In a move that had Apple enthusiasts rolling their eyes, the tech giant unveiled its iPhone 16 series in a flashy San Francisco event on September 9. But instead of widespread applause, what followed was a parade of memes so savage even Siri had to take a deep breath.
The iPhone 16 will hit the market starting at a cool $799, flaunting two sizes — 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches for the Plus model. Powered by the new A18 chip with a 16-core neural engine, the iPhone 16 also has a customisable action button. Yes, you can now choose between recording voice memos, identifying songs, or translating phrases. Who knew the future would involve such life-altering decisions?
Not to be outdone, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max stepped up with the A18 Pro chip, promising slightly faster performance.
Social media, as always, was quicker to pounce. Memes have been flooding X like an unstoppable tide. One popular gem showcased an elderly man proudly holding a new shirt that looked exactly like the old one he was already wearing. Classic.
Another user compared Apple’s latest “innovation” to Japan’s redesigned flag — a more saturated version of the old one. Because nothing screams progress like a slightly more vibrant red circle.
A user nailed it with the caption: “Apple not cooking like usual.” Another added, “Apple know they are a meme so they are cashing in on it.”
The jokes kept coming. “Awesome, a new screen wallpaper!!!” someone quipped, while another predicted, “Frs the iPhone 20 is going to be the exact copy of this.”
The meme game was strong with a post showcasing the iPhone 16 alongside its predecessors, captioned, “Same same,” because honestly, it’s like the same formula with a fresh coat of paint.
The pièce de résistance was a meme featuring Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man, referencing different versions of the iPhone.
As if that wasn’t enough, a picture of Superman with and without glasses was posted to illustrate the dramatic difference between iPhones…
One user lamented nostalgically: “Remember when Apple used to love us?” with a throwback image of an iPhone packed with all its accessories — charger, earphones, the works. It’s still wild to us that you can’t get these basic accessories when you buy a phone.
Apple seems to be coasting on a wave of recycled designs, but don’t worry — they’ve got the Call of Duty model down pat: the same formula with a different name, year after year.
The future of smartphones might just be a beautifully packaged déjà vu, and isn’t that just annoying.