Same phone, new look: The internet has spoken

Bring out the popcorn and devour iPhone 16 memes

As Apple unveiled the much-touted iPhone 16 in California on Monday, it will surprise no one to learn that netizens began sharpening their claws. Although Apple's latest offering boasts a longer battery life, subtle camera changes and AI-driven tools, users were not as awestruck as the company would have hoped. With the memes flying in thick and fast, actor and host Ahmad Ali Butt made sure to register his disapproval on his Instagram Stories.

"The only thing that iPhone 16 has changed is the price," noted Butt sagely. Others, it would appear, concur. Convinced that the iPhone 16 is barely distinguishable from its predecessor but comes attached with a markedly higher price tag, X and Instagram users began posting in abundance about the phone's latest features. One witty commenter tweeted a grid of photos consisting of six near-identical iPhones since iPhone 12 was released (including the future iPhone 17), with the only difference being the position of the camera lenses.

Another user posted a before and after photo of YouTube personality Nikocado Avocado documenting the latter's weight loss journey and sarcastically noted, "Nikocado Avocado was two steps ahead, but iPhone 15 is not even half a step ahead of iPhone 16."

For those who could not be troubled to come up with an original scathing line, but still wished to make a point, the classic Spiderman meme could always be counted upon to make a comeback, with multiple Spidermen pointing at each other in confusion. Naturally, each Spiderman represented a different iPhone. "Apple launches iPhone 16 and the memes continue," joked the user.

Those who relied on the power of withering commentary alone, however, engaged in a more detailed view on how the iPhone 16 came to fruition.

"Apple's product strategy? It's like they're playing a game of 'How Many Times Can We Repaint This Barn Before The Horses Notice?'" wrote one user on X. "They release a new iPhone, and it's like, 'Behold, the iPhone X+1! Now with 10 per cent less bezel and a camera that can take selfies of your soul!'" Meanwhile, the tech world nods sagely, "Innovative, as always. It's as if Apple's R&D department is just a room with a single guy who, every year, suggests, 'What if... we made it slightly shinier?' And everyone's like, 'Genius! Give him a raise!'"

Memes or no memes, one thing is certain: those who will want to upgrade their former iPhone to the latest model will remain undeterred.