On September 9, 2024, Apple introduced the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, along with the more advanced and expensive versions, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are suitable for most users. They run on the updated, ultra-fast A18 chip with Apple Intelligence (AI) support and come with a dual camera system, a camera control button for quick access, and a customizable action button.
The more advanced iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are equipped with an improved A18 Pro chip, larger screens, ProMotion display technology, and a triple camera system. They offer a bit more than the basic iPhone 16 models.
Prices for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus start at $799.
Prices for the iPhone 16 Pro begin at $999, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1199.
I currently have a slightly “outdated” iPhone 12 Pro, so the updates seem significant, and I’m likely to upgrade this season. For iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro owners, it might not be worth rushing to upgrade.
The iPhone 16 Lineup in 2024
Just like last year, the iPhone 16 family has four models:
The iPhone 16 with a 6.1-inch screen, the iPhone 16 Plus with a 6.7-inch screen, the iPhone 16 Pro with a 6.3-inch screen, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a 6.9-inch screen.
The Pro and Pro Max models have larger displays this year, but the standard sizes remain almost the same. The iPhones now have thinner bezels.
The design of the new iPhone 16 models is identical to the iPhone 15. They feature an aluminum frame, matte glass back, and the same “Dynamic Island” as the iPhone 15. The Dynamic Island houses the TrueDepth front camera and other sensors for Face ID.
iPhone 16 Display
The Super Retina XDR OLED display is protected by the new generation Ceramic Shield, which is 50% stronger than the one in my iPhone 12 Pro. In fact, the glass on the iPhone 12 Pro is durable enough to survive 1-2 meter drops without additional screen protection — tested multiple times!
The screen resolution of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 2868×1320, and for the iPhone 16 Pro, it’s 2622×1206. Aside from thinner bezels and changes to the minimum brightness, there are no other display upgrades.
Though the look hasn’t changed much, you’ll need new cases as the old ones from iPhone 15 won’t fit.
Colors and Materials
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are available in five colors: ultramarine, turquoise, pink, white, and black. They use a USB-C port for charging, but data transfer speeds remain at USB 2.0 levels, just like last year.
Similar to the iPhone 15 Pro models, the iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium-aluminum alloy frame, which is more resistant to scratches and drops compared to stainless steel.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are available in four colors: black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and “desert titanium,” which has a golden hue.
New A18 and A18 Pro Chips
The new iPhones with the A18 and A18 Pro chips run cooler thanks to improved heat dissipation. This enables 30% higher gaming performance. These chips are faster and more efficient than previous ones, as expected.
New Buttons
Apple added two new buttons to the iPhone 16 models: an action button and a camera control button. The cameras on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are vertically aligned, while the Pro models feature three cameras.
The action button is now present on all iPhone 16 models, not just the Pro versions as it was with the iPhone 15. This button allows access to many customizable functions like the flashlight, camera, translator, and more.
A brand-new camera control button has also been introduced. It’s similar to the action button but designed specifically for the camera. You can use it to launch the camera, record videos, and adjust various photo and video settings.
In the future, the camera control button will be used for visual intelligence. For example, you can point the camera at an object, hold the camera control button, and get information about the object on the display. If it’s a restaurant, the phone will show its hours and menu.
Cameras in the iPhone 16 Series
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a 48MP Fusion camera with 2x optical quality from the telephoto lens, cropped from the full camera capture. Apple says it’s like having two cameras in one.
There’s also a new 12MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus and macro support.
The vertical camera layout in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus supports creating spatial photos and videos, which can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro.
As for the iPhone 16 Pro, the default image resolution is 24MP, which is enough for high-quality shots with optimal file size.
The Fusion camera in the Pro version can be set to different focal lengths: 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. You can also shoot 48MP images in HEIF format, which takes up less space than RAW format images.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have an updated 5x telephoto lens with a tetraprism design used this year.
New Photo Styles, Sound, and Video
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro come with a range of new photo styles that let users adjust color, highlights, and shadows in real time. Settings can be applied to specific colors rather than the entire image. You can also change color settings after taking the photo.
Another new feature is 4K video recording at 120 frames per second with Dolby Vision, available on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. You can shoot this in both regular and slo-mo modes.
The iPhone 16 series supports video recording with spatial sound for a more immersive experience when using AirPods or Vision Pro.
You can adjust the sound in videos after recording to make it sound like it was done in a professional studio. This is handled by the new Audio Mix feature. Noise reduction has also been added, reducing unwanted background noise for improved sound quality.
Batteries and Charging
The batteries in the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus last longer, up to 22 and 27 hours, respectively.
Apple has added a faster 25W MagSafe charger for the new iPhone 16 models. To support this, you’ll need the new MagSafe charging block. With this charger, the phones can charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes.
When and Where to Buy the iPhone 16 Series
Sales for all models will begin on September 20.
In Ukraine, you can buy the new iPhone at online stores like Moyo, Stylus, or sometimes on Rozetka. Prices are the same everywhere.
