According to Phoenix Technology, Apple is about to release a new generation of iPhone 16 series phones, but Bloomberg’s well-known reporter Mark Gurman has poured cold water on market expectations in advance. In his article, he pointed out that the appearance design of the iPhone 16 has not changed much compared with the previous generation, and the much-anticipated AI function needs to be launched in stages, which makes it difficult to promote the “super cycle” expected by the market.
Gurman believes that although the iPhone 16 will have some camera upgrades and other new features, its appearance design is almost the same as last year’s model. Without new design elements, it is difficult to attract a large number of consumers to change their phones. In addition, the delayed launch of AI functions has also become a major regret. Although Apple Intelligence will be one of the focuses of this conference, consumers will need to wait for a while to truly experience its full potential.
The global economic situation is also an important factor affecting the sales prospects of iPhone 16. The demand for smartphones in the Chinese market remains sluggish, while in other parts of the world, many consumers are cautious about spending. These macro conditions make it difficult for iPhone 16 to trigger a large-scale replacement boom.
Gurman listed several concerns about Apple’s AI strategy. The first is the incompleteness of Apple Intelligence. The initial version lacks many features announced when it was released in June, including integration with ChatGPT. Second, Apple Intelligence is currently not available in the EU and Chinese markets, which are critical to Apple. In addition, most ordinary consumers have limited understanding of AI technology and need time to recognize its value.
Even so, Apple is still working hard to promote its AI technology. The iOS 18.1 system update will include some preliminary AI features such as summary generation, improved writing tools, and object removal from images. However, more features such as ChatGPT integration and major updates to Siri will have to wait until next year.
In view of this, Gurman advises consumers not to have too high expectations for the iPhone 16, but to turn their attention to next year’s iPhone 17. It is expected that by then, Apple Intelligence will be more mature, and the iPhone 17 will bring a brand-new design, which will truly stimulate users’ desire to upgrade.
