Last year, I got to experience the first iPhone launch at Engadget, and the fanfare got to me. It seemed like I couldn’t call myself a respected member of the tech world if I didn’t own any shiny new technology. So, on the iPhone 15 launch weekend, I went to an Apple store and put my name down to buy one. While waiting for my turn, I was idly playing with the display model. Holding it on the iPhone 11, my enthusiasm waned. A sleek grid of apps, softly rounded corners, one button on the right, two buttons and a toggle on the left… These two phones were the same. of course it was new on the screen, so what happened?
Instead of getting drunk, I grabbed my old phone and left the store. A year later, as of this week the thought of upgrading my phone hadn’t even crossed my mind when I got close. I was more interested in the real-time transcription skills needed to cover the event.
But then Apple went and announced For iPhone 16 It offered a DSLR-like focus button (now known as ) would only grace the Pro models, every iPhone announced this year got something really new. And the Action button from the 15 Pro will now be on the base model as well. Additionally, there’s a new “fusion camera” that combines a 48-megapixel sensor with a 2x telephoto lens. I don’t know what that really means, but anything that can help me take better photos of cityscapes is a plus.
Of course, the new button was probably added because it will serve as October’s upcoming interface Apple’s AI-powered feature that interprets the real world through the lens of Apple Intelligence. Given that shareholders are insisting that the noise of artificial intelligence is amplified it’s no surprise that Apple’s best-selling product will have all the tools you need to fully embrace the technology. AI isn’t something I need, but two new buttons? And a visible one ? It’s enough to motivate me to improve.
I’m not much of a shopper. I wear six-year-old shirts, have seven pairs of shoes, and still have my iPhone 11. I am not proud of these facts; The experience of buying something new often leaves me cold, especially when the stuff I already have is still working fine.
Every iPhone I’ve ever replaced had a good reason: After three years, the battery in the iPhone 3GS stopped holding power. After the same period, the iPhone 7 became so slow that I would forget what I was trying to do before the app opened.
Conspiracy theories Apple built it on purpose got into their phones, but I think a smarter reason was that battery and chip technology weren’t where they were now. With the release of iOS 17, Apple For the iPhone 8, however, a security update recently came out . That’s about seven years of reasonable use (and I have family members with iPhone 8s who aren’t planning to upgrade anytime soon).
I bought the iPhone 11 in early 2020, and four and a half years later, it’s still a perfectly functional device. I can play myself Hang out on Reddit, connect with your friends and family using their various preferred methods, and take pictures of tall buildings and overhead wires that look pretty decent. If I rely heavily on navigation, the battery won’t last all day, although that’s not a huge problem for me – I have. lying around only to end up with a dead phone at some point. But it won’t last forever.
The new iPhone 16 costs $799 — the same price as the iPhone 15 — and it comes in a new ultramarine color. It’s a sort of mauve royal blue that appeals to me a lot, and represents the extreme, consumerist frivolity that leads to post-purchase disappointment. But it is very nice! Granted, I will never see that deep, blue hour shadow. As soon as I get this new phone, it will go straight into the box and stay there until the next time I upgrade – maybe approx or so.
Get all the news Apple’s iPhone 16 event!
