The “regular” iPhone has become like a second child. Year after year, this model gets something new from the previous version of the iPhone Pro – its older and smarter brother.
The iPhone 15 got the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island and A16 Bionic processor, and before that the iPhone 14 got a larger Plus variant with an A15 Bionic chip and the same screen size as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. As for the iPhone 16 ($799 and up), there are some new items once again. But this time, that’s not the whole story for the Apple phone that’s the best choice for most people.
Amazingly, Apple has given some of its most exciting features for 2024 to both the regular and Pro iPhones at the same time. That means you don’t have to wait a year to get expanded camera tools and another new button. Sure, Apple intelligence is still at work, but that’s the case for the iPhone 16 Pro, too. Importantly, the iPhone 16 will be just as ready when AI features arrive.
So, for perhaps the first time – or at least for the first time in years – Apple has substantially closed the gap between the iPhone and iPhone Pro.
ProRAW stills and ProRES video are still exclusive to the most expensive iPhones, and a new “studio-quality” four-microphone setup is also reserved for them. Disappointingly, you’ll still have to shell out more money for a 120Hz display. But, as far as the fun new tools that matter to most of us go, you won’t have to worry about missing out this time around.
Apple iPhone 16
For once, you don’t have to wait a year to get the great new features from the iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone 16 has all the features you’ll love most, and for $200 less.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
For once, you don’t have to wait a year to get the great new features from the iPhone 16 Pro.
New buttons, new bump, old design
Another year has gone by and we still haven’t had a significant redesign for any iPhone, let alone the base-level models. As such, I’ll spend my time here discussing what’s new. Apple was once again content to add new colors, opting for a lineup of ultramarine (blue violet), teal, pink, white, and black.
The colors are bolder than those available on the iPhone 15, though I’d like to see blue and maybe a brighter yellow or orange. Additionally, once again there’s no Product Red option — we haven’t seen that color since the iPhone 14.
The main visual change on the iPhone 16 is the addition of two new buttons. Of course, one of them, the reconfigurable action button above the volume rocker, comes from the pro-grade iPhones.
By default, the control performs the function of the switch it replaces: activating silent mode. But, you can also set the action button to open the camera, turn on the flashlight, start a voice memo, initiate a Shazam query, and more. If none of the presets meet your needs, you can also assign custom shortcuts.
While Apple has undoubtedly expanded the utility of this switch by making it customizable, regular iPhone users will have to get used to the fact that the volume control is no longer the top button on the left.
This means that when you reach to the side to change the loudness, you’ll have to remember that it’s the middle and bottom buttons. Of course, the action button is smaller than the other two, so with a little patience you can differentiate them by touch.
Near the bottom of the right side, there’s a new camera control button for quick access to the camera and its tools. A press will open the camera app from any screen, and a long press will go straight to 4K Dolby Vision video capture at 60 fps.
Once you’re there, this button becomes a touch-sensitive slider for things like zoom, exposure, and lens selection. With zoom, for example, you can scroll through all the options by swiping. Then with a double “light press,” which required a lot of practice to finally master, you can access other options. Pressing the button fully once will take a photo — you won’t have to lift a finger to tap an onscreen button.
On the back, Apple rearranged the cameras so they’re stacked vertically instead of diagonally. It’s certainly cleaner than the previous look, and the company still prefers a small bulge at the top left over one that takes up more space or spans the full width of the rear panel (hi Google).
The main reason the company reoriented the rear cameras is to allow for spatial photos and videos, as the layout now enables the iPhone 16 to capture stereoscopic information from the Fusion and Ultra Wide cameras.
Photographic Stylin
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus feature a new 48-megapixel Fusion Camera that packs a quad-pixel sensor for higher resolution and finer detail. Essentially, it’s two cameras in one, working together to form — or fuse, hence the name — a 48MP frame and a 12MP one that’s fine-tuned for light capture.
By default, you’ll get a 24MP image, which Apple says offers the best mix of detail, low-light performance, and an efficient file size.