Apple Needs Another iPhone Moment

Remember in 2007, when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs pulled the first iPhone out of his pocket? That moment changed everything. Not only did Jobs and the iPhone change the smartphone industry forever, but it also catapulted Apple to the top as the most valued company in the world.

The iPhone magic was so surreal, not only did it kill the sharks of the phone industry – Nokia and BlackBerry – it also killed Microsoft’s phone ambitions, not once, but twice.

However, fast forward to today, and we're left wondering: where's that magic gone? Despite Apple continuously bringing new iPhones every year, the aura around the iPhone is starting to wear off.

While iterative updates have worked well for Apple for a long time, competitors are no longer holding themselves back by not just matching Apple in terms of quality and performance, but also beating Cupertino in terms of innovation.

Let's dive into Apple's latest moves and what they might be missing in their quest to keep the iPhone on top.

What Went Down At Apple's ‘Glowtime’ Event

Earlier this week on Monday, Apple took the stage for its annual iPhone reveal. The tech giant launched its latest smartphone series including iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively, powered by the new A18 chip. They've got a dual-camera system with a 48MP main shooter and a new Capture Button for quick snaps.

The Pro models have slightly bigger displays at 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch, and these models are powered by A18 Pro chips. 

The price starts from $799 for the base model, up to $1,199 for the Pro Max 256 GB model.

The iPhone 16 series also comes with Apple Intelligence — think Siri on steroids, plus some nifty image editing tricks.

Sounds cool, right? But here's the thing - the crowd's reaction was more "meh" than "Wow." This brings us to the million-dollar question...

What's Apple Missing In 2024?

The "One More Thing" Factor: Remember when Apple would drop a game-changing announcement out of nowhere? Jobs added to his legend with his famous “one more thing…” line.

Those days seem long gone. The iPhone 16 feels more like a gentle nudge forward than a leap into the future.

True Innovation, Not Just Iteration: While many smartphone enthusiasts think that the iPhone 16's upgrades are nice, they're not exactly mind-blowing. Some users asked, "Where's the feature that makes us go, ‘I need this in my life, like, yesterday?’”

The Cool Factor: Apple used to be the brand that made you feel like part of an exclusive club. Now, with fierce competition from Samsung, Google, Huawei, and others, that shine has worn off a bit.

Affordable Wow: In a world where we're all watching our wallets, dropping a grand on a phone that's only slightly better than last year's model is a tough sell. Apple needs to offer more bang for the buck.

AI That Truly Amazes: While "Apple Intelligence" sounds promising, it needs to do more than just catch up to competitors. It should leapfrog them, showing us AI capabilities we didn't even know we wanted.

Why iPhone 16 Received A Lukewarm Reception

While the addition of 8GB of RAM and camera improvements are welcome, they are seen as small, uninspired steps forward rather than the groundbreaking changes users have come to expect. 

In contrast, rumors surrounding the iPhone 17, which is anticipated to feature 12GB of RAM and a sophisticated cooling system, have already generated more excitement.

Many potential buyers are opting to wait for the next model, leaving the iPhone 16 overshadowed and underappreciated.

Apple’s Competition Is Getting Better Every Year

Huawei's Tri-fold Threat: The Mate XT is turning heads with its triple-fold design. Unfolded, it's a 10.2-inch tablet. Partially folded? A 7.9-inch mini-tablet. Fully folded? A standard 6.4-inch phone. With a hefty 5,600mAh battery and a price tag starting at $2,800, it's gunning for the premium market.

Nothing's Transparent Approach: The Nothing Phone (2) is the new kid on the block, and it has attracted some loyal customers. With its transparent back and LED glyph interface, it's like the cool art student of smartphones. The phone’s starting price is just $599, making it perfect for those who want modern innovation but on a budget.

Google’s Pixel Punch: While Google’s Pixel smartphones still attract only a tiny niche of the market, the search giant has come a long way to match Apple in terms of design. Its new Pixel 9 smartphones pack a big punch in the three departments that matter the most – hardware and software integration, cameras, and a sleek design that is worth the premium price tag.

Samsung’s Galaxy View: Samsung is known for throwing everything and the kitchen sink at its users, overwhelming them with so many options, they wouldn’t know what else to ask for. While its designs have since matured a lot, both hardware and software-wise, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 6 offer a premium experience with great quality across the board.

Apple Needs To Reinvent Itself

Apple has long shielded itself from criticism for not offering enough features by delivering one feature that none of its competitors could. When rivals did catch up, Apple prided itself on offering a seamless integration of hardware and software that its competitors could only dream of attempting. For what it’s worth, Samsung was the first to take that leap and it has come a long way since then.

However, now that Apple’s rivals have caught up and also exceeded Apple in many departments like cameras, displays, design, and build quality, among other things, Apple’s approach to iterative upgrades is beginning to test the patience of users.

Apple needs another iPhone moment. It needs “one more thing…”

That's all for this week! If you found these updates useful, you'll like more from this newsletter. Get deeper dives, hot takes, and all the latest tech news delivered straight to your inbox.