The year 2024 started with promise for gadget enthusiasts. At the CES, the manufacturer Rabbit showcased the R1. This small orange device was meant to serve users as a personal assistant by learning to operate services like Spotify or Photoshop. Equipped with a camera, it was also supposed to recognize food items and suggest recipes based on them. All of this was offered for 250 US dollars. However, after its market launch, the R1, much like the similarly designed Humane AI Pin, failed to impress testers. Those wanting a smart gadget still need to rely on their smartphones.
The iPhone 16 is ready for AI, but what else does it offer? The new models from major manufacturers performed significantly better. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra left little room for criticism, and the Pixel 9 Pro impressed with its intelligent features. However, there was no urgent need to purchase them, as the changes compared to their predecessors were minimal.
Things are different with the iPhone 16. In mid-2024, Apple introduced its own AI package called Apple Intelligence. Its distribution has started outside the EU. In Germany, the features will only be available from April 2025. To use them on the iPhone, a newer model is required. Apple Intelligence is not available for any previous device except the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Aside from the AI-capable A18 processor, there is mainly one new feature to discover on the Apple smartphone: the camera control. With the additional button on the right side, users can open the camera app. Using the touch-sensitive surface, you can navigate through functions or trigger the capture.
In a podcast, hardware editor Andreas Floemer and t3n editor Marco Engelien agree that the feature is well-intentioned but currently offers no real added value. Apart from the new button, the iPhone generation remains solid but does not stand out spectacularly.
The podcast also discusses whether manufacturers will finally achieve a breakthrough in the mass market with VR and AR glasses in 2025 and whether a smart chatbot is truly necessary to advise a handyman on using the right tool for a screw.
You can subscribe to the t3n Interview podcast comfortably in the podcast app of your choice. Usually, you can find the podcast by simply searching for it there. Alternatively, you can manually enter the RSS feed into the app.
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