As we move into the second half of the year, news about Apple's flagship phone, the iPhone 16, is becoming more and more abundant.

Currently, the most reliable information is that the design will remain largely unchanged, with all models upgrading to 8GB of RAM. Additionally, there will be improvements to the battery, iOS 18 will incorporate AI capabilities, and it will use the A18 chip. That's basically it.

Regarding the A18 chip, there are also some rumors that all models will use the A18 chip, unlike previous versions where a dual-chip strategy was employed, with entry-level models using the previous year's chip while the Pro versions used the latest chip.

As for iOS 18, another rumor is that only the English version will have AI features this year, with other language versions gaining AI capabilities next year.

However, here's the crux of the matter: the AI features of the Chinese version of the iPhone 16 may be a long way off, as Apple's AI is a collaboration with OpenAI, which is not available in China.

Apple needs to change its AI supplier in China, but there is no confirmation on who they are partnering with. Therefore, it is certain that the AI features in the Chinese version of the iPhone 16 this year are practically non-existent, and it's unclear whether they will be available next year.

Based on these facts, we can conclude that Cook's knife is blunt in China when it comes to the iPhone 16 this year, and it may be outperformed by competitors like Xiaomi and Huawei.

Remember when Cook's knife was sharp in the Chinese market, constantly milking consumers with high prices and low configurations, especially in storage, starting at 128GB, with memory prices rivaling that of gold. However, due to its excellent ecosystem and brand image, many people still bought them.

But this year may be different, especially since the much-anticipated AI features will not be available in China.

Meanwhile, Huawei is making a full comeback, with surprises like the Mate60 and Pura70, and later this year, the Mate70 will arrive, boasting new chips, pure HarmonyOS, and AI features that Apple lacks. It's clear where consumers' preferences may lie.

Additionally, Xiaomi will also release the Xiaomi 15, featuring a brand-new 3nm chip, the PengPai OS system, and new AI capabilities that rival Apple's iOS 18. Will users still care about an iPhone 16 without AI features?

To be honest, although the iPhone 16 may face challenges in the Chinese market, it is still expected to sell well globally. Supply chain sources have indicated that Apple is very confident in the sales of the iPhone 16 series, predicting sales of an astonishing 90 to 100 million units, far exceeding last year's projections for the iPhone 15 series.

So, perhaps Cook's knife is still sharp, just not in China. Outside of China, it remains formidable, as Cook himself has said that China is the most fiercely competitive mobile phone market in the world.