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I don’t know if you watched Apple's latest iPhone event, where they officially unveiled the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, but boy, was it a snooze fest… And it’s not just me saying that - many people online seem to feel the same way.
For an event that’s supposed to get people excited about the latest and greatest in tech, Apple almost put me to sleep.
But what happened? Apple events used to be exciting…
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Apple’s iPhone 16 event was as boring as Apple pie - a rerun of WWDC, and a huge push for Apple Intelligence
Hey, at least Craig has a new outfit (and haircut)
Now, it’s not only Apple’s new phones that look similar to the old ones - their events are “S” versions of the last event too?!
To get to the point, watching the unveiling of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro felt like watching parts of the WWDC event from the summer.
Craig Federighi & Co spent half the time talking about Apple Intelligence features we’d already heard about during WWDC, as well as other previously announced features.
Now, I get it - AI is the “cool” new thing nowadays, and it’s where all the tech giants are putting their money, and Apple wants to show they’re leading the way and whatnot.
But when your audience is expecting something fresh and maybe even groundbreaking, being bombarded with the same old AI talk I saw in the last event is a bit of a letdown.
One button at a time: Apple had little to say about the hardware of the best iPhone (16 Pro)
Cute and boring as a button.
But then came the iPhone 16 Pro’s moment…
When unveiling the iPhone 16 Pro, which is supposed to be the most exciting new iPhone, Apple talked about the same “grade 5 titanium frame” we got last year with iPhone 15 Pro - just in case you forgot how great grade 5 titanium was. Tell me something new!
To top it off, Apple proudly stated that the iPhone 16 Pro is the “first phone in the world” to feature a 3nm chip. And I thought: “Hold on a second... Didn’t they say the same thing about the iPhone 15 Pro last year?” Well, yes they did. Because the iPhone 16 Pro does indeed have a 3nm chip, but so did the 15 Pro…
Hey, Apple... AI is great but let’s not make it the main event at every event… especially when it's "coming later this year"
This olympic-grade tech reviewer deserved a better show, Apple.
All in all, what stood out to me was Apple’s heavy focus on Apple Intelligence and AI, which is something you’d expect to see at WWDC but not so much during the iPhone event.
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In fact, Apple didn’t waste any time after revealing the iPhone 16’s design - they immediately went straight to talking about AI. For a while there, it felt like they’d forgotten they were even launching a new phone.
So much of the presentation around Apple Intelligence was repeated (almost word for word) that it was clear Apple was trying to make sure people who missed WWDC could find out about Apple’s new AI. But for those of us who did tune in back then, it was just painfully repetitive.
It was like one of those boring training videos you have to watch before starting a new job. You know - the ones where you’re shown how to answer the phone with the right tone or where to place the stapler.
Is Apple running out of ideas on how to make the iPhone exciting again, or was the iPhone 16 event just lazy?
Another thing that made the event feel extra dull was the fact that it was pre-recorded, which has become the new normal for Apple since 2020.
While pre-recording helps with smooth transitions and polished presentations, it also makes things feel less lively and spontaneous - even seeing a live demo of a new feature that doesn’t work (like during Google’s last event) has its charm sometimes.
It must’ve been especially disappointing for the poor media folks who flew all the way to Cupertino just to watch a pre-recorded video and a bunch of things they saw at WWDC.
Where’s the "Steve Jobs era" Apple Magic? Maybe we need a foldable iPhone after all…
An iPhone that can pause video recording vs the world’s first tri-folding phone. Who’s to say which one’s more exciting?
See… Apple is usually known for putting on some of the most exciting events in the tech world.
Whether you’re a die-hard Apple fan or just someone interested in tech, their events usually leave you buzzing with a little bit of excitement. But not this time. It’s like the magic that made their keynotes so special is slowly but surely being washed away…
There wasn’t any new “wow” factor this time around. Not to mention a “One More Thing” moment. Instead, it felt like Apple was just going through the motions, checking off a list of updates they had to cover…
All in all, this was hands down the most boring Apple event I’ve ever sat through - as a tech enthusiast or just a “normal person.”
I’m not sure if it had all to do with the heavy focus on AI, or the fact that the iPhone lineup hasn’t changed much in years, but whatever it was, it was hard to watch.
Apple’s shown in the past that they can do so much better, and I hope the next event brings back that excitement and innovation we’ve come to expect from Apple.
Because, at the end of the day, if Apple can’t make tech exciting, who can? Oh, wait… The answer is Huawei - they just announced the world’s first tri-folding phone. And the iPhone 16 lets you pause video recording.
Who’s to say which one’s more exciting…
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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.
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