iPhones have long dominated the market, resulting in typically higher prices compared to other products. Usually, it would be expected that iPhones’ features and performance correspond to the cost to consumers. However, many iPhone consumers have raised concerns about the lack of new features that enhance the performance during each new phone release.
During the iPhone’s history of 18 years, Apple has released a total of 16 generations of phones. In 2015, they released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The iPhone SE (Generation One), the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and the iPhone X were all released in 2017.
Apple continued to release the iPhone XS/XS Max and the iPhone XR in 2018. In 2019, they released the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Then, in 2020, the iPhone SE (Generation Two) was released.
The iPhone 12/12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max were released in 2021. The iPhone 13, 13 Mini, and iPhone 13 Pro Max were all released in 2021.
The iPhone SE, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max were released in 2022. The iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max were all released in 2023.
Most recently, the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, and iPhone 16e have been released this Summer, 2025, and now, in September, you can pre-order the new iPhone 17 and its variations.
Each release of an iPhone has some differentiation compared to the previous one. Before I explain the differences, there are some terms that I have to define.
Each phone has a bionic chip, which is a highly advanced processor that enhances a smartphone’s performance, enabling faster computing, better graphics, and more efficient handling of complex tasks. Each bionic chip has a CPU, a GPU, and a Neural Engine.
A CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, which is basically the brain of a computer or phone. It carries out instructions and processes information so the device can run programs and perform tasks.
A GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit, and as suggested, it specializes in processing and handling everything that renders images, videos, and animations, making visuals smoother and faster – especially for gaming, video editing, or any graphic-heavy level tasks.
A Neural Engine is a specialized part of a chip, designed to handle Artificial Intelligence tasks, like recognizing images, understanding speech, and making predictions, so your device can think faster and smarter.
You may be thinking, “but the oldest bionic chip models didn’t have Artificial Intelligence!” By Artificial Intelligence, I mean Siri. Artificial Intelligence (AI) doesn’t have to be ChatGPT per se; it can come in many forms.
The next thing I will be covering is how the frame impacts the performance of the iPhone. There are three main types of frames Apple uses throughout the years: aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium.
Aluminum can be found in early models. It heats up and cools down quickly because it conducts heat efficiently; however, it can quickly feel hot in your hand if your device gets warm. Aluminum is lightweight and inexpensive, but it scratches and dents more easily. It’s great for keeping devices light. However, this lightness also makes it more bendable, which will later lead to what became known as “The Bendgate Scandal,” which I’ll explain later on.
Stainless steel can also be found in early models. It’s slower to heat and cool down than aluminum, so it stays more stable in temperature, which can feel heavy and warm after prolonged use. Stainless steel is heavier and more durable than aluminum, resists corrosion, but adds noticeable weight, and gives the overall phone a premium, sturdy feel.
Titanium can be found exclusively in later models. Likewise to stainless steel, it’s also slow to heat up and cool down, but it’s slightly better at resisting extreme temperatures without warping (bending, twisting, changing shape). Titanium is super strong and lightweight, and it’s more scratch-resistant than both aluminum and stainless steel, but it’s expensive and harder to work with.
Now that we’ve covered most territory, I will explain ‘display’ and its variations. A ‘Retina’ display is Apple’s branded term for a screen. It has such a high pixel density that the human eye can’t easily see individual pixels at a normal viewing distance, making images and text look super sharp and clear.
Since 2015, iPhone Retina displays have evolved from Retina HD Screens to Super Retina and Super Retina XDR, with the latest models featuring ProMotion technology for smoother motion and higher dynamic range.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 are essentially equivalent, meaning there are very minor differences in their functions, such as the Qi wireless charging up to 7.5 watts, the A11 Bionic Chip, with a 6-core CPU, 3-core GPU, and a 2-core Neural Engine. The primary difference was the glass frame on the iPhone 8 models.
Notably, the iPhone 7 Plus offers more features than the iPhone 8. The iPhone 7 Plus features a 5.5” Retina Display, compared to the 4.7” you get on the iPhone 7 and 8. This iPhone has 14 hours of video playback, compared to 13 on the iPhone 7 and 8. The iPhone 7 Plus has dual cameras and portrait mode. It has two optical zoom options (1x and 2x). However, the iPhone 8 has 64GB compared to the 32 GB you get on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
There are some differences between the three phones, but some new features are notable. The iPhone 8 Plus’s Retina HD Display is 5.5” inches (the same as the iPhone 8), and the iPhone X has a Super Retina HD Display with a stainless steel frame.
For the iPhone X, many key features have been borrowed from the iPhone 7 Plus, such as the dual camera, but some have been borrowed from the iPhone 8, such as the A11 Bionic Chip, and the same CPU + GPU + 2-Cored Neural Engine. This has only 13 hours of playback, and it has less playback time by an hour than the iPhone 8 Plus. It keeps portrait mode (which was on both iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X). The iPhone X is mostly similar to the iPhone 8, with only key distinguishing features: Super Retina HD Display vs the Retina HD Display, and the aluminium frame vs the stainless steel frame.
Now for the big release: the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR has a 6.1” Liquid Retina HD Display, while we have reverted to an aluminum frame again, we have upgraded to an A12 Bionic Chip. However, it keeps the 6-Core CPU; but, the GPU has been upgraded to a 4-core GPU and an 8-core Neural Engine. This iPhone has 16 hours of playback, but it has a single camera and only a 1x optical zoom option. The aluminum frame can affect the iPhone XR’s performance in high-temperature environments, and the optical zoom can affect some people.
Moving onto the iPhone XS and XS Max. The iPhone XS Max has a 6.5” Super Retina HD Display and is water resistant for up to two meters for 30 minutes, compared to only one meter in the past iPhones. The iPhone XS and XS Max have been upgraded with A12 Bionic Chips. The iPhone XS Max has 15 hours of playback, while the iPhone XS has 14 hours. The only key distinguishing feature is the size of the phone. Regardless of that, they are practically the same phone, with the same feature.
Here comes an utterly notable point: the iPhone SE, the iPhone Special Edition, is a complete downgrade, spending all its budget on upgrading its chip to A13. Yet, the chip has a 6-Core CPU and a 4-Core GPU, which is the equivalent of the A12 Bionic Chip. Everything else has been downgraded. We’re back to a 4.7” Retina HD Display, with only a meter per 30 min of water resistance. The Neural Engine is no different. It contains 13 hours of playback, a single camera, and we’re back to aluminum.
The optical zoom options have also decreased. The Gigabytes options for the iPhone XS and XS max out at 512 Gigabytes. However, for the iPhone SE, it’s only 128 max.
The iPhone 11 is an improvement upon the iPhone SE. For instance, we have a Liquid Retina HD Display, an aluminum frame, water resistance for 2 meters per 30 minutes, and 17 hours of playback. Dual cameras, ultra wide, portrait mode with depth control. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 11 Pro are practically the same thing. They both have a Super Retina XDR Display, stainless steel frame, water resistance for 4 meters per 30 minutes, triple cameras, portrait mode with depth control, 0.5x,1x, and 2x for optical zoom.
The main key difference is the playback time. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has 20 hours while the Pro has 18. Lastly, the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5” Display, while the Pro has a 5.8”, which is smaller than the iPhone 11.
What I noticed is that this is the first time “new features” have been added in years; for the past few years, it has been improving upon what is already there, but now we are changing things out. For such high prices, many expect new features like these every year.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini are identical in every way, except for their size differences. Here’s what’s new this time around. MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W with a 20W adapter or higher. This is compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more. The optical zoom options are 0.5x and 1x.
There is now a dual camera system that’s ultra wide with portrait mode and depth control, and with Dolby Vision up to 4k at 30fps. We have finally upgraded to an A14 Bionic Chip; the CPU and GPU don’t change, but the Neural Engine has, changing to a 16-core Neural Engine. It has a ceramic shield front and is water-resistant for 6 meters for 30 minutes. Moreover, it has a 6.1” Super Retina XDR Display.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a stainless steel frame and a Pro camera system, which adds a telephoto lens. More optical zoom options: .5x,1x,2.5x, same MagSafe and water resistance capabilities. Therefore, a worse value for price.
The iPhone 12 Pro is just like the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with just a few minor differences, such as a lower playback time by one hour. It also has fewer optical zoom options: 0.5x,1x,2x, compared to the 2.5x. It also has a Pro camera system and a 6.1” Super Retina XDR Display.
Now the iPhone SE (3rd Generation) is an interesting comparison to what we just saw. It has an aluminum frame, it’s only water resistant for one meter per 30 minutes, compared to the 6 meters per 30 minutes of the iPhone 12 Pro. However, it does have an A15 Bionic Chip. But the A15 Chip does the same exact thing as the A14 Chip! There’s no difference. It has only 15 hours of playback, and has a 4.7” with a Retina HD Display. The iPhone SE has a single camera system with portrait mode and depth control. It has photographic styles and one optical zoom option of 1x. It has reverted to Qi Wireless charging of up to 7.5 Watts.
The iPhone 13 is practically the same thing as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with a few minor changes, such as the A15 Bionic Chip that does the same exact thing as the A14 Chip. It has the same display (6.1” with a Super Retina XDR Display). Another minor change is that the frame is aluminum again. It also has a dual-camera system instead of a Pro camera system. It has only two optical zoom options. That’s all that’s new with the iPhone 13, and those are recycled features.
The Mini versions are just the same as the normal-sized version of the phone, but just smaller. Hence the name “Mini”.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Plus are practically the same thing aside from a few key differences. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.7” Super Retina XDR Display with ProMotion technology, while the iPhone 14 Plus does not have ProMotion technology. The 13 Pro Max has a stainless steel frame, while the 14 Plus has an aluminum frame.
The 13 Pro Max has 28 hours of video playback compared to the 26 on the 14 Plus. The 13 Pro Max has a Pro camera system compared to the dual camera system on the 14 Plus. One has Macro Photography, Dolby Vision up to 4k at 60fps. And photographic styles. It also has portrait mode with focus and depth control.
The 14 Plus lacks macro photography. It also lacks optical zoom options. However, there are more SOS mode options, such as emergency SOS via satellite, crash detection, and roadside assistance via satellite messages. The iPhone 13 Pro is mostly the same thing as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, except its 6.1” Display is the only distinguishing feature.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Pro are only different by their 6.7” vs 6.1” Display, and the A16 Bionic Chip that has been upgraded to a 5-Core GPU.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro have differences in playback time, with the Pro Max having 29 hours compared to 23. The iPhone 14 Pro Max and Pro have always-on display, dynamic island, and ProMotion technology. And a Super Retina XDR Display.
What sets the iPhone 14 apart is that it doesn’t have any of the aforementioned features. It also has aluminum instead of stainless steel. It also has the A15 Bionic Chip and 20 hours of playback. The Pro Max and Pro have a true camera, while the 14 doesn’t. The iPhone 14 has a dual camera system and has only two optical zoom options.
The iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 are indistinguishable besides for the size of the phone itself. Both of these phones are equipped with the A16 Bionic Chip. The only difference is that one has 20 hours of playback and the other has 26 hours.
Now the iPhone 15 Pro Max is where things finally start to differentiate. There’s an A17 Pro Bionic Chip, a 6 Core GPU and CPU, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. It has 29 hours of playback. It has a Pro Camera system, and unlike the other two previously mentioned phones, it has macro photography.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has more optical zoom options, going up to 5x and starting at 0.5x. It also has Apple Intelligence. All three have USB-C, and the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus can support USB 2, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max can support USB 3 for up to 20x faster transfers. The Pro Max also has a titanium frame compared to the aluminum on the other two.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a Pro camera system, Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP), Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Latest-generation Photographic Styles, and higher watts 22W-30W for MagSafe. It also has an A18 Pro Chip.
Now, what is truly fascinating is the iPhone 16e. The iPhone 16e is not MagSafe compatible, and it has only two optical zoom options. Most of the thought in this phone went into the camera. It has an aluminum frame.
If you were thinking, “Oh, then I just won’t upgrade my iPhone!” Think again! You’re wrong! In 2017, Apple implemented software updates that intentionally slowed down the performance of iPhones with degraded batteries to prevent unexpected shutdowns, a fact they later admitted to and for which they issued a public apology and offered discounted battery replacements and settlements.
While Apple intended to extend the life of the devices, not to force upgrades, the lack of transparency in the software update release notes led to a loss of trust with consumers. Apple introduced a software feature that, to prevent unexpected shutdowns caused by aging batteries unable to meet peak voltage demands, would reduce the performance of the phone’s processor.
The core of the controversy was that Apple failed to clearly communicate the presence and purpose of this performance-throttling feature to users. The change was buried in software update notes as a generic “performance improvement”.
According to BBC News, millions of people were affected when the models of iPhone 6 and 7 and SE were slowed down in 2016 in a scandal that was dubbed Batterygate. According to an Arizona filing, millions of users were affected by power shutoffs. Apple denies that the slowdown was for financial gain.
While this can all be considered as one big fluke, what certainly is questionable is another scandal known as Bendgate. Most iPhones use aluminum, which performs well in high temperatures. What it doesn’t perform well in, however, are people’s pockets.
Bendgate was a 2014 controversy surrounding the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, where reports and videos showed the large, thin aluminum bodies of the phones bending under normal pressure, such as being carried in a user’s pocket.
While Apple initially downplayed the issue, claiming it was rare, the hashtag #Bendgate trended on social media, and later, internal documents revealed Apple was aware of the devices’ increased susceptibility to bending before their release. The problem was partially linked to a subsequent issue called “Touch Disease,” where the bending caused touchscreen failures.
According to Forbes, if the iPhone 6 Plus is vulnerable in a pocket, it should contain a suitable warning to that effect. Expecting users to change old habits without warning is impossible, and, like ‘Antennagate’, the whole situation seems to have arrived through a lack of real-world testing. This resulted in horrible press for Apple, and it resulted in many people losing trust in Apple, since Apple has always been associated with strong materials.
Recently, Apple has come out with a new phone that you can now pre-order. However, there are mixed reviews online regarding the color options. Many dislike the orange, navy, and silver options, claiming that the iPhone 17 Pro is the “ugliest iPhone ever.”
I interviewed two students who use different types of iPhones and how their performance plays. The students wish to remain unnamed.
Q: What phone do you use?
“I use the iPhone SE (Gen 1) ”
“I use the iPhone 16.”
Q: What features on that phone do you appreciate?
“The design”
“I appreciate the action button and camera control button.”
Q: What features on that phone do you not appreciate?
“It breaks easily.”
“The part where I tint my apps, it tints my widgets.”
Q: Are there any current issues with your device?
“It’s fragile, it overheats, it’s damaged.”
“There are no current issues with my device. It is brand new.”
Q: What is your view of the overall company?
“It’s a great company. It’s great.”
“They gotta make their new phones cheaper, and make new features.”
Q: Could they do a better job listening to their customers?
“No. I feel like my thoughts and feelings are very well heard by Apple.”
“I feel like Apple doesn’t care about its customers.”
Q: In what ways could this phone be improved upon?
“Faster, less laggy.”
“More features”
Q: If you do know, are there any key differences between this phone and the newest phone?
“The state-of-the-art design has Apple AI and an improved camera, as well as a less breakable frame.”
“The new phone has a better camera.”
Q: If you could give a piece of advice to the company, what would it be?
“Improve the speakers. Improve the production of new features. Improve account security.”
“I would advise the company to listen to its customers and lower its prices.”
Q: How would you describe the battery life of your phone
“The battery life could be improved upon by using higher-quality metals.”
“The battery life is great, as the phone is brand new.”
So, in conclusion, Apple has released many iPhones over the years to mixed results, sometimes, while also releasing valuable features in other generations. The controversy surrounding Apple continues to the present day, and who knows how long it will continue?
