In recent years, Apple has consistently maintained a toothpaste-squeezing approach to innovation, and this is still the case in the AI sector.

At 1 AM Beijing time, the iPhone 16 series was officially launched at Apple headquarters. The event was prerecorded, meaning all viewers accompanied Tim Cook in watching a carefully crafted 100-minute commercial; prices remained unchanged from the previous generation, with the standard model starting at 5,999 yuan and the Pro model starting at 7,999 yuan.

However, this time, the iPhone places its focus on AI, introducing many new features. Unfortunately, these AI application scenarios cannot be immediately experienced on the iPhone 16, especially for domestic users who will have to wait at least until next year.

Apart from the AI that everyone is concerned about, the phone itself has undergone some changes, such as a larger screen size, narrower bezels, and more color options. But the biggest change is the addition of a physical camera control button on the side, allowing for quick photo-taking and zooming, similar to the shutter on a DSLR camera.

The iPhone 16 is considered a transitional product by foreign media. In recent years, Apple has consistently maintained a toothpaste-squeezing approach to innovation, and this remains the case in the AI sector.

Interestingly, Huawei once again chose to launch a new model on the same day, this time with a tri-fold phone to compete with Apple. Over a million users have already pre-ordered it. While it's difficult to say whether tri-fold phones truly have any technological challenges or practical applications, and sales are not expected to be significant, the moves by Huawei and other domestic phone manufacturers further confirm that Apple is hesitant in product innovation.

When all viewers were anticipating Tim Cook to say "One More Thing" at the end of the event, he instead chose to say "Thank you for watching."

01

The biggest surprise is a physical button

There have been few changes to the appearance of the iPhone in recent generations. Some netizens have joked that if you put the iPhone 12 to iPhone 15 models back-to-back, even Tim Cook might have trouble distinguishing them at first glance.

However, the camera on the iPhone 16 standard model has changed, shifting from a diagonal arrangement to a vertical one, reminiscent of the iPhone X design. Apple did this to enable spatial video recording, aligning the cameras on the same horizontal plane. The iPhone 16 Pro, on the other hand, retains the classic "bathroom light" camera design.

In terms of photography, there have been significant upgrades, and Apple has devoted considerable time to introducing the advancements in photography and videography on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

The iPhone 16 standard model features a 48MP Fusion camera, supporting 12MP 2x zoom and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The Pro series boasts a 48MP main camera and a quad-reflecting prism lens with 5x zoom capabilities. While Apple has historically been average in photography, it has excelled in videography, earning recognition from many professionals.

Apart from photography, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max also feature larger screens, increased by 0.2 inches over their predecessors, with borders reduced by about a third. This results in a significant increase in display area without a substantial increase in body size.

Furthermore, the RAM of the iPhone 16 standard model has been upgraded to 8GB, and the chip has jumped two generations to the A18 processor, rather than using leftover components from the previous generation. While this might seem like a show of goodwill, it's primarily to enable better AI performance on the new phones, as generative models require more computing power and storage to run on the device side.

However, the feature that has garnered the most praise from netizens is the camera control button on the iPhone 16. Traditionally minimalist iPhones have aimed to minimize physical buttons, but this time, a camera control button has been added to the side. Tapping it focuses, while sliding it zooms in and out, similar to the shutter button on a DSLR camera.

Apple has showcased various photography features centered around this camera button. However, since the button is flush with the frame rather than protruding, it can be difficult to press when wearing a phone case due to its capacitive sensing and sliding mechanism. To address this, Apple has introduced official phone cases with touch sensitivity, meaning users will have to spend extra money on an expensive case.

Interestingly, to demonstrate the power of the A18 chip, Apple used a 3A game, specifically Tencent's "Honor of Kings: World." Some netizens have speculated that Tencent might have secretly sponsored the game's inclusion.

Not long ago, rumors circulated that the iPhone would no longer support WeChat. However, it now seems clear that the two companies are inextricably linked. Apple may even owe a debt of gratitude to WeChat, as its increasing storage usage has prompted many users to upgrade to new phones, indirectly boosting sales of high-capacity iPhones.

02

AI Takes Center Stage

Since this year's WWDC, it has been known that the iPhone 16 would focus on generative AI. During the iPhone 16 event, Tim Cook made it clear that this generation of iPhone is fully dedicated to Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence broadly encompasses three categories: writing, vision, and Siri, covering text, image recognition, and speech recognition.

For example, AI can help you proofread text, adjust email phrasing, and create meeting minutes summaries. These are functions commonly found in AI apps on the market. Apple's advantage lies in integrating these features into its system, eliminating the need to switch to external apps.

Vision intelligence allows the camera to recognize objects around you. For instance, if you see a promotional poster, you can take a photo, and the details (including time, date, and location) will be automatically added to your calendar.

Taking a photo of a restaurant on the street can help you find its information and make a reservation on your phone, although the authenticity of this experience remains to be seen, and not all establishments support this feature.

Additionally, users can generate custom emojis by typing keywords on the keyboard or find relevant photos and videos by entering natural language in the Photos app to create vlogs. The AI removal feature popularized by Huawei and OPPO will also be available on Apple phones.

Siri, Apple's voice assistant, has been around for years but has often been criticized for its limited intelligence. This time, significant upgrades have been made, allowing for more natural conversations and support for text input, no longer limited to voice commands.

Overall, Apple emphasizes achieving system-level intelligence to reshape the user experience, rather than focusing on isolated smart features. However, most AI enhancements are currently limited to Apple's own apps, with limited integration with third-party apps.

Moreover, the generative models behind these AI capabilities are trained by Apple itself, not provided by large model vendors like OpenAI. Nevertheless, OpenAI services are available to users as a cloud-based option.

03

Can AI's Long-Term Solution Address Apple's Immediate Needs?

When Apple announced its Apple Intelligence plan at WWDC this June, the industry was highly anticipatory, as smartphones are one of the best platforms for AI. Some even predicted that AI would spark a wave of phone upgrades, similar to the 5G era.

However, reality has not been as optimistic.

The AI application scenarios unveiled for the iPhone 16 do not offer many surprises. In fact, similar features have been introduced by other phone manufacturers like Samsung and OPPO. Moreover, these AI features have not yet translated into increased sales.

Apple itself is not fully prepared. None of these AI features can be immediately experienced on the iPhone 16. North American users can try them out in the iOS 18.1 Beta version in October, while domestic users will likely have to wait until next year. Furthermore, these AI capabilities will be rolled out in stages, similar to squeezing toothpaste. For instance, ChatGPT integration is only expected later this year, affecting the full rollout of Apple's AI-powered features.

The delayed ChatGPT integration will have a ripple effect, as Apple had planned to overhaul Siri based on this AI model, introducing more personalized and contextual chat modes. However, these key features will now be postponed until next year.

According to foreign media, the iPhone 16 is seen as a transitional product, and a more complete AI experience is anticipated with the iPhone 17, which is rumored to undergo significant upgrades. By then, Apple could experience a super upgrade cycle.

However, such rhetoric has become increasingly difficult to convince consumers. Few believe that Apple will deliver groundbreaking upgrades in the next iPhone generation. From the Dynamic Island to the adoption of the Type-C port, these changes, while notable, are not revolutionary for a smartphone.

Objectively speaking, this also aligns with the development trajectory of AI. Just as ChatGPT's popularity has not led to seamless large-scale application exploration, AI's evolution is unlikely to happen overnight.

However, Apple's toothpaste-squeezing approach to innovation has been criticized for years and has impacted iPhone's market performance, particularly in China. When the iPhone 15 series launched, its price fell below the launch price on the first day of availability, indicating consumer skepticism. While overall sales of the iPhone 15 series did not plummet, this was largely due to increased discounts and promotions rather than product innovation driving consumer interest.

The iPhone is increasingly relying on business strategies to cover up strategic missteps. For instance, to differentiate models, some upgradable features are intentionally withheld, prompting consumers to purchase more expensive models.

Perhaps, after years of iterative improvements, smartphones have reached a plateau in their core components. Apple's update strategy increasingly resembles that of automobiles, maintaining a consistent overall design while focusing on details and internal performance enhancements.

Apple titled this event's theme as "Moment of Truth," but the product has not experienced a true "Moment of Truth" in quite some time.