Elon Musk, the tech mogul behind Tesla and SpaceX, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his amusement, or perhaps disdain, at Apple’s latest iPhone 16. While Apple unveiled its new smartphone series with a fanfare at its “Glowtime” event, Musk found the hardware upgrades to be rather underwhelming.
When a user on X pointed out the iPhone 16 was essentially the same phone with just two new buttons and a color change, Musk responded with a touch of sarcasm: “For only $50B in R&D, what a bargain!” His comment sparked a wave of online chatter, highlighting a common sentiment among some tech enthusiasts: Are these incremental upgrades worth the hefty price tag?
Further fueling the debate, another user posted a meme referencing the classic “Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man” scene, featuring different iPhone models. The image playfully highlighted the similarities between various models, despite their different generations. Musk added his own commentary, stating, “It’s hard to tell the difference without looking closely.”
This isn’t the first time Musk has questioned Apple’s iPhone evolution. Last September, he admitted his uncertainty about the differences between his current iPhone and previous models. He acknowledged that the camera might be “10% better,” but the overall distinction remained unclear to him. This sparked discussions comparing the iPhone’s pace of innovation to Android devices and even Tesla’s own product development strategy.
However, later that month, Musk took a seemingly unexpected turn, praising the iPhone 15’s photo capabilities and stating he intended to purchase one. Perhaps his perspective on Apple’s flagship phone has shifted, or maybe his latest comments are just a playful jab at the tech giant.
Regardless, Musk’s comments continue to ignite conversations surrounding the tech industry’s approach to innovation, particularly in the smartphone market. Are we reaching a point where incremental updates are no longer enough to entice consumers? Or, are these small changes enough to keep Apple at the forefront of the tech world? Only time will tell.
