Writing the column this week is proving more difficult than usual , because of a major distraction . My iPhone 16 Plus arrived a couple of hours ago , and it ’s tantalize me .
I ’m not sure how many make - newfangled iPhones I ’ve unboxed over the years – it must be more than a dozen – but the excitement never quite fades . From the hyper - engineered packaging to the drug user - well-disposed data transfer mental process , setting up a raw iPhone is a weirdly fun chore . An adven - job , if you like .
I ’m particularly unrestrained about this yr ’s new equipment because of its color . When contribute the alternative ( by no means guaranteed , when you ’re a technical school reader ) I closely always involve for the pinkish close , but there ’s pinks and there’spinks . My iPhone 15 Plus depend nice enough in a delicate pale stand up . But the 16 Plus has veridical clout : it ’s a vibrant lilacky pink , the color of British confection and 1980s spandex unitard . I ’ve paired it with a fuchsia casing for maximum wallop .
Not that pink is the only selection for this yr ’s buyers . Ultramarine is nice , and the bluish green is perfectly resplendent — having seen it in the flesh , I was almost tempted to straggle from my usual pinkish policy . After 2023 ’s oddly savorless finishing , the iPhone 16 heralds a rejoinder to unapologetic color across the card .
Well , notquiteacross the board . As usual , the more expensive Pro models get a separate exercise set of color alternative , and it ’s difficult to distinguish them as anything other than “ functional . ” The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max come in born Ti , dark titanium , whitened titanium , and black titanium ; the 16 Pro handsets keep the three dullest of those and replace blue with a newfangled Desert Titanium . Which is a classy bronze - Au , but not exactly vivacious .
The iPhone is n’t the only Apple product with colouring options split to couple the consumer and pro lines . The budget - minded 10th - gen iPad is uncommitted in blue , yellow , and gorgeous pink , while the iPad Pro is available in just black or silver gray . And you may get your Mac in some endearing colorful finishes , but only if you plump out for the 24 - column inch iMac . All the more pro - targeted models get in black , gray , or Ag .
When , I inquire , was this determination made ? Which Apple merchandising exec decreed that premium buyers will forever and a day get the sombre colors and budget buyers the fun ones ? Because it ’s always struck me as bizarrely modified thinking . How many customer , I inquire , have expend less than they might because they wanted their iPhone to take care nice ? How many have walk into an Apple Store , taken one look at the sea of ash grey and black , and declined to make an upgrade at all ?
It seems obvious to me - without the welfare of a degree in selling , obviously – that the iPhone 16 Pro would be more appealing to a wide range of mountains of customers if it was useable in a mixture of classyandfun colors . It ’s not like you need four variations on Ti , or all of the non - Pro colors ; just trade it in lifelike atomic number 22 , black atomic number 22 , teal , ultramarine and pink . Then there ’s something for everyone . ( And if you want to carry on with the upsell stuff and nonsense , you’re able to keep the metal colouration as a Pro undivided . The standard models get playfulness colors only . )
Over the past few years , Apple has embark on to move aside from its old controlling ways . It ’s reluctantly agreed to countenance third - party app fund on the iPhone , it supports ( grudgingly ) self repairs , it no longer thrust proprietary charging standards on customers , and it allow you tailor-make the Io experience more substantially than ever before . But it clings on to this inflexible , ultra - controlling musical theme that high - end features and vividness vibrancy are inextricably linked , and refuses to permit customers select for themselves how flamboyant they desire their agio speech sound to be .
Even professionals deserve pinkish phones . And this is the James Jerome Hill I am prepared to pass on .
Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column , which includes all the Apple news you miss last hebdomad in a ready to hand snack - sized roundup . We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning time cup of coffee or afternoon tea , but it ’s cool if you want to give it a read during luncheon or dinner 60 minutes too .
Foundry
TheiPhonewill finallykill Android in 2025 .
We ’re on theiPhone 16and Applestill does n’t sympathise apps , worries the Macalope .
What encounter to theApple Watch Series X ? Thelong - rumored overhaulstill has n’t materialise .
The iPhone 16 has asecret battery upgradethat willblow your mind .
Apple Intelligencewilleat up 4 GB of storageon your iPhone .
CanJony Ivemake themagical AI deviceeveryone will need ?
Podcast of the week
The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are here ! On the late episode of the Macworld Podcast , we speak about the new phones and what it ’s like to use them ! Get all the details arrive up on the show !
you’re able to catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast onSpotify , Soundcloud , thePodcasts app , orour own site .
Reviews corner
Software updates, bugs, and problems
iPhone 16 Proowners complain ofdisplay ‘ utter spots ’ .
iPhone 16 Pro Max‘fails ’ drop-off psychometric test … just likeall other glass phones .
Appleupdates AirPods Pro 2 firmwareyet again as it preparesHearing Aid feature article .
