If you've got an older iPhone and are prone to FOMO — that's the fear of missing out for us olds — the arrival of Apple Intelligence via updates to iOS 18 must feel like a trying moment. Maybe you weren't considering an upgrade to the best iPhones before, but all the chatter around Apple's suite of AI tools has you wondering if you might be passing up an opportunity to really improve your iPhone experience. As I said when evaluating Apple Intelligence in the wake of the iOS 18.
1 release, I don't think the initial batch of AI features alone should prompt a rush of iPhone 16 upgrades, though that's more about the strength of the phones themselves than a judgment on what Apple Intelligence delivers. All of the iPhone 16 models benefit from performance improvements, longer-lasting batteries and design flourishes like the Camera Capture button; the iPhone 16 Pro models in particular benefit from improved camera hardware. That's the reason to upgrade, not because Apple Intelligence can now fine-tune your emails via the Writing Tools feature.
It's also worth remembering that Apple Intelligence's arrival will be an ongoing process, as evidenced by the fact that iOS 18.1 arrived just a couple of weeks ago, and we're already packing the new additions appearing in the just-released iOS 18.2 beta.
If you're not sure about an iPhone upgrade this year, just wait — Apple Intelligence will still be there, and in better shape, when you are ready to get that new iPhone. Still, the feelin.