For over a decade, buying an iPhone has meant buying one of the best smartphones on the market. Since the first iPhone emerged, thanks to Steve Jobs, Apple has released extraordinary smartphones, up to the iPhone 15 by Tim Cook.
And while the current iPhone 15 is one of the best smartphones money can buy, a new report has predicted that its successor, the iPhone 16, will not come close to it at all.
In fact, if the report is correct, the iPhone 16 could be an upgrade that should be completely skipped.
A very pessimistic 2024 for Apple
This is what Barclays analysts believe (via 9to5Mac). The latest research note from the group states that the outlook is bleak for Apple in the coming year, with “weakness in iPhone volumes and mix, as well as a lack of recovery in Macs, iPads, and wearables.”
Perhaps the harshest words are reserved for the iPhone 16. Barclays says “we don’t see any features or updates that could make the iPhone 16 more appealing,” suggesting that the next iPhone could be a total failure, at least in the analysts’ opinion.
The report is also pessimistic about Mac sales volume and the performance of Apple’s services for the next year, and does not mention the Vision Pro glasses at all, perhaps due to low sales expectations for the device. Overall, it does not paint a promising picture for Apple’s future.
The claim that the iPhone 16 will lack “attractive” features is interesting, as it does not fully reflect the rumors we have seen elsewhere. Is the Barclays report inaccurate or do their analysts know something that no one else knows?
In other places, we have seen reports that the iPhone 16 range will feature haptic buttons and a new “Capture” control, an improved camera system, new sizes, and a significant chip upgrade.
A leak even claims that Apple will use graphene technology to keep phones cool. So, although some of those rumors may be far from reality, there are still many things that could be included in Apple’s next range of phones.
That being said, it is often better to err on the side of caution when it comes to Apple. The company prefers a patient approach and that often leads to delays and rumors that turn out to be inaccurate. Keeping this in mind, the cautious outlook of Barclays’ report could end up being accurate.
