Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Pick up an iPhone today and compare it with one from five years ago. On the outside at least, not much has changed. The edges look slightly different, the colors have been modified, and the camera bump is bigger. But the overall look is nearly identical.
There’s no denying that the pace of iPhone design innovation has slowed dramatically in recent years. Sure, the chips and camera sensors are better, and the iOS interface has been overhauled. But the look of the phone itself — the thing that once inspired people to wait in line for the latest model — has lost its wow factor.
When consumers buy new iPhones today, it’s often because...
