Tim Cook and his team are set to unveil the new iPhone 16 Pro next month, in what they hope will be Apple’s first successful step into the world of AI-generated technology. What will the iPhone 16 Pro offer at launch? With new features largely limited to software updates that will take months to release, could the iPhone 15 Pro be the smarter choice?
Apple CEO Tim Cook poses for a selfie at an Apple Store in New York (Photo: Angela Weiss/via AFP) … (+)
AFP via Getty Images
One of the biggest advantages the iPhone 16 family has over previous iPhones is that it comes with generative AI. The Apple Intelligence suite of backlogs demands a certain level of performance from the host smartphone, which exceeds that of most existing iPhones.
The only exceptions are the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which are the only two Apple smartphones that run the A17 Pro Apple Silicon chipset – the iPhone 15 is held down at the A16, presumably to create a spec gap that justifies the Pro model’s higher price.
This means you’ll have the option to use Apple’s AI software without buying the new iPhone 16.
It’s also worth considering the state of Apple’s AI software. While some of it is in public beta, Tim Cook’s team isn’t planning on releasing any software alongside the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro families in September. Instead, a limited set of features will be available via an OS update scheduled for October, with ChatGPT due to be added by the end of the year.
Apple’s generative AI won’t be fully implemented until late Q1, roughly halfway through the initial production run of the iPhone 16 Pro. That’s assuming Apple doesn’t encounter any major issues with its developments that delay the update. People who buy the iPhone 16 Pro believe in the potential of AI, but that potential will be some time away from being realized.
For many, the time to invest in a new Apple device is not when AI arrives, but when it’s already here. iPhone 15 Pro owners get the best of both worlds: an iPhone that runs AI as soon as it arrives, and the option to upgrade to the latest iPhone as the software updates. At this point, many will consider waiting a few months to buy an iPhone 17 Pro, knowing that Apple is dealing with software issues with its first attempt at generative AI, as well as demands on the hardware.
There’s also an argument to be made for waiting a generation of iPhone if you must upgrade in the current climate. When the iPhone 16 Pro arrives, the price of the iPhone 15 Pro will drop – not dramatically, but enough to provide value. Apple may not be offering huge discounts, but network carriers and online stores have stock of the 15 Pro and Pro Max and are looking to clear out inventory to get you a bargain.
Outside of the iOS update (which applies to all iPhone models), the main differences between the 15 Pro and 16 Pro appear to be a slight increase in battery capacity and improved telephoto zoom. This isn’t a hardware-focused iPhone update, and iPhone 17 devices are likely to get significant hardware updates, so those looking for physical changes might want to skip this year’s model.
A man communicates using an iPhone 15 Pro Max outside the new Apple store in Kuala Lumpur. … (+)
Getty Images
The iPhone 16 Pro’s hardware upgrades are more iterative than revolutionary, Apple’s big bet for next year is the unreleased software that will run on its older flagship devices when they are finally released, and anyone who doesn’t already have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max will be able to get some attractive discounts.
The iPhone 16 Pro may be the future, but you might want to see what that future looks like before deciding to buy one.
Read the latest iPhone, iOS, and MacBook headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop digest now…
