The new iPhone 16 has recently been released to the public and has sparked debates over whether the latest Apple products have been innovative, or if they only have minor upgrades that are marketed as brand new.
The iPhone 16 is the newest product from Apple Incorporated and has received mixed messages from their consumers. It was unveiled at Apple’s event, “It’s Glowtime,” Sept. 9, and was released in stores nationwide Sept. 20. It is featured in the classic colors, white and black, along with new variations such as ultramarine, teal and pink. The starting price is $799 and can be bought at any Apple Store, as well as on their website.
Apple has added new features to the iPhone 16 such as two new buttons for the camera control, and action. Their main selling point for this product is Apple Intelligence, which aims to help users with their daily lives with the help of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). Apple Intelligence includes real-time translations and more personalized Siri responses which helps users get more usage and guidance in their daily lives. Other inclusions are live streaming emergency calls, larger display and a better battery life. While these are all great, seemingly fresh updates, some buyers have raised concerns about Apple’s slowing creativity.
In the past, the Apple iPhone has had a well-known record of bringing new and inventive updates for their new models. For example, the iPhone X (2017) was the first iPhone that did not have a home button, which revolutionized the smartphone market and opened new doors for not only themselves as a company but their competitors as well.
However, as the years pass and new models are churned out, Apple has seemingly run out of new ideas to stay fresh in the market, opting to make a few slight changes to repackage and sell new products. Users of the iPhone 16 have mostly argued that the new release is virtually the same as the prior iPhone 15 (2023), which has made others hesitant on if the upgrade is worth it.
The main problem that has become increasingly common with consumers is that Apple has not been giving a clear incentive to buy their products as they did before. Inclusions that the iPhone used to come with such as headphones are sold separately, and even the beloved Apple logo sticker is not included in the purchase of an iPhone anymore. Many smartphone users have also been making the change to competitors such as Samsung, who have been outdoing Apple with more innovative models coming out, such as the Z-Flip, which includes a foldable smartphone.
As Apple faces conflict in the market they have reigned for so long, people worldwide are watching to see if the company will reclaim their creativity, or if it is truly the end of Apple’s long lasting dominance in the smartphone industry.