Early rejection for Apple's iPhone 16 release

Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 has been rejected by some consumers even before its official release. Reports suggest that this dissatisfaction stems from the perception that the new iPhone will only offer incremental updates and not the groundbreaking improvements that consumers expect from Apple. Industry analysts such as Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities have pointed out that while this sentiment is not widespread, it indicates a clear shift in consumer expectations and loyalty.

Ives explained: “Apple has set very high standards for itself and any deviation can significantly affect the consumer's perception of the product.”

This development comes in a highly competitive smartphone market where rivals like Google's Pixel series are aggressively pushing innovation. With rumors of the Google Pixel 9 Pro generating high expectations among tech enthusiasts, Apple's latest offering is increasingly being eyed with skepticism. It remains to be seen whether this early rejection will affect sales, but it has definitely sparked discussions about the future direction of Apple's product strategies.

When the iPhone 16 series launches, it is expected to introduce new colors, features, and Apple Intelligence – Apple's new suite of AI features. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has leaked notable upgrades, providing insight into whether the new models live up to the hype. One of the most significant updates is the addition of the Action Button to all iPhone 16 models, which was previously only available on the more expensive Pro models.

There will also be a new camera control button on the right edge of the new iPhone, although it is unclear if this feature will be limited to the Pro versions. The screen size is expected to increase, but possibly only on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models.

Early dissatisfaction with iPhone 16

New color options are also expected. Apple may ditch the iPhone 15 Pro's titanium blue shade and introduce a new rose gold option instead. All iPhones released this fall will come with versions of the A18 processor and 8GB of RAM, which are critical for running Apple intelligence. Gurman pointed out in his newsletter that the iPhone hasn't changed much since the iPhone 12 was released in 2020.

However, he expects 2025 to be a crucial year for Apple, potentially bringing out a new iPhone SE and an exceptionally slim iPhone 17. As Apple prepares to launch the iPhone 16, its biggest partner, Taiwanese conglomerate Foxconn, has hired around 50,000 new employees at its Zhengzhou factory in China. This massive recruitment drive is part of the factory's efforts to ramp up production of the iPhone 16, which is due to launch in the second half of this year.

Foxconn posted job postings on major job boards and social networking platforms (SNS) in late July, offering an increased hourly wage of up to 25 yuan (about 4,800 won). The Zhengzhou plant also offered bonuses of up to 7,500 yuan, a significant increase from the 6,000 yuan bonus offered a month earlier. The period from August to December is considered a peak season for iPhone shipments, and Apple has set an ambitious delivery target of 90 million units for the iPhone 16, a 10% increase from last year.

Bloomberg reported that iPhone 15 shipment volume was around 81 million units in the second half of last year. Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, known as the world's largest iPhone manufacturing base, is showing its commitment to meeting Apple's increased shipment targets with this latest wave of hiring. This move also comes amid speculation that Foxconn would leave China and relocate its manufacturing facilities, which the company has denied.