Apple iPhone 16: Hardware Innovation Slows Down, Software Features Become the Selling Point?

Apple iPhone 16: Hardware Innovation Slows Down, Software Features Become the Selling Point?On September 23rd, renowned technology journalist Mark Gurman wrote that while the new iPhone boasts camera improvements, it generally reflects a deceleration in Apple's hardware innovation. Furthermore, the company is preparing a series of updates for iOS 18 before its release next year, and the anticipated new Apple Watch configuration is yet to appear

Apple iPhone 16: Hardware Innovation Slows Down, Software Features Become the Selling Point?

On September 23rd, renowned technology journalist Mark Gurman wrote that while the new iPhone boasts camera improvements, it generally reflects a deceleration in Apple's hardware innovation. Furthermore, the company is preparing a series of updates for iOS 18 before its release next year, and the anticipated new Apple Watch configuration is yet to appear.

When Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007, the wireless carrier industry was aggressively pushing a bold strategy: encouraging consumers to upgrade their devices every two years with substantial discounts. To penetrate the mobile phone market, Apple fully embraced this strategy. By the time the second-generation iPhone was released in 2008, most users could purchase the device for just $199, subsidized by wireless carriers. The success of the iPhone 3G laid the foundation for Apple's iPhone strategy for the following years.

In 2009, Apple unveiled the iPhone 3GS, the first new iPhone to retain the same appearance. The advertising even claimed "It looks the same," but it actually included faster processor and video recording capabilities. The following year, Apple implemented a more comprehensive design overhaul. The iPhone 4 introduced a brand-new design, FaceTime functionality, the first Retina display, and high-definition video recording. A year later, Apple retained the same design, introducing the iPhone 4S with additions like 1080p video recording, Siri voice assistant, and a dual-core processor.

This two-year design update rhythm was established, with Apple introducing significant updates every other year, aligning with the need for regular device upgrades by consumers. This pattern continued until the mid-2010s. By 2017, when Apple released the iPhone X, it had entered a three-year design update cycle. The extended development timeframe was justifiable then, as the iPhone X delivered substantial upgrades, including a completely new design, Face ID facial recognition, and other innovative features.

Three years later, Apple introduced the iPhone 12, the first iPhone to support 5G networks. It also introduced new screen sizes, manufacturing techniques, and, for the first time, four distinct models. However, since then, the design update cycle has stretched further. Apple seems to be moving towards a five-year update cycle. Whether it's good or bad, the iPhone 16 looks and feels almost identical to the iPhone 12. Despite Apple adding numerous features between 2020 and 2024, it's undeniable that the era of frequent hardware design changes has passed.

Has this design stagnation impacted Apple's sales? It's still too early to say definitively. Last year, the company did experience a revenue decline, partly due to slower iPhone sales, but the overall smartphone market also faced downturn. Nevertheless, a dedicated segment of loyal users continues to upgrade their phones every one or two years due to the iPhone upgrade program, trade-in deals, or carrier installment plans. Some users simply love Apple devices and purchase a new model every year. Judging by its initial launch buzz, the iPhone 16 is projected to be a popular product.

However, the lack of significant design changes in recent years is notable for a company, especially after the departure of Jony Ive's design team. While the iPhone 16 brings some improvements that users might appreciate, the changes are minor. Gurman contends that the new iPhone, when covered in a protective case, is nearly indistinguishable from its predecessors. Even with the narrower bezels, they aren't noticeable within a case. The screen size changes are also almost negligible; unless a user has an iPhone older than the iPhone 12, they won't experience a noticeable difference in everyday use.

However, the performance enhancements of the processor are noticeable. The main processor boasts a 15% speed increase, making application launching and switching smoother. The battery life improvement is also substantial. Apple claims that the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers 4 hours more video playback time compared to its predecessor.

The camera control interface is a key addition to the iPhone 16. Although it might take some time to adapt, once mastered, users may prefer it over the touch-screen operation. Additionally, the camera's photography styles have expanded with the inclusion of a new ultra-wide lens, but the overall usage experience hasn't changed significantly.

Apple is promoting "Apple Intelligence" as a major selling point for the iPhone 16. However, this AI platform is still under development, and it will ultimately be available on last year's Pro models. Apple's promotion here is somewhat exaggerated. The company claims the iPhone 16 is the first device "built from the ground up, exclusively designed for Apple Intelligence." But in reality, the new iPhone's processor and other hardware haven't seen significant AI-focused improvements. The key factor is simply its inclusion of the minimum 8GB of memory required to run Apple Intelligence.

If Apple considered the hardware upgrades compelling, perhaps it would emphasize them more. Instead, the company continues to focus its marketing on Apple Intelligence even though the system is still limited. Most users won't be able to utilize this system for several weeks, and some features won't be available until next year. Moreover, its AI capabilities still lag behind its competitors. Even if all the features of Apple Intelligence were available today, they wouldn't be enough to make the new iPhone a must-buy.

Overall, Apple rarely relies on software features as the main selling point for its new iPhones, but this has happened before. The last time was related to AI, with the introduction of Siri on the iPhone 4S. But the situation was completely different back then. The iPhone 4S boasted a relatively recent design, and the Siri voice interface felt futuristic in 2011. This time, the AI features seem to trail competitors by two years.

Apple is currently developing a series of updates for iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence. The iOS 18.1 update, supporting Apple Intelligence, is about to be released. The company aims to reach an "no critical vulnerabilities" state for the operating system by the beginning of the week. From this state to final release typically takes two to three weeks, with an estimated push to consumers in mid-October. So far, Apple has released four beta versions of iOS 18.1. The latest release brought two major improvements: a redesigned "Control Center" connection section and query suggestions added to the "Type to Use Siri" interface.

The connection panel, used to manage settings for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc., now has a simplified interface and is more intuitive to use than in iOS 18.0. The "Type to Use Siri" feature provides query suggestions based on user input, which is very convenient. Even though iOS 18.1 will be pushed to users in a few weeks, there are still some issues in the system. Two of the more frustrating problems are: first, the inability to permanently remove the auditory function buttons from the Control Center. If a user deletes them, they reappear after the device restarts, disrupting the user's customized layout. Second, the shortcut buttons on the lock screen and Control Center are still temporarily using the default shortcut icon instead of the user-defined custom icons.

Looking ahead, Apple is actively developing the iOS 18.2 version, which is expected to include features like Genmoji emoticons, ChatGPT integration, and the ImagePlayground app. Apple hopes to polish this version to a "zero vulnerability" state by early November for a December release. Additionally, Apple is planning to introduce features like lock screen notification priority settings and a new mail app interface. After this, Apple plans to complete the development of iOS 18.3 by the end of this year, paving the way for release in January 2025.

Following iOS 18.1, the biggest update for iOS 18 will be iOS 18.4, which is expected to include several new Siri features. This version is scheduled for completion in early February and release in March.

Apple's phased rollout of "Apple Intelligence" features could test the patience of consumers. While Apple delaying new feature releases is nothing new, this year's delay is unprecedented in scale. Moreover, promoting these yet-to-be launched features as key selling points for the new iPhone will only exacerbate user frustration.