CARS has learned new information about Apple’s upcoming event on February 19th. While some rumors indicated the next iPhone SE would be renamed “iPhone 16E”, CARS has now confirmed it will not be the “iPhone 16E” or “iPhone SE 4” but actually “iPhone VC”.
Apple marketing materials call the new iPhone a “Virtual Companion”, indicating the device’s ability to run Apple Intelligence.
From the “Crush” ad to several questionable ads for Apple Intelligence itself to Apple returning to advertising on Elon Musk’s X platform, Apple’s advertising forays have been suspect of late. Likewise the copy for this upcoming device is eyebrow-raising: “The iPhone VC brings the power of Apple Intelligence at a price even the haters and losers will like.”
The new device also comes with the X app pre-installed, indicating Apple’s renewed commitment to the platform.
The iPhone VC was unveiled recently at an internal event during which employees were taken aback to hear how executives pronounced the name of the new device.
One software engineer who spoke to CARS on the condition of anonymity described watching the event.
“I started watching and I was half paying attention because… new iPhone SE. Big whoop. Who cares? Nobody cares. But after the reveal, my jaw just dropped.”
“I was like… is he saying ‘Vichy’?”
According to several sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, Apple executives were consistently heard to call the device “iPhone Vichy”.
The engineer added “I messaged Kevin and said ‘Did you hear that?’ And Kevin was already messaging me saying ‘DUDE, DID YOU HEAR THAT?’”
A recording of the event forwarded to CARS features several Apple executives saying the following:
- “The A18 chip in the iPhone Vichy allows even the stingiest of customers to make weird AI pictures of their friends.”
- “With an all-new design that looks nothing like the iPhone 14, we think your aunt who still has an original iPhone SE is going to love the iPhone Vichy.”
- “The iPhone Vichy is our most expensive cheap phone ever.”
It remains to be seen how Apple executives will pronounce the name of the new device when it is unveiled on the 19th. A rumor that the Health app would be renamed “Balance of the Bodily Humors” could not be confirmed by press time.
I like the new one post every 5 years cadence. Very stately.
Still not first after all these years. But close! Yeah RSS
Thanks for the distraction from current events … well, not really.
I wonder if they’ll have a performance by an AI generated Maurice Chevalier.
“Zanc ’eaven, for leetle phonez!”
the real troll of CARS at this point is the posts are so infrequent you don’t even realize it’s what your RSS has presented to you until you have questioned several layers of reality.
I was so shocked to see a notification from here that I almost spilled covfefe on my Pants™
Additional: The post cadence has lent me to only one possible conclusion.
John Moltz is Joe Biden.
Why would “Weird AI” Yankovic want pictures of my friends?
Eighth!
And welcome back friends, to the show that sometimes ends.
If you search the tunnels and can avoid Del’s critters, you might find some of us still randomly and sporadically posting comments.