The advantages of iPhone are becoming fewer and fewer.

On September 10th, the iPhone 16 series was officially released. However, compared to previous years, Apple's popularity has been lower this year. The cheaper AirPods 4 and the full line of A18 chips are considered rare highlights, but they are essentially "new wine in old bottles" with no real innovation.

If there's any new feature worth mentioning this year, it might be the "camera button." Although Apple has indeed introduced something different from the operational demonstration, this new button has little meaning for those who rarely take photos.

Image source: Apple

Nevertheless, the launch of the iPhone 16 series has had an unexpected impact. For example, starting from the 10th, there has been a sudden surge in exposure information about the next generation of Android flagship phones. Considering that most Android flagship phones will be launched in October this year, which is the closest timing to the iPhone launch date, you can probably guess the reason.

In the face of the provocation from Android flagship phones, Apple doesn't have a good response. As evidenced by the mobile phone market share in 2023 and the first half of 2024, with the rise of domestic mobile phones in the high-end market, the market share of iPhone is shrinking significantly. In the second quarter of 2024, it even fell out of the top five in mobile phone shipments for the first time.

However, compared to previous years, domestic mobile phones will put more pressure this time.

Domestic flagship phones collectively put pressure on Apple

In the past two days, much information about the next generation of flagship phones has been gradually exposed. The most crucial part is the benchmark scores of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen4, which is more representative and closer to actual performance than previous test scores.

This time, the Geekbench 6 benchmark score of the OnePlus 13 with Snapdragon 8 Gen4 was exposed. The database shows a single-core score of 3236 and a multi-core score of up to 10049. After the official launch of the iPhone 16 series, the Geekbench 6 benchmark score of A18 Pro was also updated, with the latest scores being 3409 for single-core and 8492 for multi-core.

Image source: Geekbench

From the benchmark scores, although the Snapdragon 8 Gen4 is about 5% lower in single-core performance, it is almost 20% higher in multi-core performance. Although the actual measured single-core performance of A18 Pro is surprising, it does not prevent the Snapdragon 8 Gen4 from gaining an advantage over A18 Pro in the comparison.

Fortunately, both iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro use the A18 series chip this year. Although there are differences in GPU performance, the CPU performance is basically the same, which at least provides some comfort to those planning to buy the iPhone 16.

In fact, starting with the Snapdragon 8 Gen3, Qualcomm's flagship chips have been very close to Apple's in multi-core performance, but there is still a significant gap in single-core performance. With the new architecture of the Snapdragon 8 Gen4, the gap in single-core performance has narrowed from nearly 30% to just 5%, and the multi-core performance has surpassed A18, reversing the situation.

Image source: Weibo

Considering that the official launch of the OnePlus 13 is still at least a month away, there is still room for improvement in the benchmark scores of the Snapdragon 8 Gen4. It is possible that after optimization, the single-core performance could match or even surpass the A18 chip.

There are already quite a few known Snapdragon 8 Gen4 phones, including the Xiaomi 15 series, iQOO 13 series, and Find X8 Ultra. These phones are already fully competitive with the iPhone in terms of performance. Additionally, MediaTek's Dimensity 9400 is reportedly comparable in performance to the Snapdragon 8 Gen4, meaning flagship phones like the vivo X200 series, which use Dimensity chips, can also compete with the iPhone in terms of performance.

As the saying goes, "Two hands are better than one." iPhone is likely to face tough competition from the siege of domestic flagship phones.

In addition to the surge in performance, domestic flagship phones have continued to compete fiercely in areas such as screens and cameras this year. According to information from Digital Chat Station, the Xiaomi 15 series will feature a full line of large-sensor main cameras and telephoto macro lenses, ensuring excellent imaging performance even on the standard edition.

Image source: Weibo

Vivo has also introduced many new features. The vivo X200 series will be equipped with a custom large-sensor blueprint camera and blueprint imaging chip, making it the first phone to support True-TCG HDR. Those who have read our vivo X100 Ultra review will likely be looking forward to this.

OPPO has also made a strong effort to attract iPhone users. In addition to dual periscope lenses and a large-sensor main camera, the OPPO Find X8 series offers features such as magnetic wireless charging, virtual pressure camera buttons, and a "Dynamic Island" notification system, providing an experience close to that of the iPhone.

From imaging to performance, domestic flagship phones are launching a comprehensive attack on iPhone's traditional strengths, making its position in the domestic market increasingly precarious.

As one side gains, the other loses. Can domestic flagship phones defeat iPhone?

The rivalry between domestic flagship phones and iPhone has been a long-standing topic, discussed every year after the launch of new iPhone models. However, past discussions often ended up in debates about "iPhone's better performance and user-friendly system," with few alternative viewpoints.

But this year is different. Domestic flagship phones are not only comparable to the iPhone 16 in performance but also have an advantage in their operating systems. Take AI functions, for example, the Xiaomi 15 series and vivo X200 series are confirmed to be the first to launch with AI services, while the iPhone 16 series's AI functions are not expected to arrive in China until next year, at least three months later. This time difference can change a lot.

Moreover, with the adoption of both large and small screens by the next generation of domestic flagship phones, the small screen advantage of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro has disappeared, attracting many users who previously chose Apple based on phone size.

Furthermore, domestic phones are providing increasingly better localized services, even causing some users who switched to Android and then tried to return to iPhone to choose Android again after experiencing the latest iOS system. As someone who uses both Android and iPhone, my primary phone has long been an Android device, thanks to its superior localized services such as food delivery, transportation, and weather forecasts, which are better than third-party apps on iOS.

In addition, the wired/wireless fast charging of domestic flagship phones is another reason for me to stay with them. To be honest, I don't want to be forced to carry a power bank or delay my departure when I realize my phone is low on battery just before leaving.

So does iPhone have no advantages at all? Of course not. Despite criticisms of a lack of innovation in recent years, iPhone still has no rivals in certain areas, such as video recording, where it offers the best experience.

Image source: Apple

Whether for live streaming or video content creation, the iPhone offers an excellent experience. The ProRes video format supported since the iPhone 13 Pro, when combined with a MacBook, allows for high-quality video editing on the go, an experience that other phones cannot currently match.

Besides video, the iOS ecosystem is also hard to leave, especially for long-time Apple users who own AirPods, iPad, MacBook, iPhone, and Apple Watch, enjoying a seamless experience that no other brand can currently provide.

Although other brands have made significant progress in smart ecosystems in recent years, there is no other brand that can offer the best products across different areas such as wearables, PCs, and phones. In other words, for the best comprehensive smart experience, Apple is still the best choice, albeit with a cost that may not be affordable for everyone.

In my opinion, iPhone's advantages are dwindling. Video recording and smart ecosystems are two of them, but the former requires the Pro version of iPhone, and the latter necessitates purchasing multiple Apple products, which deters many consumers due to their high thresholds. This is also why iPhone sales are declining in China, prompting the company to rely on price cuts and promotions to boost sales.

However, as domestic phones gradually mature their smart ecosystem, Apple's remaining advantages are shrinking, posing an unprecedented challenge. The future competitive landscape will no longer be one where Apple leads the trend and Android follows. Instead, domestic phones are expected to surpass Apple in multiple aspects.

Of course, I personally hope that Apple will come up with more innovative features and designs under pressure, but given the current situation, this seems unlikely. It remains to be seen how long Apple can hold out in this protracted battle.

Regardless, the iPhone 16 series's "more for the same price" strategy will still attract many Apple users to upgrade, and many have already prepared their wallets. I've heard that many platforms are competing to be the first to sell the iPhone 16 series this year. For example, Ele.me will support pre-sales and immediate availability of the iPhone 16 series, and is now accepting full advance payments. Consumers can receive their new phones within half an hour on the day of availability (September 20th), with customized services such as installment plans, sealed packaging, and dedicated delivery. Those eager to get their hands on the new phones may want to keep an eye out.

Source: Leitech