The "wow factor" of the newly launched iPhone 16 lies in its software, according to Jess Kelly.

While the latest model may look much like the iPhone 15, the Newstalk tech correspondent believes its advanced AI capabilities are what truly sets the latest model apart.

Speaking at the product launch in California, last night Apple CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone 16 was designed "from the ground up" for AI integration – and was aimed at assisting users with their everyday administrative tasks.

On The Pat Kenny Show today, Jess described how it will work.

“Apple has worked with OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, and has ingrained it into the phone,” she said.

“Tim Cook said multiple times last night that the new iPhone has been built from the ground up with AI in mind.

“That’s why there’s been a bit of a hoo-ha about the chipset inside because it’s optimised for artificial intelligence.

“With the phone itself, the ‘wow factor’ is actually the software rather than the hardware.”

File photo of Apple CEO Tim Cook at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in California, 04-06-2018. Image: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Another feature new to the iPhone 16 is a camera button on the side, which can be used to shoot videos and spatial photos.

Jess wasn’t overly impressed by its new camera capabilities.

“At the moment, if you have an iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15, the images that you capture on that phone are already better than your eyes can interpret,” she said.

“I don’t get it whenever there's talk of ‘there's a new chipset inside and it's more powerful’.

“Maybe if you are somebody who edits video or something like that and you require the extra oomph, I could see the potential for it.”

Carbon neutral

Jess said she was irritated by Apple expressing their ambition to be a carbon-neutral company by 2025 at yesterday’s press conference.

“Apple had flown thousands of journalists and influencers over to the Steve Jobs Theatre to watch the pre-recorded presentation that they could have watched on YouTube from their gaffs,” she said.

“I just find that sort of stuff frustrating, and it does take away from it.

“Unless somebody is on the stage in the room, was there really a need to bring thousands of people over to the Steve Jobs Theatre when you could have just sent the phones out and they would have gotten them?”

The iPhone 16 goes on sale in Ireland from September 20th.

The four available models range in price from €979 to €1,489.

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Main image: Split image shows Jess Kelly in studio alongside a picture of the new iPhone 16 Pro.