Forget about the new iPhone 16 Pro, Apple’s competitors have something much better

Tim Cook’s subtle showmanship will be in full swing this Monday at Apple’s Glowtime event, where the 2019 iPhone lineup will be unveiled to a no doubt delighted audience at the Steve Jobs Theater, with Cook’s team showcasing features they’ll deliver “the way only Apple can.”

But these are just phones.

Apple has no monopoly on innovation or the debut of new technology on the market. In the current market, countless alternatives offer a better experience, a more solid offering, and more possibilities than the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

Of course, if you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem, have invested thousands of dollars in apps, services, and subscriptions, and your other digital gear is also Apple-branded, there’s only one game in town. To experience the new smartphone technology, you’ll have to wait until Apple decides the right time.

For many, “just a phone” is enough. The capabilities of modern smartphones ensure that regardless of the platform or manufacturer chosen, the basics will always be there. This also applies to the iPhone. I don’t look at this group. I look at the high limits. I look at innovation, experimentation and evolution. I look at the cutting edge of mobile communications. There are more voices than Apple.

Take the three iPhone 16 family features that Apple will use as key selling points: AI, increased zoom, and a new capture button. All of these features are not only available on competing devices, but have also gone through multiple iterations over the years.

Google launched the 2023 Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones as the first AI smartphones. Since then, major manufacturers have released generative AI suites — Samsung’s Galaxy AI is probably the largest in terms of user base — and as we enter a new smartphone cycle, we’ll see the emergence of second-generation AI software and hardware. Google’s recent Pixel 9 event introduced Gemini AI and a new range of AI-based tools to the Android platform.

The awkwardly named Apple Intelligence won’t be available at the iPhone 16 launch. Instead, a subset of the feature will arrive in October, ChatGPT is scheduled “before the end of the year,” and the full scope of the first-generation AI won’t be available until March, about fifteen months after Android.

Apple debuted a foldable periscope lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year and will bring it to the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max this year. Optical zoom offers much better clarity and fidelity than the digital zoom that manufacturers have been chasing for years. Apple’s debut of foldable lens technology in 2023 comes three years after the first smartphone lenses from Huawei and Xiaomi. Samsung and Google joined the party in 2021.

The programmable Action button from last year on the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max will be available across the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineup, along with an additional Capture button that operates the camera. Physical buttons and sliders have long been a staple of phone design. You’ve got Samsung’s Bixby button, OnePlus’s Alert Slider, Sony’s camera shutter buttons, and more.

Innovation in the Android world seems to be years ahead of Apple’s efforts. The current generation of foldable phones hitting the mainstream have gone from the first slim-body devices to today’s designs that could easily be mistaken for a regular phone when closed, but open up to nearly nine-inch screens like the Honor Magic V3 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Android devices are seeing a greater focus on easy repair and replacement, not just from first- and third-party repair centers, but also from users who want to be able to replace parts on their smartphones themselves, rather than paying a hefty premium to crack open a sealed device to replace a simple component. Fairphone has been a leader for years, and HMD’s new Skyline phone makes repairability a strong selling point.

While they don’t have as many titles as Sony or Nintendo’s consoles, the smartphone gaming market is huge. Despite this, it’s noticeable that the big titles are mostly aimed at Android. It’s no wonder that specialist gaming phones can be found in a wide range of Android phones. The phones are tailored specifically to the needs of gamers, providing fast-response and refreshable screens, shoulder buttons, active cooling, and increased processing power. A general-purpose phone will be used for casual gaming, but for those who need an edge, there are phones designed specifically for their needs.

When Tim Cook and his team take the stage at Monday’s Glowtime event, they’ll tell the story of the challenges and obstacles to bringing you the best iPhone and new features in a way only Apple can. Every manufacturer tells the same story; no phone launch would be complete without these moments.

The iPhone 16 family isn’t an isolated case that stands out and stands tall above the rest of the smartphone market. It doesn’t dominate the market or monopolize all the best features. The combination of software and services that make up iOS has created a phone that its user base loves, but it’s not the only all-rounder that offers a good browser, solid connectivity, and a well-stocked library of third-party apps.

Apple’s iPhone isn’t the only smartphone to rule them all. The iPhone is the right choice for some people, and there are better choices for others. When Tim Cook takes the stage to tell the story of the iPhone 16 family, remember that this is just one of many.

Read more about the iPhone 17 and how Apple plans to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm…