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Tencent Technology News, August 12, according to foreign media reports, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 series aims to maintain stable sales until more innovative new models are launched next year.

Since Apple completely updated its iPhone product line in 2020, introducing new designs and 5G technology, the product has not undergone major changes. The iPhone 16 series released this year is expected to continue this trend. Although last year's iPhone 15 Pro used a titanium alloy case for the first time, its basic functions remain the same as its predecessor. Although the "Smart Island" introduced by the iPhone 14 Pro is hailed as an interface innovation, it does not bring fundamental changes compared to the 13 Pro, and the 13 Pro has only made minor adjustments compared to the 12.

The upcoming four models of the iPhone 16 series are expected to remain consistent with the existing versions in appearance design and will not introduce groundbreaking new features.

Here’s an overview of the new features you can expect from the iPhone 16 series:

--Apple Intelligence will be the main selling point of Apple's artificial intelligence suite. The entire iPhone 16 series will support Apple Intelligence, and the feature will also be backward compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro series. However, it is not clear whether these new features are enough to attract users to upgrade. Industry insiders believe that these features alone are not enough to be a sufficient reason for users to upgrade.

--The non-Pro versions of the iPhone 16 will have a new Action button, a feature that was already present in last year's high-end models. At the same time, Apple introduced a more personalized Control Center and customizable lock screen options in iOS 18, which may reduce the unique value of the Action button.

--In terms of design, at least on the new Pro model, a camera control button similar to a SLR camera will be added to the right side of the phone. Users can press lightly to activate autofocus and press hard to take a photo. In addition, users can also slide on the button to achieve the zoom function when taking photos and recording videos.

--For the Pro models, it is expected to bring a small increase in screen size: the screen size of the Pro model will increase from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, while the screen size of the Pro Max model will increase from 6.7 inches to nearly 6.9 inches.

--In terms of color, there will also be updates. The Pro model may replace the existing blue with a new color, and may reintroduce the rose gold color that was popular a few years ago. In addition, all four new models will be equipped with a new A18 chip and come standard with 8GB of RAM to meet the minimum configuration requirements for running Apple Intelligence.

If you currently own an older iPhone, these upgrades will undoubtedly be a nice improvement - although they may not be urgently needed. It seems unlikely that the new models will spark a buying frenzy for Apple. In fact, according to the latest earnings outlook provided by Apple, the company itself does not seem to expect such a thing, as shown by the fact that they did not predict iPhone growth this quarter. If Apple expected significant sales growth, the outside world would have received some hint.

iPhone Air version may be launched in 2025

Looking ahead to 2025, the iPhone product line will undoubtedly usher in major changes. Apple is expected to release a new iPhone SE as early as early 2025, which will be the first major upgrade of Apple's low-end mobile phones since 2022. The new SE will be similar in appearance to the iPhone 14, equipped with a clearer OLED display. Needless to say, it will also support Apple Intelligence technology. If Apple can price the new iPhone SE at around $500, this product is expected to become a popular choice in the market.

More critical changes are expected to come in September next year with the launch of the iPhone 17 series, which will bring a new type of smartphone - well-known technology journalist Mark Gurman defines it as "the fourth model of iPhone."

For years, Apple has been exploring a fourth phone model that would appeal to consumers. In 2020, the company tried to do just that with the iPhone 12 mini, but the product was not a commercial success.

So the next logical step for Apple was to do the opposite. Apple abandoned the mini series and launched the iPhone 14 Plus, a scaled-up version of its standard phone. However, like the mini version, the Plus series failed to meet expectations in terms of market performance. Price was a key factor: The iPhone 15 Plus cost only $100 less than the more powerful iPhone 15 Pro, leading many consumers to believe that it was worth spending a little more to get a better phone.

Next year, Apple will try again to launch a fourth iPhone model. This time, the company plans to use a thinner design, with the idea of ​​creating an "Air" version of the iPhone that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. The most apt analogy might be the original MacBook Air from more than a decade ago, which was between the standard MacBook and the MacBook Pro.

The marketing strategy for this new product may emphasize that if a user wants a product that is more attractive than the standard iPhone but does not need the performance, screen size or camera of the Pro model, he can choose a product with a cooler appearance and the specifications of the standard iPhone.

The combination of the new SE and Air could bring significant growth to the iPhone in 2025. Gurman believes that at least this Air-style iPhone will be more popular than the mini and Plus series in recent years. Even this thinner entry-level phone is just a step towards better design.

Apple's ultimate goal is to integrate the powerful features of the Pro model into the iPhone design, a goal that may not be achieved until at least 2027. Gurman also expects Apple to launch a foldable iPhone, but according to internal signs, a foldable iPad is also a priority project. This means that a foldable version of the iPad will come out earlier than a foldable iPhone.

Regardless, it will still take several years for these innovative options to become available. In the short term, consumers will be faced with a familiar sight: an iPhone that looks very similar to last year's model.