>rounded edges that make it even harder to grip one-handed
I don't get this criticism - I owned a 5 series iPhone and the anodized finish was anything but easy to grip. It looked nice but massively reduced the friction between your hand and the surface, making it the easiest phone to drop that I have ever held. Their lightness didn't help either.
Conversely the newer iPhones with glass backs stick to your skin almost like glue in comparison, and if anything I find the rounded corners increase the amount of the phone surface in contact with your skin.
What climate do you live in? I live in the north (Canada) and during the winter my skin gets very dry. The glass and metal of recent iPhones feels extremely slippery to my dry skin. I use a rubberized case which makes the phone much more grippable, at the cost of even more bulk. I really want a small, lightweight, grippable iPhone.
This was in the UK so not very humid. Interesting that everyone's experience is so different. I just dried my hand and holding it flat with my XS placed on top, I can tilt it to about 15-20 degrees off vertical before it starts slipping off!
I used iPhone 4S for 4 years and did not drop it once. I dropped iPhone 8 first day, I have no idea how to hold it, so I bought case immediately. Now it's bearable. Another reason for using a case is a terrible camera protruding from the phone.
I don't get this criticism - I owned a 5 series iPhone and the anodized finish was anything but easy to grip. It looked nice but massively reduced the friction between your hand and the surface, making it the easiest phone to drop that I have ever held. Their lightness didn't help either.
Conversely the newer iPhones with glass backs stick to your skin almost like glue in comparison, and if anything I find the rounded corners increase the amount of the phone surface in contact with your skin.