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Apple's dirty tricks continue: iPhone 15 (Pro) users furious over huge Apple Intelligence snub

By Martin Filipov

Published: Oct 30, 2024, 9:47 AM

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This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

Apple's dirty tricks continue: iPhone 15 (Pro) users furious over huge Apple Intelligence snub

The long awaited public version of iOS 18.1 is now available, which means every iPhone user can finally get a taste of Apple Intelligence. Sorry, every iPhone 16, 16 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro user. No, sorry - not really…

To clear up the confusion, no iPhone 15 user is getting Apple Intelligence (let alone people with older iPhone models) - Apple’s reasoning for this decision was “iPhone 15 has only 6GB of RAM” - now, why does iPhone 15 have only 6GB of RAM? Nobody knows…

Shedding some light on the ongoing “Apple vs the EU and China”, Cupertino now says supported iPhones in the EU and China should get Apple Intelligence in April 2025. You know - unless something changes and European and Chinese iPhone users get Apple Intelligence… never. And that’s after Apple announced Apple Intelligence in June 2024.

But it keeps getting “better”... The long-awaited “Visual Intelligence” feature that lets you search whatever you see on your screen will only be available on iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro because they have the Camera Control button - because there’s absolutely no other way to launch this feature. You know - like the Action Button.

And what is the “Visual Intelligence” feature so hard to run on older iPhones? It’s literally a Google Search (using Google Lens).

Apple went too far: $300 Galaxy A35 has a game-changing feature my $1,200 iPhone 15 Pro Max “can’t have” (because Apple said so)

So, what’s the problem?

Well, here’s the first “problem”. My grandma’s $300 Galaxy A35 has Circle to Search (Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16), and my $1,200 iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn’t. My cousin’s Galaxy S24 has had this feature since January of 2024.

To add to the absurdity of Apple’s decisions, Samsung, Apple’s biggest competitor, has updated its flagship phones all the way back to the Galaxy S21 with support for Circle to Search. And of course, budget phones like the Pixel 6a have the Google-made feature too.

But me being “jealous” isn’t the whole story here, because I use Circle to Search on my Pixel Fold on a daily basis. It’s an incredibly simple yet useful feature I use not only for “searching” but also for all the other stuff Google has added, which is translating any text on my screen and even searching for music that’s playing around me. All with holding down the little bar that appears on the bottom of my screen.

Visual Intelligence is a feature Apple wasn’t only late to add to the iPhone 16, but is now actively working to take away from every iPhone prior to the latest iPhone 16.

Cupertino hasn’t commented on the reasons to leave out Visual Intelligence from the iPhone 15 Pro, but it’s probably safe to assume it’s the lack of a “Camera Control” key, which is the main way to activate and use Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16. But let’s be honest - this is an excuse and not an explanation.

Poor excuses 2.0: Apple’s willingness to rob iPhone users from accessing basic features is slowly turning me away from the iPhone

So… Where does that leave me as an iPhone user (who also uses Android phones on a daily basis)? Well, if it wasn’t clear - I’m the most disappointed in Apple I have been in a while.

Of course, every phone has its quirks, and nothing is perfect, but having access to phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro Fold while using an iPhone as your main device is really eye-opening. Especially in 2024.

I’m witnessing the AI revolution on my Galaxy and Pixel while using them as secondary phones, and every single time I pick up my iPhone 13 or iPhone 15 Pro, I’m reminded of how far behind Apple has been and is. And how Tim Cook & Co are robbing users from features as basic as Visual Intelligence / Circle to Search. Of course that’s especially true if you live in Europe.

The best-selling phones of 2023-2024 are missing basic features: $500 iPhone SE 4 will be more “Pro” than my iPhone 15 Pro Max

Rumored to start at $500, the alleged iPhone SE 4 is expected to feature 8GB of RAM and a Camera Control button with support for Apple Intelligence (and Visual Intelligence) - features nowhere to be found on my $1,200 iPhone 15 Pro Max. Make it make sense.

All in all, in case you forgot, now you’ve been reminded of how stubborn and cheap Tim Cook & Co can be - purely judging by the way they treat people who’ve paid $800-$1,200 for phones that are barely a year old.

But where does that leave YOU? Well, as a phone nerd / reviewer / critic, I can’t sit here and tell you to buy an iPhone over a Galaxy or a Pixel, knowing how likely it is that Apple will screw you over.

What about the millions who bought an iPhone 15 or an iPhone 15 Pro? We’re talking about the best-selling phones of 2023-2024. And even if you don’t have access to Android phones (like I do), not knowing what you’re missing doesn’t mean you wouldn’t love having it (if you did).

I guess what I’m saying is… I might be looking for a new phone… that’s not an iPhone.

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.