In many ways, I knew the answer to the question “Are iPhones overrated now?” probably already. That would be a definite yes. But in the end it didn’t go as well as I thought from the beginning.
I posed the question to TechRadar’s readers in a simple poll, with ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘on the fence’ options, with a bit of color thrown in for fun. And according to the results, 47% of respondents answered “yes”, 17% do not think that iPhones are really overrated, and a good 36% are unsure but agree that iPhones are iterative smartphones that “just work”.
Regardless, there still seems to be a strong demand for new Apple phones, although some of that may be due to their commitment to or retention of the iPhone ecosystem.
“I remember queuing at 5.30am to buy the iPhone 3G at my local O2 store, ranting about how new the design was compared to my Nokia. I dutifully upgrade every year to the 4, then the 5, then the 6 Plus and then… I was getting a bit bored…” said one commenter named Andrew.
“They seemed to slow down a bit, but that’s about it
“I think Apple is a good example of a lazy brand that knows loyalty leads to profits while ignoring the need to innovate.”
This journey is similar to mine: I started with an iPhone 4S, then moved to Android, and finally returned to the iPhone in 2021, when I felt that Apple had overtaken Android in terms of hardware. Also, I’m a little bored with the new iPhones, even though I really like how they work. It seems that Apple’s current smartphone portfolio lacks something new and special.
It also seems that the updates that Apple talks a lot about, such as an improved camera system, don’t always work in the real world. Sure, images may be sharper and more vibrant than before, but the differences are probably negligible unless you’re really looking for it.
I’m not the only one who thinks along these lines, as iPhone 17 user and reviewer “Altema22” noted: “All the fuss about the camera is disappointing, only to find that no one in the house can easily tell which photos are from the iPhone 17 and which are from a $400 HTC U24 Pro.”
While I don’t think people will stop buying Apple phones, ultimately we seem to be heading to a point where iPhones no longer excite people; I assumed we could peak iPhone after the September launch.
This is probably all to be expected as other phones have become more iterative, but I think Apple still has the ability to excite and revolutionize the world of phones and the tech world as a whole. And wherever Apple goes, others often follow.
That’s why I hope future iPhones can recapture some of the excitement of the past, including making phone cameras exciting again.
