new iPhone 16 pro Max will not mount macOS -- cannot access it to Restore from my BackUps

I just received an iPhone Pro Max 16 direct from Apple-com

I discovered it is not compatible with my iTunes or macOS Ventura 13.7

in other words:

I did a BACK UP of my 13 Pro Max in iTunes (in Mojave 10.14.6) and another BACKUP in Ventura 13.7 via the Finder window location: iPhone 13 icon

When I connect the iPhone 16 in iTunes (Mojave) it doesn't mount

When I connect the iPhone 16 in Finder (Ventura) it doesn't mount

When I connected the iPhone 13, it quickly mounted in both scenarios

After talking with three level one Apple techs who were clueless -- I was put through to a SR Tech -- he quickly told me the problem was a compatibility issue and that I needed to have the latest OS and hardware to mount the iPhone 16 and perform a Restore from my iPhone 13 from my local disks

Problem is the latest macOS won't install on my 'ancient' iMac 2017 hardware

I was recommended to accesses iPhone 13> Settings> General> Transfer or Reset iPhone> Prepare for New iPhone> Get Started (and run my 200GB backup/transfer through iCloud) -- I don't use iCloud for various reasons

but it is the only method available I have (according to the SR Tech) to "clone" my iPhone 13 over to my new iPhone 16 -- I imagine that will take forever ... starting tonite

will update my progress here after the process completes -- if that works or doesn't work -- then I can worry about how to run a BACKUP on the iPhone 16 with no compatible hardware or macOS (until Apple fixes the issue)

if anyone knows how to do this iPhone13> iPhone16 transfer please advise...(I would love to take iCloud out of the process and work hard-wired off local drives