iPhone 16: Is Apple’s Enhanced Intelligence Worth the Upgrade?

So, what drives people to upgrade to a new iPhone? It’s not just about radical design changes like the shift from flat edges to curves or the introduction of Face ID. More likely, it’s about tangible features that make a tangible difference in your daily life, like a decent telephoto lens or the launch of Portrait Mode, which effectively turned the iPhone 7 Plus into a pro-level camera. Sometimes, though, it’s not so much the features themselves but the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). I know I’ve inspired some of my friends to upgrade from their ancient iPhones 4s or 5s after I showed them off my stunning Portrait Mode images from the iPhone 7 Plus. They’d basically dismiss their old phones, start researching trade-in prices, and suddenly become invested in buying the latest model.

Speaking of which, I’ve been reading Mark Gurman’s latest newsletter, and he’s downplaying the idea that Apple’s iPhone 16 release will trigger a supercycle of upgrades. I kinda agree, but there are some mitigating factors to consider. The thing about artificial intelligence is that most people perceive it as a behemoth capable of incredible feats but also a mystery box that doesn’t translate to tangible benefits in their daily lives. Consumers might be captivated by OpenAI’s Sora, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot, but for the most part, they’re stumped when it comes to figuring out what they could do with these tools.

So, what’s the killer app that’ll spark a surge in iPhone 16 upgrades? Apple’s got this thing called Apple Intelligence that’s going to be rolled out across its ecosystem. It’s an AI-based platform that promises to integrate Siri, messaging, writing, imaging, and image creation, to name a few. Sounds impressive, but here’s the catch: it might not all be available with the iPhone 16 right out the gate. Will that slow down the pace of upgrades?

More likely, though, the real motivator for upgrading will be the looming obsolescence of older iPhone models. There are still plenty of people holding onto their trusty iPhone 11 and even some iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 units. When support for those models finally runs out, they’ll be looking to upgrade, and Apple knows this. That’s why they might continue to offer price-reduced older models like the iPhone 14 or 15, and maybe even the iPhone SE.

Just keep in mind that the iPhone 11 and lower models won’t support Apple Intelligence, making the iPhone 16 (or any higher-end iPhone) a must-have if you want to experience it. So, while I’m all for Apple finally getting into the generative AI game, I reckon it won’t be a single-feature upgrade driver in and of itself – not yet, at least.