I have been a “Professional” iPhone particular person for years — all of the years, virtually. Apart from a brief stint as an iPhone 13 mini person, I’ve chosen the iPhone Professional possibility yearly the corporate has provided one.
And it wasn’t only for the iPhone. I additionally was once the person who owned the MacBook Professional, Apple Watch Extremely (not technically Professional however you realize what I imply), the AirPods Professional, the iPad Professional — if Apple slapped a Professional on the identify, that was the one I used to be shopping for.
Nevertheless, through the years, the common variations of Apple’s merchandise began to realize lots of the options of the Professional variations. First got here the sixth technology iPad mini, which received me over as a studying gadget. Then got here the M2 MacBook Air, which pulled me away from my Intel MacBook Professional.
At the moment, after saying the iPhone 16, I believe Apple is getting me to confess that I am now not what the corporate would think about a “Professional” person.
I am downgrading in identify solely

After seeing all the options introduced with the iPhone 16 — Apple Intelligence, the Digital camera Seize button, the Motion Button, and the digital camera options — I noticed that the options provided within the iPhone 16 Professional like Professional Movement, the All the time On show, and the much more insane digital camera options weren’t issues I’d truly use or really feel justified in spending the additional $200.
The iPhone 16 is nice. I truly choose how Aluminum holds as much as smudges to Titanium as my iPhone 15 Professional has gotten smudgy everywhere in the sides. The common iPhone can also be smaller and lighter, two issues I respect having beloved the iPhone 13 mini. I am additionally not a photographer or videographer who’s ever going to return near utilizing the options that the iPhone 16 Professional digital camera system packs in.
So, whereas I plan to downgrade in identify and options, switching from a Professional iPhone to a daily iPhone is definitely going to really feel like a little bit of an improve to me. I will get monetary savings and get a telephone that’s higher tailor-made for what I take advantage of it for. I will additionally really feel much less anxious about smashing it to bits since it’s barely much less premium.

The iPhone 16 is not the one place I am considering of downgrading from a Professional. I am additionally contemplating downgrading from the Apple Watch Extremely 2 to the Apple Watch Collection 10. It is as soon as once more a case of getting virtually all the options that matter to me in a extra reasonably priced and lighter possibility — issues that I respect.
After subsequent week, it may very well be that the one Professional Apple product I retain are the AirPods Professional. Whereas Apple did come out with AirPods 4 and produce noise cancellation to the common earbuds, it seems that the noise cancellation on the AirPods Professional 2 are nonetheless significantly better. As somebody who makes use of my AirPods Professional 2 on the aircraft to chop out engine noise (and boy are they good at it), I believe I will persist with them for now.
Apart from that, nevertheless, I believe it is time to admit that I am now not a Professional person, and that is simply nice.
We’re masking all of the Apple iPhone 16 occasion bulletins dwell as they occur. Do not miss all our iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Professional, iPhone 16 Professional Max, Apple Watch X, Apple Watch Extremely 3, iOS 18 and watchOS 11 protection to this point.