Every year, consumer electronics company Apple Inc. announces and releases new iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and other devices, along with their respective operating systems. This year is no different.
On Monday, June 10, 2024, Apple held their annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and announced iOS and iPadOS 18, along with macOS 15 “Sequoia” and watchOS 11. On Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, they held an event announcing the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models.
All the new iPhone 16 models will come pre-packaged with iOS 18, which is the operating system that powers all the apps that users use on the daily, including social media, news, work and entertainment. iOS 18’s flagship feature is Apple Intelligence, which they label as “AI for the rest of us.”
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s response to the rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in everyday lives. This includes tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which is integrated into Apple Intelligence in the form of the new Siri. In iOS 18, Apple has advertised Siri as being much smarter and more knowledgeable due to Apple Intelligence.
“Currently, Siri isn’t very useful at all in my everyday life,” senior Jack Sonenberg said. “I don’t really use it at all.”
Siri isn’t the only thing changed due to Apple Intelligence. Other features include Genmoji, which uses GenAI to create new emoji based on a user’s prompt, Writing Tools, which can rewrite or summarize text and an image “Clean Up” tool, where a user can select an area of a photo they want removed, and Apple Intelligence will fill in the blank.
Both iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models were introduced as being built from the ground-up with Apple Intelligence in mind, with the models having higher random access memory (RAM) and processing power to make it 15 percent faster when compared with the previous Pro models, according to Apple’s website. This hardware also powers the new Camera Control button below the volume rockers, which is a camera-style button that allows for fine adjustment of zoom and acts as a shutter button.
“I don’t think I will upgrade my phone,” junior Joey Larson said. “I think that the iPhones are quite similar when it comes to the newer gen of iPhones.”
Apple isn’t the only company to introduce a new smartphone every year. Companies like Samsung with the Galaxy line-up and Google with the Pixel line-up try to compete with Apple to get business from the everyday user.
“I don’t think Apple’s been innovative,” senior Leo Napolitano said. “I think it’s the opposite, actually, because no major changes have been made that I’m aware of.”
iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models are currently available for preorder and will be delivered starting as soon as Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. The base model iPhone 16 starts at $799 or $899 for the larger size, and the Pro models start at $999 or $1,199 for the larger size. Apple Intelligence will be available in a later update to iOS 18 in the fall.
