The wait is over — kind of. Apple’s iPhone 16 series is out, including the kinda affordable 16E, and its much-hyped Apple Intelligence has arrived courtesy of iOS 18.1. But if you’re expecting a new kind of iPhone experience, well, I have some bad news for you. The AI features introduced in iOS 18.1 and more recent updates, including the writing tools and ChatGPT integration, are standard fare at this point. And although Siri has a new coat of paint, it’s basically the same old Siri.

Apple has promised much more, but the Apple Intelligence rollout is going to be a slow burn that lasts well into 2025. This is all to say that if you don’t have any complaints about how your current phone is working, you definitely shouldn’t rush out and get a new one just for Apple Intelligence.

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