Since its launch this year, the iPhone 16 has been plagued with controversies, similar to previous years. During the initial sales period, it is often accompanied by various negative news (some of which can be verified, while others are difficult to discern as true or false). Despite encountering similar situations, sales have remained largely unaffected, especially during peak shopping periods like 618 and Double 11. On these days, iPhone consistently ranks top in mobile phone sales charts across various platforms, a trend that has remained unchanged for years and is expected to continue this year. However, not all versions are worth purchasing, and caution should be exercised when selecting the 128GB model.

One of the biggest selling points of this year's iPhone 16 series is AI. Unfortunately, due to certain objective reasons, the Chinese mainland version does not support Apple's AI features. This has led many online users to argue that the iPhone 16 is not worth buying. However, this argument is flawed. As one of Apple's most important markets globally, it is illogical to assume that its flagship product would not support its key feature.

In fact, Apple has officially stated that after completing English localization testing and official launch by the end of the year, it will enable Apple AI to support Chinese next year. Although Apple has not explicitly stated this, it is understood that AI functionality will likely be provided by domestic vendors. However, it has been reported that Apple AI has certain storage requirements, with the official claim being a minimum of 4GB of reserved storage space. However, it is common knowledge that such claims often represent the bare minimum requirement for a certain task.

This is similar to the official announcement of minimum hardware requirements for playing "Black Myth: Wukong." Can these requirements ensure a good gaming experience? Obviously not; more powerful hardware is necessary. The same applies to the AI features on the iPhone 16. Merely reserving 4GB of storage space is insufficient. As Apple AI introduces more functionalities (concurrently provided by domestic vendors), there will be an even greater demand for storage space, with virtually no upper limit. Choosing the 128GB version will undoubtedly restrict future usage.

AI functionality is just a small part of the iPhone 16 series' capabilities. Users will also need to install and use numerous third-party apps, including large games that can consume over 10GB of space. Factoring in cached data, system resources, and the storage needed for high-definition videos and photos, the 128GB version falls short of meeting users' needs. As a result, most mid-to-high-end smartphones on the market now start at 256GB, with many opting for the 512GB version for added storage capacity.

Apple is well aware of the storage demands of modern smartphones, as evidenced by the 256GB starting capacity of the Max version. So why does it still offer the 128GB model, which has been criticized? Some believe it's a strategy to encourage users to upgrade their devices more frequently. If users find the 128GB version insufficient and can't upgrade the storage, they may be more inclined to purchase a new phone the following year.

I'm not suggesting that everyone should spend more money unnecessarily. However, for those with even modest storage needs, the 128GB version may not be sufficient. It's crucial to carefully consider whether to invest in a device that meets all your requirements upfront or risk needing to upgrade sooner than expected.