iPhone 16 overview: Almost good

I really feel like I write this virtually yearly, however, relating to the iPhone 16 line, there are only a few causes to purchase the “Pro” iPhone over its base counterpart.

The iPhone 16 encompasses a enjoyable, extra colourful design; each the brand new Digital camera Management button and the Motion Button that debuted on final 12 months’s iPhone Professional; Apple’s highly effective A18 chip; an even bigger battery; and new sensible “Photographic Types” and “Moods.” The listing goes on. This 12 months’s key “Pro” differentiators come right down to a 5x optical telephoto lens, 4K 120fps video help, and, after all, the 120Hz ProMotion display. It is ridiculous Apple nonetheless hasn’t up to date the bottom iPhone’s show refresh charge.

In fact, the iPhone 16 isn’t perfect. Past the dearth of a better refresh charge show, the telephone does not supply any Apple Intelligence options but, with some arriving later in October and others releasing in early 2025. To the common iPhone person, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional will appear almost equivalent, solely the previous gadget encompasses a extra eye-catching design. However regardless of being a really full package deal, the iPhone 16 just isn’t that a lot of an improve over the iPhone 15, except you are within the new Digital camera Management and Motion Button. Which means that these nonetheless utilizing an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 can doubtless sit this 12 months out.

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iPhone 16

This 12 months’s iPhone 16 line blurs the road between the “Professional” and the base-level iPhone by providing a brand new digicam button and the Motion Button, alongside the A18 chip.

Professionals

• New colors look nice
• General spectacular smartphone package deal
• Images Types and Digital camera Management Button are nice

Cons

• Nonetheless no 120Hz show
• Apple Intelligence options are nowhere to be discovered
• In some methods, not that a lot of an improve over the iPhone 15

Value, availability, and specs

Apple’s iPhone 16 starts at $800 and the iPhone 16 Plus prices $900. The iPhone 16 encompasses a 2,556 x 1,179 pixel decision 6.1-inch OLED display, whereas the iPhone 16 Plus affords a 2,796 x 1,290 pixel decision 6.7-inch OLED show. Sadly, neither telephone affords a 120Hz show refresh charge, which means they’re each locked to 60Hz. In consequence, neither gadget affords an always-on display, identical to final 12 months.

Different specs embody Apple’s A18 chip, a considerable improve from the iPhone 16’s A16 processor. Each the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus characteristic a Digital camera Management button for straightforward entry to the Digital camera app, and the Motion Button, which was solely featured within the iPhone 15 Professional line final 12 months. Rear digicam specs embody an f/1.6 48-megapixel major digicam and an f/2.2 12-megapixel ultra-wide digicam. The front-facing digicam options an f/2.2 12-megapixel selfie shooter.

Apple Intelligence options like AI-assisted writing, object removing within the Photographs app, and a extra contextual Siri aren’t but out there however ought to launch within the coming months. This 12 months’s surprisingly vivid colours embody ultramarine (which is featured on this overview), teal, pink, and black.

iPhone 16 construct and design

Vivid, saturated colours and a cool-looking digicam bump

Let’s get essentially the most fascinating adjustments out of the best way first. First, the rear twin digicam array is now vertical and aligned, which appears to be like higher than I anticipated. The bump’s define can be barely darker than the remainder of the smartphone, giving it an odd however cool-looking glow below sure gentle, particularly in comparison with the iPhone 16 Professional Max’s drab digicam bump.

Talking of colours, this 12 months’s stark choices look nice, particularly in comparison with the washed-out colours of the previous few years (which, for the report, I additionally preferred). They stand out from different smartphones, particularly Samsung’s low-key coloured Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, and definitively look totally different from the iPhone 15. Ultramarine is my favourite, however teal and pink are additionally nice trying; Apple actually nailed the iPhone 16’s colours this 12 months.

Different additions embody the ‘Motion Button,’ which I nonetheless have not discovered a helpful objective for but. It is a programmable button that can be utilized to launch just about something for those who use the Shortcuts app. Admittedly, I have never actually given it a lot of an opportunity as a result of I discover launching apps from my House Display screen or lockscreen simply as simple. I nonetheless often discover myself lacking the traditional mute swap from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 Professional, however I additionally know that lots of people actually just like the Motion Button.

The iPhone 16 additionally options the identical Digital camera Management button because the iPhone 16 Professional. Apple does not need folks to name it a button as a result of there’s extra to it, however it nonetheless presses inwards, so so far as I am involved, it is a button. One press launches the digicam app and an extra press snaps a photograph, turning your iPhone 16 right into a futuristic point-and-shoot. As somebody who grew up utilizing easy cameras, I actually admire the Digital camera Management button, and I am trying ahead to the two-step shutter coming in an replace within the coming months.

The Digital camera Management button may be finicky, although, notably when swiping between the extensive and ultrawide shooters or altering the “Photographic Fashion” or “Temper” (extra on this later). However when you get the grasp of the Digital camera Management button, it is a streamlined technique to entry key digicam options, amounting to one of the vital fascinating additions to the iPhone line in years.

Past the above adjustments, the iPhone 16 encompasses a design that’s similar to its predecessor. This consists of coloured, squared-off aluminum sides, a matte again that repels grease and smudges, the Dynamic Island cutout that made its technique to the base-level iPhone 15 final 12 months, and a USB-C port that also options USB 2.0 speeds (given I hardly ever switch information with a USB-C cable, I do not see this as a problem). And lastly, the iPhone 16 options the identical next-generation Ceramic Protect know-how because the iPhone 16 Professional, which ought to enhance its skill to face up to drops.

iPhone 16 show

Nonetheless no 120Hz or always-on show

The largest concern with the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus is the dearth of a 120Hz show. That is the type of characteristic that when you have skilled a 120Hz display, it is tough to return. Alternatively, for those who’ve by no means encountered a silky {smooth}, excessive refresh charge smartphone display, you in all probability will not discover the distinction and shall be completely advantageous with the iPhone 16’s display. Regardless, it is 2024 and a 60Hz display is fairly unforgivable since almost each Android smartphone value shopping for options no less than a 90Hz display.

On a extra constructive word, the display appears to be like nice and as much as par with the iPhone 16 Professional’s when it comes to vibrancy and colour, although it nonetheless options reasonably chunky bezels. Brightness is available in at 2,000 nits at its peak, making the iPhone 16’s show simple to view below direct daylight, and it could actually additionally crank all the best way right down to 1 nit for darkish environments. The bottom-level iPhone nonetheless does not characteristic an always-on show just like the Professional tier gadgets. This is not a serious loss for me as a result of I’ve turned the always-on show off because it arrived with the iPhone 14 Professional. I do not discover it helpful sufficient to be definitely worth the battery life trade-off.

iPhone 16 digicam

Images Types, however no telephoto digicam

Just like the iPhone 16 Professional, the vast majority of the iPhone 16’s upgrades are associated to the digicam — however solely on the software program aspect. Concerning {hardware}, the rear digicam options an f/1.6 48-megapixel extensive and an f/2.2 12-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, whereas front-facing digicam options an f/2.2 12-megapixel selfie shooter.

The important thing improve this 12 months autofocus coming to the 12-megapixel ultrawide, permitting the lens to shoot surprisingly handsome macro images which can be almost as much as par with the iPhone 16 Professional. On one other word, 2x zoom remains to be out there by means of sensor cropping, however I want Apple simply supplied actual optical zoom with the iPhone 16 (I do know this can be a key differentiator between the 2 telephones, however I can nonetheless dream). Like in years previous, that is the important thing characteristic I miss transferring from the iPhone 16 Professional to the iPhone 16 (apart from the dearth of a 120Hz refresh charge).

Digital camera efficiency, normally, appears marginally higher than the iPhone 15, however there is not an enormous leap. It is also tough to discover a actual distinction between iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional photographs. There’s extra definition and better distinction, notably with shadows, however you really want to look intently (the common particular person will doubtless suppose the images are equivalent).

Sticking with images, all of the Photographic Types and Moods from the iPhone 16 Professional can be found with the iPhone 16. That is an fascinating transfer on Apple’s half, as I would contemplate these Professional options. They will let you tweak your images exactly the way you need, earlier than and after you shoot them. Are you in search of a bit extra pop in your photographs? Then the “Vibant” Temper is what you are in search of. Possibly you desire a gloomy look to your images? Then go for “Stark B&W” and dwell out your emo images desires. These Photographic Types and Moods can be tweaked manually with a considerably awkward-to-used d-pad-like settings sq..

It is value noting that as nice because the Photographic Types are, they don’t seem to be good. For one, they’re solely out there in HEIF, a file format that does not all the time work effectively with third-party apps. However I have never encountered any points but. I am hoping Apple adjustments the characteristic to work with customary JPEGs quickly.

Images Types have additionally been out there previously. What’s totally different is now you can add them after capturing a picture. They’re additionally smarter and might differentiate between faces, the sky and different objects, as a substitute of working like a extra conventional picture filter that layers throughout your entire picture in a uniform means. Normally, the addition of Photographic Types solves all the problems I’ve had over the previous few years with the best way the iPhone processes images, together with firming down the awful-looking, blown-out HDR highlights that I hate a lot. So far as I am involved, that is an enormous win.

In a welcome addition, new mixing options can change the best way audio sounds and shift its high quality after you shoot a video. For instance, “Studio Mode” removes background noise, whereas “Cinematic Mode” focuses on folks speaking within the heart of the body. It is all the time been attainable to tweak audio with third-party apps, however bringing this performance on to the Photographs app makes the method way more streamlined. That is additionally the kind of characteristic Apple usually reserves for its Professional tier iPhone, so it is nice to see it make its technique to the iPhoen 16.

iPhone 16 efficiency

AAA video games hit the base-level iPhone

This 12 months, the iPhone 16 affords the A18 Professional chip, a soar from the iPhone 15’s A16 processor (this implies the base-level iPhone skips the A17 completely). I have never skilled efficiency points with an iPhone in years, so as soon as once more, the A18 is overkill for many duties. Nonetheless, it does open the smartphone as much as AAA video games like Resident Evil and Murderer’s Creed Mirage.

I spent a short period of time taking part in Murderer’s Creed Mirage, and it runs slightly worse than it did on the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro chip. This implies it is playable, however there’s the occasional stutter, and aliasing points are considerable (turning down the graphics helps a bit). Nonetheless, the truth that it is now attainable to play huge cell ports on the bottom iPhone is fairly cool. The iPhone 16 does get reasonably sizzling when taking part in resource-intense video games, nonetheless (normally, I’ve discovered that the iPhone 16 runs heat this 12 months, no matter what you are doing with the telephone). In case you care about benchmarks, the iPhone 16 hits 3,233 for single-core and seven,880 for multi-core with Geekbench 6.

I received a number of extra hours out of the iPhone 16 in comparison with the iPhone 16 Professional, pushing late into the night after a day of doom-scrolling on varied social media platforms, watching podcasts and sending a few emails. That is doubtless as a result of its barely bigger battery. I’ve heard that the iPhone 16 Plus will get even higher battery life, however I have never examined the gadget myself.

iPhone 16 software program

Make iOS 18 as ugly as you need

The addition of the A18 chip additionally signifies that the iPhone 16 shall be able to working Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of AI options coming later in October and subsequent 12 months. This consists of AI writing instruments, an AI Picture era app referred to as “Picture Playground,” a extra contextual Siri, and extra. It is clear Apple designed the iPhone 16 to drop alongside Apple Intelligence, however the launch schedules did not line up.

That is additionally why the telephone options the Digital camera Management button, which is about to double as a technique to launch the digicam to make use of Apple’s AI-powered identification characteristic Apple says can do issues like figuring out canine breeds and including dates from a flyer to your calendar. If this appears like a barely extra superior model of Google Lens, you are heading in the right direction. None of those options are completed or formally out there but, although, so I do not know if any of them shall be a cause to purchase the iPhone 16 (the iPhone 15 doesn’t help Apple Intelligence).

That is to not say that Apple does not supply new options in iOS 18. Simply to call a number of, you possibly can change the colour of your app icons with typically terrible trying tints, customise the Management Middle, and prepare icons nonetheless you need. With its newest cell OS replace, Apple is basically letting you make the iPhone your personal, which is a refreshing change of path from the tech large.

Must you purchase the iPhone 16?

Except 2x optical zoom and a 120Hz refresh charge show are necessary to you, most individuals can buy the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16 Professional. The improve is extra substantial this 12 months, even for those who’re coming from an iPhone 15, although I would by no means suggest upgrading your iPhone yearly. These with an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 13 will get essentially the most out of the iPhone 16’s key upgrades, together with the A18 chip, the Motion Button, the intense new colours and flashy digicam bump, and the considerably finicky, however nonetheless nice Digital camera Management Button.

Me, although? I can not return to a 60Hz display, and I admire optical zoom far an excessive amount of to offer it up, however I noticed years in the past that I am not the common iPhone person.

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iPhone 16