Apple (AAPL) introduced its iPhone 16 series during the "Glowtime" event at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., on Monday. The new lineup includes four models: the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
These new phones are the first to be designed specifically with Apple Intelligence AI in mind and are equipped with more powerful processors to support the advanced software. Add
itionally, the base models, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, now feature the programmable Action button previously available only on last year's iPhone 15 Pro series.
Both the base iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 16 Pro variants now feature new touch-sensitive camera buttons. These buttons allow you to launch the camera app with a single click, take a photo with another click, or record video with a press and hold.
A light press on the button opens a new overlay for accessing controls such as zoom. Additionally, third-party apps like Snapchat can use the camera button to quickly share your photos.
Overall, the $799 iPhone 16 and $899 iPhone 16 Plus closely resemble last year's models, with the primary difference being their rear camera arrangement. The cameras are now stacked vertically to enable spatial photos compatible with the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Both models are powered by Apple's new 3-nanometer A18 chip, featuring a 2x faster neural engine. Apple claims the A18's central processing unit is up to 30% faster than that in the iPhone 15 series and includes a 5-core GPU to enhance Apple Intelligence, gaming, and camera functions. The new chip is also expected to improve battery life.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will include computational photography software that provides a 2x telephoto option simulating optical zoom through the standard wide-angle lens. The ultra-wide lens has been upgraded to 48 megapixels.
Additionally, Apple is introducing visual intelligence in the camera app, allowing features such as retrieving restaurant reviews from a photo or adding concert details to your calendar from a flyer. You can even capture a bike you'd like to purchase and receive a quick Google link to buy it.
This functionality resembles Google's existing Circle to Search feature for Android phones, so it will be interesting to compare its effectiveness when I test it.
The $999 iPhone 16 Pro and $1,199 iPhone 16 Pro Max feature larger displays, with the Pro’s screen expanding from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches and the Pro Max’s from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. These larger screens are achieved through thinner bezels, giving the phones a more seamless glass appearance.
Both Pro models are powered by Apple’s new A18 Pro chip, which delivers improved performance over the A18 in the iPhone 16 series. The A18 Pro's CPU is 15% faster than the A17 Pro and is 20% more power-efficient.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max also boast upgraded 48-megapixel fusion and ultra-wide cameras, with the Pro now including a 5x optical zoom, compared to the iPhone 15 Pro’s 3x zoom.
Similar to the iPhone 16s, the Pro models feature the new touch-sensitive camera button. A future software update will introduce a two-step shutter that locks onto a subject, and you'll be able to record video in 4K at 120 frames per second for high-quality slow-motion footage. Frame rates can also be adjusted after recording through the Photos app.
On the audio front, the iPhone 16 Pro models feature four built-in microphones and spatial audio recording. The new Audio Mix feature allows users to customize audio settings for their videos, aiming to create professional-quality sound.
To demonstrate the video capabilities of the iPhone 16 Pro, Apple showcased how these features were utilized to shoot The Weeknd's latest music video.
**Apple Intelligence**
Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update, with an initial beta release in the US next month. Versions in Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish are expected next year.
While Apple did not introduce new features for Apple Intelligence, the company highlighted the capabilities announced at its WWDC event in June. This includes Private Cloud Compute, which performs AI tasks without storing user data. Apple Intelligence will integrate AI-driven writing tools into iOS, enhancing apps like Mail and third-party programs such as Slack and Goodreads. Additionally, it will facilitate easier photo and video searches.
The update will also bring summarization tools for texts, work messages, and emails, and include a feature in Mail to prioritize and alert users to important messages identified by Apple Intelligence.
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