iPhone 16 has been released and is available now for purchase, with its headline feature being ability to run “Apple Intelligence”. The later is essentially an AI suite drawing on the power of ChatGPT and Google AI to make life easier for users by performing tasks such as intelligent proofreading of inputted text, summarization of long transcripts, creation of “genmojis”, and most importantly doing image-related search through “Visual Intelligence”. More importantly, with this integration, Siri will be able to provide more customized solutions based on user’s preferences and habits.
Apple intelligence would definitely be quite exacting in its requirements as far as resource needs are concerned. Apart from iPhone 16 series, the only phones that will be able to run it are last years pro models (iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max). Essentially, any chip older than A17 can’t run Apple intelligence, or Apple does not wants them to run it. This makes it a pretty niche product as of now, and all the more reason for users to buy iPhone 16 (or 16 pro).
I am covering the non-pro models here. They make even more sense now since they share the same generation of chipset as the pro models. But Apple has set the bar for pros even higher by giving them slightly larger screens compared to last year’s iteration, as well as lowering their price, at least here in India. The later is probably because they now make all of their models in this country and can afford to do that. But I find the prices in other parts of the globe to be same as last year’s models.
Practical points first
The question most prospective buyers will have in their mind is: “Leaving apart the marquee AI feature, does the 16 series make for a compelling case for upgrade?” Well, according to me, the answer is Yes or No, depending on the model you are holding in your hands right now.
If you have an iPhone 11 or older, the models that don’t have 5G support or Super XDR OLED display, you would have already upgraded by now. If not, the answer is very clear now.
For the later models, I will give my personal recommendations in later part of the review based on limited experience I had playing around at Apple Store here in Delhi as well as research on it’s feature set that I’ve come across.
However, one point I will like put upfront is that in spite of flak given by some of reviewers (with some even calling it a half-baked product) iPhone 16 is indeed an incremental upgrade. In fact. some of these upgrades are quite useful, and make purchase of earlier models even at their now discounted prices (including iPhone 15) pretty meaningless. If you are in the market for a new iPhone, this is the model to get..
The really standout features..which makes iPhone 16 worth picking up
According to me, these are the slew of features that make the newest model pretty tempting, even for iPhone 15 users like myself. However, some really stand out like the following –
- Camera control button: I believe this will be a genuinely useful tool for photographers among us. With it, not only will you be able to lunch the camera instantaneously, but also control its key features like zoom, aperture size and photographic styles. As reported by other reviewers, the styles themselves have been revamped and now includes some new & fun ones like color gradings, and B&W styles. Additional flexibility is allowed to users by giving them at the ability to add/change/delate styles after the shot has been taken. I hope that they can make some of these styles available to older iPhones, but I am also not counting on that.
Talking about the button itself, the camera control is a high precision force sensor, pretty much in the same league as force trackpads in Macs. Going by Apple’s expertise in designing these, it is expected to work quite well. Even in my limited testing in the chaotic setup, I found it a pleasure to use. Third-party apps like SnapChat will be able to leverage its functionality, and I expect new possibilities to open up in the future. - Action button (even on non-pro models): The action button has finally tricked down to non-pro models which is definitely welcome. It replaces the mute switch that occupied this slot all the way from the first iPhone models. In addition to muting your phone (which I believe is still the default), the action button can also be customized to perform other actions, depending on your preferences. For example, you can use it to activate voice memo and launch the magnifier. I believe other functionalities will be added once Apple Intelligence rolls over more completely.
In itself, I don’t believe this is a game-changer. Many people used to set action button on their iPhone 15 pro to launch the camera. But now that there is a dedicated button for this job, you really have to come up with what’s the next most useful thing for you. - (Truly) macro abilities: Although Apple significantly improved cameras in last year’s iPhone 15, adding significant zoom capabilities, macro was given a pass. But now it is here and will certainly be a boon for people who like taking photos of flowers and other close-by things.
I believe it to be useful, but I also think you absolutely don’t need it for floral photography. As we have indicated in our iPhone 15 review, the portrait mode can take some stunning shots of nearby objects, creating beautiful defocused background while bringing out great details in main subject. - A18 Chipset: Built using 2nd generation 3 nm fabrication process, the A18 chipset in iPhone 16 is two generations ahead of A16 which shipped with iPhone 15. According to sites which delve into benchmarking, A18 matches or beats A17 pro that came with iPhone 15 pro models. This in itself is truly incredible. The chipset is coupled with 8GB RAM (compared to 6GB in iPhone 15) which makes the newer model quite future-proof. It will not only remain relevant for at least 2 years more than iPhone 15, but also supported by Apple much longer.
The letdowns & missed opportunities
If you gloss over some of the features mentioned above, you will realize that apart from promises enshrined in Apple Intelligence, iPhone 16 doesn’t really offer much for existing Apple phone users. This is especially true if users had purchased their devices in past 3 years or so. None of the newer features are truly game changers or are for everyone.
In fact, the buyers going for vanilla model long had some genuine concerns, concerns which have not been addressed by Apple even in this latest iteration. Some of these include –
- (Same) 60 Hz display: The display of non-pro models remain locked at 60 Hz. Although many buyers may not care because interface of recent iPhones have been very smooth, having a display with higher refresh rate gives another level of fluidity. These are premium phones, so a feature that is now widely available on much cheaper handsets should have been integrated. Perhaps Apple is saving it for models that will roll out in next year..
- (Palty) 128GB of base storage (even on pro models): Apple has been skimpy on increasing storage, not just on phones, but across much of their platforms. For average users like us, 128 GB is fine. Personally, I have yet to fill up even half of my storage. This may be because I don’t save movies on my phone, neither do I have any large games, and I periodically offload my photos & videos. But most people do have these requirements. In these situations, “rationing” your space will be painful and in some ways, may make the phone appear somewhat restricting.
- Lack of dedicated telephoto lens: This is the definitive camera feature you loose by going with the non-pro models. iPhone 16 pros now come with 5x optical zoom (up from 3x in iPhone 15 pros). In field situations, for instance when you are taking shots in a city or trying to capture a flattering portrait of your friend, a 5x zoom will prove very handy. In contrast, the base model’s “Fusion Camera” (the pros also have it) can zoom unto 2x. This not only falls short of 5x that pro’s can achieve, but is also software based most likely. Therefore, the quality isn’t going to be the same. Going further, the pros can now do digital zoom upto 25x, in case you need it in a pinch.
- Lack of ability to shoot in Raw format (Apple ProRAW): Being able to shoot in raw format is a must for serious photographers. However, this is also one of the features about which more than 80% of buyers will care little or none about. But if you want this functionality, you’ll have to go with the pro models. If you are in that bracket, I can tell you that the raw photos that come out of iPhones are often of very good quality. They also tend to have better latitude for manipulation than raw photos that you get from other higher-end phones.
- No AOD (Always on Display): In my opinion, Always on Display is a genuinely useful feature allowing you to get a glimpse of time and notifications without actually turning on the screen. Implementation of AOD requires display refresh to go down quite low, something possible only in screens with variable refresh rates. This may be one of the reasons Apple has not brought it to non-pro models.
However, whatever the reason may be, this is a shame because AOD on iPhone’s is really well designed. Apple may have to late to the game, but they have been able to implement it quite well even in initial few iterations. But like high refresh rate, we may have to wait for a few years to get this feature on base iPhones.
Suggestion regarding Upgrade
Well, as suggested earlier, the decision to purchase iPhone 16 (or not to) really boils down to 3 things – the model that you currently have, how much is your desire for the new marquee features & Apple Intelligence, and whether you are willing to shell out at least $ 799 (in the US) or Rs. 79,900 (in India). The price puts even the base model in a premium bracket and is certainly steep. And unlike Western nations like the US where carriers allow you to spread out the cost over monthly payments, in India and much of the Asian countries you have to buy them at full cost upfront (in most cases).
And doing this every September will be a highly personal decision. Definitely, each newer model will have something better, something to rationalize your decision and prompt you do make that plunge.
And since this will be a personal decision, I will leave you with my personal opinion by counting out the users of iPhone 12 or newer.
- For iPhone 12 Users: In my opinion, maybe Yes, if you can afford the newer model. iPhone 12 is the oldest iPhone model with support for 5G as well as having Super Retina XDR display. Compared to it, iPhone 16 will be in a league on its own in terms of speed & features. So, if you are holding on for a new model, I suggest you go for it. But if you are happy with what you have, you make hold on for a year or two, by which time something truly breakthrough is expected to come in.
- For iPhone 13 Users: In my opinion, probably No. iPhone 13 is plenty powerful even now, being able to run most applications without any issues. It will also be updated with next few iterations of iOS. It does have older features set including a notch and charging via lightening cable. But if these things don’t bother you, you may stick with an already competent handset that you have.
- For iPhone 14 Users: In my opinion, probably No. iPhone 14 is not much different from iPhone 13 touting the same chipset (the A15 Bionic based on 5 nm fabrication) & most of it’s features set. So, what applies for earlier iteration applies here as well. Sure, it has a slightly more powerful GPU and improved cameras, as well as Bluetooth 5.3 (vs 5.0) and emergency SOS notification system. In addition, also I believe that this model will receive one more iOS update than iPhone 13. But essentially, it is a repackaged iPhone 13 and my thoughts about being a competent handset applies here as well.
- For iPhone 15 Users: In my opinion, certainly No. You already have most of the useful features offered by iPhone 16 including USB-C port (for charging and data transfer), Dynamic Island, and 48 MP main camera. Although its processor is 2 generations older and less energy efficient, the battery life of iPhone 15 is already great (and even better for Plus models).
However, for readers interested in knowing about performance figures, according to Apple, the A18 chip is about 30% faster in CPU intensive tasks, and and about 40% faster in GPU rendering. It also has better ray-tracing and consumes 30% less power for performing same set of tasks. While these are definitely impressive figures, you have to ask yourself if you really need all that power. If you do, and can make good use of it, you know your model by now..
For readers interested in delving more into performance comparison between A18 and A16, you can go through an interesting article NanoReviews here.
Conclusion
One advice I will give before closing is that smartphones these days is highly personalized thing. They grow on you as you spend more time with them. So changing them on frequent basis may be disrupting, and not make sense if you are happy with what you already have.
But then there are those among us who like to get their hands on anything new & exciting. iPhone 16 is definitely one of those things. Before closing this article, I was able to get my hands on one, and play around with it slightly longer. The fun colors may also appeal to fashion-conscious crowd. I tried Teal, and it appeared beautiful in hand with its frosted, color infused glass back.
So, if you’ve been saving for a new iPhone, you can be sure it was for a good reason. But do weigh in iPhone 16 pro as well. Starting at $799 (USA) or Rs. 1.20 lakhs (in India), it addresses many shortcomings listed in letdown section. If you can go for it, it’s an even more compelling buy..
