage, point cloud processing, on-site thermal environment, and continuous usage time. Multiple factors are intertwined.
However, when assuming a professional scenario (scanning dozens of rooms continuously), the factors that matter on the hardware side are RAM capacity and heat dissipation performance. If there is no memory headroom, the risk of the app crashing increases, and if heat builds up, it leads to performance degradation during continuous use. This directly leads to stopping on-site work immediately.
Performance Comparison by iPhone Pro Generation
I have organized the performance of iPhone Pro generations from the perspective of professional LiDAR apps.
Item 13 Pro 14 Pro 15 Pro 16 Pro 17 Pro (Current) Release Year 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Chip A15 A16 A17 Pro A18 Pro A19 Pro RAM 6GB 6GB 8GB 8GB 12GB Cooling Conventional Conventional Conventional Conventional Vapor Chamber Our Positioning Limited Limited Practical Practical Strongly Recommended
(Note: Since iPhone RAM capacity is sometimes not explicitly stated in official Apple specifications, this is organized based on various public information.)
The 17 Pro is the first to feature both 12GB of RAM and a vapor chamber (heat dissipation mechanism). We see this as providing the necessary headroom for the long-duration, multi-room scanning we anticipate.
The 15 Pro / 16 Pro are also within the practical range if combined with countermeasure architectures (such as immediate point cloud release, ML post-processing, and regenerating sessions every few rooms). However, in professional scenarios involving long durations, multiple rooms, and simultaneous acquisition of point clouds and photos, we see their headroom as relatively smaller compared to the 17 Pro and later.
Performance Comparison by iPad Pro Generation
The iPad Pro, having a larger chassis and more room for heat dissipation, is inherently structured to be advantageous for continuous scanning.
Item M1 (2021) M2 (2022) M4 (2024) M5 (2025/Current) RAM (Official Spec) 8 / 16GB 8 / 16GB 8 / 16GB 12 / 16GB Cooling Large Chassis Large Chassis Large Chassis Large Chassis Display mini-LED mini-LED Tandem OLED Tandem OLED Our Positioning Practical Practical Strong Strongest
iPad Pro RAM is determined by storage capacity according to official specifications; for the M5 generation, 256GB / 512GB models are listed with 12GB of unified memory, and 1TB / 2TB models with 16GB. If you assume large-scale, multi-floor, long-duration scanning, we believe that 12GB or more, and if possible, a 16GB configuration, is the most viable choice at this time.
Choosing 'reliably usable' over 'widely usable'
This is where our design philosophy lies.
It is possible to sell an app that 'just works' on cheap devices. However, in mission-critical field operations, having it 'stop midway' is the same as stopping the customer's work right then and there.
Prioritizing 'reliable usability' in the field rather than just 'wide usability.' For mission-critical apps, I believe that is also a form of integrity as a designer.
But is over 200,000 yen really expensive?
Depending on the configuration, the iPhone 17 Pro / iPad Pro M5 can exceed 200,000 yen. At first glance, that is expensive.
However, let's look at it calmly as business hardware.
If field research stops for 3 hours a day due to device trouble, how much labor cost is lost? If a redo occurs and you have to head to the site again, how much is lost in travel and labor costs?
Investment in business devices should be considered based on ROI, not price. If you reframe it not as an 'expensive device' but as an 'investment to keep operations running,' the way you see the figure of over 200,000 yen changes.
The realistic solutions of trade-ins, depreciation, and leasing
It is true that the initial investment is still heavy. While you need to confirm details with a tax accountant or accounting staff, I will organize the realistic options. Treatment varies depending on company size, acquisition cost, and purchase method.
You may be able to lower the actual burden by trading in existing devices for credit.
When a corporation purchases business devices, depending on the amount and purchase method, there are cases where it is expensed over multiple years in accounting (treatment differs for amounts under 100,000 yen, 200,000 yen, and 300,000 yen, and there are also special provisions for small and medium-sized enterprises).
For business use, there is also the option of a lease agreement.
With a lease, you can suppress initial costs and make it easier to level out as a monthly expense. I believe the realistic solution for business device procurement is to think not that 'latest devices are expensive,' but that 'latest devices can be leveled out as expenses.'
Moore's Law and the future of business apps
Let's broaden our perspective a little.
Moore's Law: the law that semiconductor integration density doubles approximately every two years. It is often spoken of as a symbol of hardware evolution rather than a strict law, and while it is said to have slowed down in recent years, the industry as a whole continues to see hardware evolve. In fact, it has been reported that at the cutting edge of semiconductor manufacturing, TSMC's 2nm process is entering the mass production phase, and in the near future, chips of that generation will come down to the devices in our hands.
The practical level of what can be used for business has changed significantly between the iPhone of 5 years ago and the iPhone of today. LiDAR scanning, real-time AI, and 3D rendering have now become realistic options for field operations.
The same direction of change will likely continue for the next five years. If developers of business apps don't ride the wave of hardware evolution, they cannot provide the optimal experience for their customers. That is what I believe.
Personal aside: I am considering the Mac mini M4.
A brief personal story here. This also applies to device investment in general.
Actually, I am currently considering purchasing a Mac mini M4.
Since I started fully utilizing AI in my current PC environment, my productivity has definitely increased several times over. AI coding, requirements definition, research, and writing—everything has become faster.
That's when I thought: If upgrading the hardware could make me twice as fast again, that would be amazing.
(This is just my personal opinion without any evidence. Please forgive me.)
However, I have experienced many times that changing hardware changes the landscape of my work. A new iPhone, a new Mac, a new LiDAR sensor. Each time, the limits of what I could do were pushed further.
Investing in business devices is also an investment in your future self. That is what I believe.
Conclusion
To build apps that are 'guaranteed to work' in mission-critical business environments, you need the resolve to choose your hardware.
We want to have that resolve. And that resolve needs to be shared with our customers as well. Equipping your business with the latest devices is not a cost, but an investment in work quality.
The speed at which hardware evolves is faster than you can imagine. Don't get left behind. And have the resolve to jump on board.
Choosing good tools also means supporting good work. Today, too, I want to continue improving the product in front of me, little by little, while imagining the hardware and work of the future.
WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TODAY!