iPhone 16 Pro Max Apple is out of their minds. This is unethical to say the least.

[Shirasaki]

Apple has been unethical for over a decade, so I'm not sure why people are surprised now. (Minghold's refrain: don't buy any Macbook made after 2015, or any iMac made after 2019. Suffice also to say that any iWidget-fulltime device is a hotline to intelligence-gathering entities.)

I already assume Apple‘s claim on “privacy” is only to protect their user base data from the likes of Google facebook etc, NOT to protect user. Apple is protecting their own privacy. Yet, we have millions choose to believe Apple cares about privacy. Regardless, now I start to realise why people choose to believe so, even if what Apple is doing is exactly the opposite of what they say.

 

[Sami13496]

So which colour are you getting?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I WOULD LIKE TO CONSUME, but Apple doesn’t make a product I feel is value for the money they’re asking for it!

Then, don’t buy it?

Did you not read the first 5 words of that sentence?

 

[zehoo]

I see Apple intelligence as a beta product until the 17pro releases. It’s not releasing until December, and then it’ll probably be buggy and limited until Apple increase the RAM in the 17 pro.

There’s a few things I like about the 16pm over my 13pm, but probably not enough to make me upgrade before the 4 year cycle I’m imposing on myself since progress on phones stagnated.

 

[baummer]

I get where you're coming from, but I think it's important to look at both sides. Apple does push boundaries with pricing, but they also consistently deliver innovative technology and premium build quality. While it might not be for everyone, many people are still willing to invest in the ecosystem. That being said, I agree that they could do better in terms of making their products more accessible to a wider audience

What wider audience?

 

[cptcaveman]

Forced obsolesces is a thing. And apple is bringing this to an absurd degree.

It's so true; it makes me wonder what the unused 16-core neural processor on my (apparently non-AI) iPhone 14 Pro Max was there for

Of course, it could run Apple Intelligence just fine. This is completely planned obsolescence and a cynical move by Apple.

It is as cynical as reducing the battery capacity on the iPhone 16 Plus this year so that the Pro Max could be the battery hero, which they also have done.

Just wait until a release or two when they want a subscription for AI, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they magically discover that they can support more phone models then!

 

[okieoutwest]

If this were another sort of forum this would make an excellent copypasta.

But GenAI has convinced people who can use a keyboard that they’re just as smart as the person who designed the PCB for that board. Or the programmer who coded the OS on their screen.

New levels of false confidence abound.

 

[cptcaveman]

If this were another sort of forum this would make an excellent copypasta.

But GenAI has convinced people who can use a keyboard that they’re just as smart as the person who designed the PCB for that board. Or the programmer who coded the OS on their screen.

New levels of false confidence abound.

If you think these are engineering decisions then I think you need some AI yourself my friend. Funniest thing I have heard in ages 🤣

 

[jwolf6589]

Lol to be fair…those were in regular use far longer than the average iPhone. The iPhone life cycle is shorter than the hardwares true life.

Yes but everyone these days uses tech which was not the case back in 1989-1993. It was far more niche then.

 

[HouseLannister]

And this is why I am not buying apples BS about upgrading.

or Google’s…
or Microsoft’s…

 

[philstubbington]

This isn't the first time apple make us wait for features, they usually roll it down the road with software updates...

Having been much closer to the world of chip manufacturing years ago, you’ll be surprised how long the roadmaps are for chips compared to software. It’s also a massive capital investment. Apple are delivering the hardware when it’s available and the software is in catchup mode.

 

[lugworm]

On top of everything, in 2024, it still has a notch ! Call it what you want, apple, it's still a notch.

 

[cptcaveman]

As per the original poster, if anyone has been locked out of Apple Intelligence by Apple's cynical bid to juice the iPhone 16 upgrade cycle, here is a good article in the NYT that covers how to get AI features on your phone:

How to Turn Your Old iPhone Into an A.I. Phone (and Skip the Upgrade)

Apple is using Apple Intelligence, a suite of tools for generating images and text, to upsell the iPhone 16. But you can get similar features elsewhere.

www.nytimes.com

The first paragraph in that article kind of says it all 😂

The latest iPhones, unveiled by Apple at a marketing event on Monday, look virtually identical to last year’s models. But Apple hopes that what’s underneath — new software that brings what it describes as artificial intelligence to the new phones — will persuade people to upgrade.

 

[Velin]

I don't understand the thesis. Apple was, and has been, very clear about how and when these AI features will roll out. It was repeatedly highlighted during the most recent presentation. There is nothing "unethical" about Apple's statements, and their methodology is appropriate.

but the way they are forcing upgrades

No. Apple is one of the better companies on this point. iPhones get iOS support/updates for six (or more years), and security and update patches that last longer. What other smartphone manufacturer is doing that?

Look at the Apple store. Base model iPhone 14s are available for a very reasonable $599, or even an SE for $429. Buy one of those at the reduced price -- and use your AI tools as you have been. Hence, lots of prior model years available for reduced prices. In no way are you "forced" to buy an iPhone 16.

Lots of other examples from their product line, including updates and support, Applecare+ across the product stack, etc. Even ten years of swappable Apple Watch bands is noteworthy.

Typical Apple talking points rubbish:

Apple's silicon may be many things. Rubbish, it is not. Also, have you even glanced at what's happening over in PC-land? How about Intel's foundry problems, and its CPU microcode dodge, affecting huge numbers of their 13th and 14th gen processors? It's a disaster for the many people who are having instability, and Intel's warranty support has been bashed to hell. Look at the overinflated prices of GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD. And last year and into this year, PC mobo manufacturers had their own QC problems, with boards frying chips because they weren't engineered correctly.

Pretty happy to be in Apple land at the moment. Apple's talking points are not rubbish: they are delivering processors and products that work. The same cannot -- cannot -- be said about PCs.

 

[MallardDuck]

I don’t get this position. They said it at WWDC. They said it yesterday. AI features are in beta and will be released slowly over the next several months.

And the AI features that Apple is talking about run on the device. That's why old phones can't do them. Hell, you can use the chatGPT website on anything at that connects to it, because it runs in the cloud.

 

[cptcaveman]

And the AI features that Apple is talking about run on the device. That's why old phones can't do them. Hell, you can use the chatGPT website on anything at that connects to it, because it runs in the cloud.

Apple could do this in the cloud easily, and it already does.

It's also pretty cynical that new devices sold the year before with 16-core neural engines can suddenly become insufficient to run pretty simple AI in the very next release of iOS.

 

[HouseLannister]

Apple could do this in the cloud easily

You hear that, everyone. Engineering AI solutions is easy. Every other AI company is super profitable and Apple is just being greedy. There is no cost to deploying servers and all research and development can be done by a single hourly employee making about $10/hr. Why should I buy a new phone when Apple already has more money than I do? Why is Apple putting all their resources into making new phones rather than continuously spending money and time developing additional features for my old phone that was never advertised to have those features? Don’t their stockholders want them to operate like Santa Claus? I’ve been a good boy this year!

 

[macbookj0e]

From my 15 pro max, I don’t see a reason to upgrade. Previously, every year has had something compelling. But the capture button seems like a total gimmick, and that’s the only upgrade for this year

True but I’d happily take the better battery life of the 16 if I was upgrading.

 

[cptcaveman]

You hear that, everyone. Engineering AI solutions is easy. Every other AI company is super profitable and Apple is just being greedy. There is no cost to deploying servers and all research and development can be done by a single hourly employee making about $10/hr. Why should I buy a new phone when Apple already has more money than I do? Why is Apple putting all their resources into making new phones rather than continuously spending money and time developing additional features for my old phone that was never advertised to have those features? Don’t their stockholders want them to operate like Santa Claus? I’ve been a good boy this year!

Ignoring much of your attempt at humor, that you had to edit, and yet still didn't really land...

A couple of points:

A 2023 14 Pro Max with a 16-core neural processor isn't an old phone; it could run Apple Intelligence locally without a problem. No cloud is required.

Apple could charge for cloud for older phones that can't run locally. I wasn't suggesting free.

Although I am sure they think their planned obsolescence is marketing genius in boosting immediate sales, I wonder whether Apple has considered that they are driving users straight into the arms of their competitors, Google in particular, with services such as Gemini, who might end up liking what they find over there?

 

[Ctrlos]

Er.... Apple aren't charging for AI. At least not yet. I fully expect Satellite connections and Private Cloud stuff to be inclusive of an iCloud and/or Apple One subscription in future.

The bigger deal for me is why they can't offload the on-device processing to another device. There is no reason why an Apple Watch cannot use the processor in a phone for AI requests any more than there is an iPhone 15 or lower using the M1 in a Mac or iPad. Seems like a tighter ecosystem opportunity to me.

 

[NewOldStock]

Too many hit and runs anymore.
Stir with big stick then leave.

 

[msackey]

Forcing upgrades?

 

[cptcaveman]

Forcing upgrades?

Yep. Joz resorting to the dark arts to drive sales, when they should really just be upfront about it, offer an AI service for all their customers (paid for the ones who can't run models locally) and keep everyone in the ecosystem.

 

[Pandyone]

Sooo, are some folks just now learning about marketing?

 

[AZFalconi]

As per the original poster, if anyone has been locked out of Apple Intelligence by Apple's cynical bid to juice the iPhone 16 upgrade cycle, here is a good article in the NYT that covers how to get AI features on your phone:

How to Turn Your Old iPhone Into an A.I. Phone (and Skip the Upgrade)

Apple is using Apple Intelligence, a suite of tools for generating images and text, to upsell the iPhone 16. But you can get similar features elsewhere.

www.nytimes.com

The first paragraph in that article kind of says it all 😂

The latest iPhones, unveiled by Apple at a marketing event on Monday, look virtually identical to last year’s models. But Apple hopes that what’s underneath — new software that brings what it describes as artificial intelligence to the new phones — will persuade people to upgrade.

I always laugh at this. It you look at the galaxy’s or the pixels they ALL look virtually identical to the last several models. Besides flipping the or folding palate explain how yo
Make the outside different