The Apple September 9, 2024, event dubbed "Glowtime", introduced new innovations that Apple hopes will affect both general consumers and small businesses. The highlight of the event was the launch of the iPhone 16 series, which includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Whether upgrading to the iPhone 16 is worth it depends on your specific needs, usage habits, and the features you value most.
For us techies, this year’s Apple event was boring, over-stretched, and desperate for things to talk about. The iPhone 16 lineup is barely different from the 15, which isn’t necessarily a terrible thing (the iPhone 15 devices are great phones), but it’s hard to get excited about “more of the same, plus new software.” The Watch Series 10 is certainly not a dramatic departure from the Series 9, it’s only bigger and now available in Titanium.
In today’s post we’ll dive into the Apple announcements and offer a view on those upgrades to consider and the upgrades to skip.
iPhone 16 Series
The new iPhones come with advanced features like a dedicated camera control button, a significant improvement for professionals who rely on fast access to the camera, such as those in marketing, design, or content creation. The iPhone 16 Pro models offer a 5x optical zoom, perfect for capturing high-quality images. Additionally, the new "Apple Intelligence" AI feature allows users to search the web or gather insights simply by snapping a photo, such as naming objects or performing visual searches—something that could enhance productivity and streamline workflows in various business sectors.
Apple Intelligence
This AI-powered feature, highlighted prominently in the iPhone 16 Pro models, integrates machine learning into daily tasks. For small businesses, this could revolutionize customer service, inventory management, and marketing automation. Apple's AI could simplify tasks like automating emails, generating quick reports, or even providing real-time data analysis—all of which improve operational efficiency.
Apple Watch Series 10
The new Apple Watch Series 10 is thinner, offers sleep apnea detection, and allows music playback directly from the wrist. It also includes the depth gauge function that used to be exclusive to the Ultra range. Great for divers, but not much impact for those who only ever submerge in water when at the beach or in a pool.
Its potential health tracking benefits could appeal to businesses in the health, wellness, and fitness sectors, making it easier for professionals to track and improve their health routines. The Watch Series 10 is essentially just a larger version of the Series 9. Apple claimed it’s their biggest wearable yet, even bigger than the Watch Ultra, but many people feel the Ultra is already feels too large. However, the larger size is offset by thinness, with the Watch Series 10 being noticeably thinner and lighter than earlier models.
AirPods 4
Apple also unveiled the AirPods 4, with noise cancellation and an upgraded design. The announcement that the AirPods Pro 2 can serve as over-the-counter hearing aids is a notable development for accessibility, making it easier for small businesses to cater to employees or customers with hearing impairments. It’s now getting more difficult to distinguish the regular AirPods from the Pro versions. The regular AirPods now come with many of the same features: Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio with head tracking, the H2 chip, and adaptive audio. It’ll be interesting to see some side-by-side comparisons from experts in audio to figure out which one is worth your money.
The AirPods Max should have been left out of the event. All Apple did was introduce some new colors to what now are outdated headphones. We expected a redesign or a soft redesign with a new chip inside.
iOS 18
With the introduction of iOS 18, Apple's suite of AI-powered services (Apple Intelligence) will integrate more deeply into its operating system. These enhancements are particularly relevant for small businesses using iPhones for day-to-day operations, as they offer new tools for productivity, data management, and customer interaction. Yes, we suggest you upgrade to it, but only a few weeks after its release. By then, Apple will discover the bugs and issue fixes in a minor update.
Upgrading to the iPhone 16 makes sense if you need its new camera features, Apple Intelligence AI, or faster charging. However, if you’re satisfied with your current phone’s performance and these features aren’t critical, it may not be worth the immediate upgrade.
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