The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have officially been unveiled, and as someone due for an upgrade, I’ve never been more conflicted about which one to choose.
Apple’s 2024 smartphone lineup blurs the lines between the standard iPhone and its Pro counterpart more than ever, with some of the most significant iPhone changes in years — such as a brand-new button for controlling your camera — coming to both models simultaneously.
Apple’s newest iPhones will be available for preorder on September 13 and will hit stores on September 20.
This gives you some time to decide if this is your upgrade year before popular colors and sizes start experiencing shipping delays.
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about Apple’s latest smartphones, along with some early hands-on impressions.
The iPhone 16 is one of Apple’s most compelling basic iPhones to date, featuring useful Action and Camera Control buttons, as well as a variety of appealing colors.
The iPhone 16 Pro boasts superior cameras, capable of shooting rich 4K/120fps video, and a lightning-fast processor optimized for Apple Intelligence.
In terms of appearance, the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are clear winners in this year’s iPhone lineup.
The phones retain their matte aluminum finish, which feels as satisfying to hold as last year’s models.
However, the newly vertically aligned camera lenses add a sleeker and more symmetrical look to the back of the device.
The iPhone 16’s color options are among the best Apple has ever offered.
I’m torn between bold pink, a stunning purplish-blue known as “ultramarine,” and a striking teal that perfectly matches the New York Liberty uniforms I love.
And yes, for those who prefer the classics, the iPhone 16 still comes in black and white.
While the colors are enticing, the biggest story with the basic iPhone 16 lies in the two new buttons on its sides.
The iPhone 16 adopts the Action button from the Pro models, replacing the ring/silent switch that used to sit above the volume buttons on the left.
This fully programmable button can be set to perform tasks like activating your flashlight, starting a voice memo, or triggering a wide range of other actions that you can configure in the Shortcuts app if you’re savvy enough.
Previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, the Action button’s addition to the basic iPhone continues the trend of bringing some of last year’s Pro features to the standard model.
However, you won’t have to wait a year for the Camera Control feature, which debuts on both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro simultaneously.
This long, pressure-sensitive button, located at the bottom-right of the phone (top-right in landscape mode), allows you to open the camera app with a single tap, take a photo with another tap, and record a video by simply holding the button down.
It’s designed to make snapping photos as easy as using a point-and-shoot camera, and it largely succeeds in doing so.
Using Camera Control for quick photos and videos felt as intuitive as advertised, though taking advantage of its more advanced features required some practice.
You can perform two light taps to open a mini camera menu, which allows you to adjust settings like zoom level, depth of field, and Photographic Styles by sliding your finger left or right.
While this is a great addition, I found it tricky to get the pressure just right to open the menu — sometimes I pressed too lightly or too hard.
With some practice, I got the hang of it, but it’s worth noting that mastering Camera Control may involve a learning curve for some users.
As for the camera itself, the iPhone 16 receives a major upgrade with a 48-megapixel fusion camera and a new 12MP ultrawide camera, which finally brings ultra-detailed macro mode to the basic iPhone.
You can also capture spatial photos and videos (another feature that was previously exclusive to Pro models) for viewing on the Apple Vision Pro — assuming you’ve spent $3,500 on one.
In addition to camera enhancements, the iPhone 16 has the usual suite of performance and battery improvements.
It features a faster A18 processor, which powers Apple Intelligence and allows you to play Triple-A games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding without needing a Pro model (see a trend here?).
Apple also promises a “big battery boost” with this new chip, with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus offering up to 22 and 27 hours of video playback, respectively, compared to 20 and 26 hours for last year’s models.
We’re eager to put these claims to the test in real-world usage.
After watching the iPhone 16 Pro’s reveal at Apple’s launch event, my initial thought was, “That’s it?”
At first glance, this year’s high-end iPhone seems like an incremental update, but it has some significant perks worth discussing.
One of the main reasons to choose an iPhone Pro is the camera, and this year is no different.
The iPhone 16 Pro’s camera setup, led by a new 48-megapixel fusion camera, can capture 4K video at 120 frames per second.
This allows for cinematic-quality video that you can slow down to 24 fps for the kind of dramatic slow-motion typically seen in action movies.
The 48MP ultrawide camera has been upgraded from 12MP for improved wide-angle and macro shots, and now both the 16 Pro and Pro Max offer the same detailed 5x telephoto zoom — no more need to splurge on the most expensive model for great zoom capabilities.
The iPhone 16 Pro’s Super Retina XDR displays have also gotten larger, with the 16 Pro now measuring 6.3 inches and the Pro Max at 6.9 inches — the largest iPhone screen to date.
Despite the larger displays, the phones don’t feel overly large compared to last year’s models, thanks to thinner bezels and the continued use of lightweight titanium construction.
However, Apple continues to save its more exciting colors for the cheaper iPhones.
The Pro models come in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and a new “desert titanium” (which has a goldish frame).
I think many users would prefer a wider range of color options beyond shades of silver and gold.
Inside, the A18 Pro chip offers top-tier performance, with improved ray tracing for even more immersive gaming.
You can expect up to 27 hours of video playback on the iPhone 16 Pro and up to 33 hours on the Pro Max — making the latter Apple’s longest-lasting iPhone ever.
Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro will be among the first phones to support Apple Intelligence when it begins rolling out in beta next month.
This generative AI feature is designed to make life easier, offering perks like a more conversational Siri, the ability to summarize long documents, rewrite text messages, and even generate images and emojis to share with friends.
While I’m not too excited about some of these features, I’m intrigued by the idea of summarizing lengthy email threads or finding specific photos by typing a text prompt.
While Apple Intelligence will be available on both iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro series, the 16 Pro and Pro Max come with a few exclusive perks.
One of the most exciting is an enhanced Voice Memos feature that allows you to layer voice notes on top of one another — a great tool for musicians who want to add vocals to a guitar idea or create harmonies.
As someone who spends a lot of time making music and has countless song ideas stored in Voice Memos, this announcement truly caught my attention.
Right now, I’m very tempted to preorder the ultramarine iPhone 16 Plus.
With its stunning colors, improved performance and battery life, and Pro-level features like the Action button and Camera Control, the basic iPhone has never looked more appealing.
However, a few key features might keep me leaning towards the Pro model.
As I’ve written before, the ultra-smooth ProMotion screens on Apple’s Pro phones make it difficult to return to a standard 60Hz display.
The 16 Pro’s camera capabilities will also likely be my best option for capturing concert footage or photographing products for work.
And the Voice Memos upgrade could be a game-changer for the hours I spend working on song ideas.
I’ll have a better idea of which iPhone is right for me (and for you) once we’ve put these new models through rigorous testing, so stay tuned for a more in-depth review.
