Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak “can’t tell the difference” between iPhone 13 and his previous model. It’s not the first time the Apple-1 creator has lamented the rather insignificant differences between modern iPhone generations.
There are, of course, some notable improvements between iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 — particularly when it comes to camera quality. But the overall experience is the same, especially when it comes to software, Woz said.
Woz disappointed with iPhone 13?
“I got the new iPhone; I can’t tell the difference really,” Wozniak told Yahoo Finance. “The software that’s in it applies to older iPhones, I presume.”
In addition to greatly improved camera performance, iPhone 13 does deliver longer battery life, a faster A15 Bionic chipset, and — if you opt for a Pro model — a blazing-fast and buttery-smooth ProMotion display.
It also has a smaller notch for the first time since the screen cutout was introduced with iPhone X. However, iPhone 13 doesn’t take advantage of the additional display area afforded by the smaller cutout, so it’s largely pointless.
Unless you’re desperate for a 120Hz display or the best cameras you can get in an iPhone, upgrading to iPhone 13 is a difficult decision — especially if you’re already using an iPhone 12. But is hardware the only problem?
The software stays the same
Woz’s comments suggests it’s actually the software that makes iPhone 13 all too familiar. iOS 15 on the latest iPhone models is exactly the same as that on previous Apple handsets, no matter which screen size you opt for.
While other smartphone manufacturers give customers an incentive to splash out on bigger screens by offering features like split-screen multitasking and stylus support, iOS is identical across all iPhone models.
This isn’t the first time Wozniak has struggled to get excited about the latest iPhone. When Apple introduced iPhone X in 2017, Woz said it was the first Apple smartphone that he would not be buying on launch day.
“I’m happy with my iPhone 8,” he said at the time. “Which is the same as the iPhone 7, which is the same as the iPhone 6, to me.”
Ouch. That’s gotta burn.
