As for my parents, I think they were most upset about not getting a much smarter Siri. This was the one part of Apple Intelligence they fully understood, possibly because my mother is constantly asking Siri questions (and often getting frustrated with the results). She was looking forward to a digital assistant that finally got things right.

The 13 Pro Max still feels fast, takes excellent photos, and easily lasts all day on a full charge even at 88% battery health. The usual improvements you expect from a new iPhone—faster processor, better cameras, longer battery life—would be lost on me in day-to-day use.