The iPhone, the smartphone brand, has penetrated deeply into our daily lives.
As Apple's core product line, the new iPhone always attracts a lot of attention every year. However, in the highly competitive smartphone market, the success of a new product still depends on whether it can accurately capture the actual needs of users.
Therefore, for us ordinary consumers, understanding the latest iPhone product line on the current market and choosing the one that suits us most is an important part of showing consumer rationality.
2024 will be a year of both challenges and opportunities for Apple.
The significant performance gains brought by the new generation A17 processor have been praised and showcased Apple's technical prowess. However, as Moore's Law approaches its limits and investment in process technology grows sluggishly, Apple's semiconductor division is under pressure.
In addition, Apple's pace of innovation in exterior design seems to have slowed down, and how to achieve a breakthrough while maintaining the classic design has become a major problem for Apple.
Therefore, for consumers, when reviewing the new lineup in 2024, it is more necessary to start from the actual needs and consider whether the existing models are worth upgrading.
Let's start with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the flagship model with a large screen.
The phone is equipped with a large 6.7-inch screen, which successfully solves the bulky problem that is common in large-size flagship phones. The use of a titanium middle frame reduces the weight of the phone by 8%, which greatly improves the handheld experience.
In addition, its 5x optical zoom camera has also become a highlight, meeting the needs of users for telephoto. Unfortunately, in Night mode, the camera's subpixel shooting technique isn't as good as it could be.
Although the new operation button personalization function is designed to improve the human-computer interaction experience, whether this design meets the actual needs of mainstream consumers still needs to be verified by the market.
Let's take a look at the iPhone 15, the "main standard version of the year".
It features a matte back panel for a more premium feel. The performance of the 48-million-pixel main camera is qualified, and the quality of the film has been improved compared with the previous generation of products.
However, some users reported deficiencies in color reproduction. However, perhaps the most criticized is Apple's insistence on the "Dynamic Island" design concept.
This front camera shape with a cut-out in the display was considered too abrupt and affected the overall look. One begs the question of why Apple isn't considering a more discreet front camera design.
Although the curved bezel design of the body improves the grip experience, it also lowers the center of gravity of the phone, increasing the risk of accidental falling. So, from a design point of view alone, this phone does have some controversy.
The iPhone 13 mini, as one of the few 5.4-inch small-screen models in Apple's lineup, has a significant advantage for some women and users with smaller palms.
The good news is that, despite its small size, performance is not compromised. The A15 processor is on par with other top-of-the-line models, making the mini series successfully break away from the "non-mainstream" market positioning and become one of the few truly "small phones" on the market.
However, as a fast-moving consumer good, mobile phones have a relatively short life cycle. The iPhone 13 mini series has been on the market for nearly three years, and even though it is cost-effective, it is still worth considering whether it can meet the replacement needs of young consumers who are looking for freshness.
If you are on a budget and pay more attention to value for money and convenience, then the iPhone SE 2022 is undoubtedly a good choice.
As Apple's "affordable" product line, its pricing is somewhat competitive in the mobile phone market in 2024. The phone is fingerprint-unlocked, powered by an A15 processor and supports 5G networks.
Despite its traditional appearance and single-channel memory, the overall performance is more than enough for most people.
Overall, the iPhone SE is a practical and cost-effective product launched by Apple to seize the low-end market and improve the product matrix.
Next, let's talk about the flagship iPhone 14 model.
As Apple's last phone to date with a notch design, the iPhone 14 has not reduced its cost performance because of this.
On the contrary, it is still the most cost-effective product in Apple's camp. The price of more than 4,000 yuan is paired with a powerful A15 processor and a frontal six-joint lens, making it a great value of the year.
Even in the future when the mobile phone market develops to foldable phones, the iPhone 14 will be enough to cope with the demand for three or four years.
Overall, Apple's mobile phone lineup in 2024 can be described as "meticulously crafted".
Whether it's a large-screen flagship, a small-sized model, a mid-range workhorse, and an affordable entry-level product, every product line has introduced new improvements and innovations.
Despite the lack of revolutionary breakthroughs and innovations, Apple's improvements in hardware experience such as processors, cameras, and craftsmanship are still commendable.
However, Apple still has some problems in product design that are complacent and not keeping up with the trend of the times, such as the design of the front camera exposed on the display.
At the same time, limited by mass production capacity, Apple's upstream accessories suppliers are also facing certain pressure, resulting in the price of the entire product lineup continuing to rise.
As an old brand, Apple still has a lot to improve and perfect. But at this point in time in 2024, whether for ordinary consumers or veteran fruit fans, Apple mobile phones are still a high-quality choice worth considering and trusting.