iPhone 16 hits the stores without its main feature


Apple Intelligence is officially late to the iPhone 16 unboxing party.

Despite the hype surrounding Apple Intelligence since WWDC’24, it’s long been rumored that the new iPhone 16 could be launched without its in-house AI.

The Apple “Glowtime” event, which revealed the company’s latest products, including the iPhone 16, came and went.

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Along with the launch of the latest device, the company announced that Apple Intelligence features should be available later in the fall, together with the release of iOS18.1.

This means that users who buy an iPhone 16 model won’t be able to use it to its fullest potential and will have to settle for less interesting upgrades, such as the Camera Control button.

Pre-orders of the new iPhone started on September 13th, with sales starting on September 20th.

Pundits have speculated whether the delayed AI feature could affect iPhone 16 sales. Data provided by analyst Ming-Chi Ku revealed that pre-order sales of iPhone 16 were estimated at about 37 million units, which is 12.7% lower than the first weekend sales of the iPhone 15 series year over year.

The lower numbers are likely because the new device won’t include Apple Intelligence, one of the most interesting and marketed features. Nevertheless, Bloomberg reports that the company should pick up during the holiday season, with an expected 8% revenue increase.