When Apple introduced the iPhone 16 series last year, most of, if not all of the marketing focused on Apple Intelligence. A few months into the life cycle of the iPhone 16 series, Apple had to pull some of the adverts related to Apple Intelligence, and the phones that had the tagline “Hello, Apple Intelligence” became “Built for Apple Intelligence.”
I have been thinking about this for a while. Apple Intelligence, Camera Control, the 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and the new Photographic Styles are some of the headlining new features of the iPhone 16 series compared to the iPhone 15. Yes, there were other changes too, but I will call these the noteworthy changes compared to the iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 15 Pro models were meant to get all the Apple Intelligence features that the iPhone 16 series would have got (even Visual Intelligence would come to the iPhone 15 Pro models later on although they lacked the Camera Control).
After using the iPhone 16 Pro Max since launch day, I can say that of all these features, the one I use the most is the Photographic Styles. Ironically, this was the feature that Apple spent the least time discussing during the keynote. I think Apple personally fumbled the marketing with the iPhone 16 series. They should have marketed this as the next step in iPhone photography, together with Camera Control and Photographic Styles, and left Apple Intelligence as a bonus/supporting feature and not have made it the main point of their marketing. The iPhone 16 series introduced camera-related features that previous iPhones never had: new Photographic Styles and Camera Control, along with 4K 120fps on the Pro cameras. Apple could have easily marketed this as the best camera on the market, but they didn’t.
I tend to view every iPhone as a kind of milestone. Looking back, I remember each model for the changes it introduced. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were the ones that dropped the headphone jack. The iPhone 5 marked the transition from the 30-pin adapter to Lightning. The iPhone 5s introduced the first 64-bit chip and Touch ID. The iPhone X brought Face ID. The iPhone 14 eliminated the notch in favour of the Dynamic Island. And the iPhone 15 Pro switched to titanium from stainless steel.
Reflecting upon all these iPhones and their changes, Apple always got the marketing spot on. They promoted Face ID (and the new design) with the iPhone X, and Touch ID with the iPhone 5s, and even the switch to Titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro models. But with the iPhone 16 series, what Apple chose to shout about was Apple Intelligence—a feature that hasn’t fully materialised, and might only fully arrive when the iPhone 17 (or the iPhone 26) is here. It would be a shame if, in a decade, the iPhone 16 series is remembered as the phone that didn’t live up to its promise because of Apple Intelligence. Especially when Camera Control, Photographic Styles, and 4K 120fps video mode genuinely changed iPhone photography and videography for those who care about it.