On Monday, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released its latest smartphone series along with some other next-generation products during its "Glowtime" event. However, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk found the hardware upgrades of the iPhone 16 lackluster.

What Happened: When a user on X, formerly Twitter, commented on the iPhone 16 stating that it was essentially the same phone with just two new buttons and a new color, Musk responded sarcastically, "For only $50B in R&D, what a bargain!"

In a separate post, a user posted a meme based on the famous "Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man" scene, featuring different iPhone models, implying their similarities despite being different models.

Musk commented on the post saying, "It's hard to tell the difference without looking closely."

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Why It Matters: This isn't the first time Musk has expressed skepticism about the incremental upgrades in Apple's iPhone series.

In September 2023, the tech billionaire admitted his uncertainty about discerning the distinction between his current smartphone by Apple and previous iPhone versions.

"I'm not entirely clear on the differences between my current iPhone and the prior versions. Camera is 10% better," he stated at the time. His statement sparked a discussion on the iPhone's comparison with Android devices to Tesla's product lineup.

However, later that month, Musk praised the iPhone 15's photo capabilities and expressed his intention to buy one.

Image via Shutterstock

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.