Its important to remember that Apple isn't speaking to us, its annual event is meant to reach into the past and convince those at the end of their 3 year upgrade cycle not to move to Android. It might be an incremental update to the 15 but its a hell of an upgrade over a 13.

Customers want familiarity. Its why the Laptops look the same as they did 20 years ago and Porsche has bled the DNA of the 911 into all its other products. Its also why this year both Samsung and Google went with flat-side iPhone aesthetics.

I won't give Apple a free pass; surely the 16 has to finally have VRR in there somewhere. But last years' A17 Pro chips could push PS4-level gaming visuals, not something you see from Android handsets where Samsung continues to push its unwanted Exynos chips on thrifty customers and the Tensor 4 struggles to play Genshin at 30fps.