This 12 months’s iPhone occasion was a significant disappointment: though iOS 18 is coming to numerous units, Apple followers exterior of the US should make do with out the Apple Intelligence in the intervening time. However is not that what would have made the iPhone 16 so thrilling? And are the brand new digital camera management and the brand new SoC sufficient to change from the earlier mannequin? I attempted out the iPhone 16 for nextpit!
Apple iPhone 16
Good
- Motion button and digital camera bar present a distinct “feel”
- Prime efficiency of the A18 within the first benchmarks
- Can take 3D photographs for the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional
- Wi-Fi 7, satellite tv for pc telephony and ultra-wideband
Unhealthy
- Sadly nonetheless with out Apple Intelligence
- Show solely affords 60 Hz
- Nonetheless no always-on show
Apple iPhone 16: All offers
The place can I purchase the iPhone 16?
The iPhone 16 will probably be formally launched on September 20, 2024—till then you possibly can already pre-order it. Costs begin at $799 for the essential mannequin, with 256 GB of reminiscence you pay $900 and for the complete 512 GB, you need to finances $1100.
Design & Show
At first look, the iPhone 16 is harking back to the 2020 mannequin, as Apple is switching from a diagonal digital camera association again to a vertical one. If we take a more in-depth look, we uncover new colours, a brand new digital camera bar and different modifications. Whereas the iPhone is shifting with the instances right here, Apple is sadly counting on a 60 Hz panel for the show.
For this hands-on and my later check, Apple offered me with the iPhone 16 in “Ultramarine”. The blue shade variant transitions from a barely paler shade to the digital camera island and a darker shade on the edges. In consequence, the system appears to be like fantastically colourful and underlines the daring shade accents that Apple has repeatedly set in its cheaper units in recent times.
The “hand feel” is once more first-class because of the high-quality workmanship. Nonetheless, I significantly like the truth that the again has an nearly “rubbery” texture. This makes it simpler to carry the iPhone 16.
The largest visible change is the brand new digital camera hump. With the iPhone 13, Apple needed to change to a slanted association because of the bigger cameras. In 2021, the completely different look instantly revealed who was utilizing the most recent iPhone—and it is the identical this 12 months. In comparison with the iPhone 12, nonetheless, the person digital camera parts are considerably bigger and make sure that Apple’s iPhone 16 tilts closely on the desk with out a case. Annoying!
The place Apple can be breaking new floor is within the operation of the essential iPhone. The “action button” now replaces the legendary mute change on the iPhone 16, providing new choices on the contact of a button. The digital camera bar can be a totally new management ingredient in all iPhones of the 16 era. The bar is positioned on the right-hand facet of the casing within the decrease third of the casing and permits a brand new digital camera management—extra on this beneath within the digital camera class.
When it comes to the show, little has modified general. Apple has improved the brightness of the built-in OLED panel to 2,000 nits at its peak. Sadly, nonetheless, the essential and Plus fashions nonetheless come with out Professional Movement shows—i.e. with 60 hertz. And that simply appears to be like actually outdated in 2024.
The place Apple does transfer with the instances, nonetheless, is in enhancing the sustainability of the units. The Crystal Protect glass used on the again is alleged to be 50 p.c extra steady than final 12 months. Naturally, the iPhone 16’s housing is protected towards mud and splash water in accordance with IP68.
Software program & UI
The largest shock for me after unboxing the iPhone 16 was that
iOS 18 is already pre-installed. You may take pleasure in many new capabilities in iOS 18 and, above all, need to get used to the brand new management heart.
The iPhone 16 definitely feels “dumber” than the Google Pixel 9 we reviewed just a few days in the past or the Galaxy S24 from Samsung earlier this 12 months. Features such because the magic eraser or AI-supported search capabilities, the place you possibly can define parts on the show, have nearly develop into boring. Apple, however, is at present rolling them out within the USA, with different international locations anticipated to get the goodies solely in 2025.
Nonetheless, for those who purchase the iPhone 16, it is extremely possible that it is possible for you to to make use of Apple Intelligence sooner or later. It’s because Apple is as soon as once more providing lengthy replace help, which is simply being adopted by Android manufacturers.
As I have never been capable of collect too many impressions of iOS 18 but, I want to clarify extra right here within the ultimate check. Within the meantime, you possibly can check out the brand new Apple working system for your self—the linked information reveals the way it works!
Efficiency & SoC
Reduction: Apple is taking over board the criticism from final 12 months and can be equipping the bottom and Plus fashions with the most recent processor era. The A18 Bionic is manufactured utilizing the three nm course of and combines a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU with a 16-core NPU, which is at present nonetheless largely conserving its toes nonetheless. For my first impression, I’ve introduced alongside just a few benchmarks-let’s check out them!
Final 12 months, the essential model of the iPhone 15 nonetheless needed to make do with the A16 SoC. The truth that Apple is skipping a era this 12 months and integrating the A18 Bionic is thrilling in that the manufacturing course of is leaping from 4 nm to three nm. The brand new SoC ought to subsequently be much more environment friendly, and maybe Apple may tease out longer battery life because of this.
Within the benchmarks, the iPhone 16 is actually forward of the sport:
| Apple iPhone 16 (A18 Bionic) |
iPhone 15 Professional |
iPhone 15 (A16 Bionic) |
iPhone 15 Plus (A16 Bionic) |
iPhone 14 (A15 Bionic) |
iPhone 14 Professional Max (A16 Bionic) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive | 3.911 | – | 3.036 | – | 2.431 | 3.362 |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive Stress Take a look at | Greatest loop: 3,643 Worst loop: 2,082 |
Greatest loop: 3,553 Worst loop: 2,763 |
Greatest loop: 3,171 Worst loop: 2,378 |
Greatest loop: 3,253 Worst loop: 2,271 |
– | – |
| Geekbench | Single: 3,099 Multi: 7,638 |
Single: 2.945 Multi: 7,171 |
Single: 2,651 Multi: 6,698 (v6) |
Single: 2,623 Multi: 6,605 (v6) |
Single: 1,699 Multi: 4,817 (v5) |
Single: 1,885 Multi: 5,406 (v5) |
With 16 NPU cores, Apple can be making ready the iPhone 16 for Apple Intelligence. Nonetheless, we do not discover any of those benefits in the mean time. Other than that, the iPhone 16 nonetheless has to switch information by way of a USB 2 port, which might solely obtain 480 Mbit/s. It is good to see that Apple has opted for Wi-Fi 7 and helps Bluetooth 5.3. Assist for satellite tv for pc telephony from final 12 months and ultra-wideband are in fact again on board.
As with each new Apple system, the consumer expertise is totally fluid and nearly all the time with out loading instances. Solely the 60 Hz show actually slows issues down right here, which additionally limits the fluidity of cellular video games. I briefly tried out “Call of Duty: Mobile” and there was actually nothing to complain about!
Digicam
Due to the vertical association of the iPhone cameras, spatial photographs and movies will be taken with the iPhone 16. Whereas the digital camera modules are nearly similar to its predecessor, taking photographs feels utterly completely different because of the digital camera bar. And I’ve to say: after the primary 30 photographs, I am actually enthusiastic about the way in which Apple desires us to take photographs sooner or later!
The digital camera setup within the iPhone 16 actually solely has just a few modifications to supply this 12 months. There’s the aforementioned completely different association of the 2 lenses, which now permits “spatial photos” to be taken. You may view these on the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and luxuriate in a 3D impact. Sounds fairly cool, however sadly, I haven’t got a Imaginative and prescient Professional—and sadly, Apple does not use this characteristic within the iPhone 16 in any respect. They might have been extra inventive right here and simulated a 3D impact utilizing the gyroscope of the brand new iPhones.
Taking photographs and movies with the iPhone 16 is one factor above all: extra enjoyable! That is partly because of the new lens of the ultra-wide-angle digital camera. With an aperture of f/2.2, it’s barely brighter—f/2.4 on the iPhone 15—and affords a brand new macro mode. This brings you nearer to your topic and is of the identical high quality as you’ll anticipate from smartphone macro cameras. Enjoyable, however not likely superb.
Which brings me to essentially the most thrilling digital camera innovation within the iPhone 16: the digital camera bar. The brand new working possibility is at its finest in horizontal mode—it additionally works vertically, however requires some hand acrobatics to keep away from dropping the cellphone. The brand new button means that you can management the next independently of the standard menus:
- Publicity
- Depth of area in portrait mode
- Stepless zoom stage from 0.5x to 2x
- Cameras (0.5x, 1x and 2x)
- Photographic kinds
- Shade tone
Above all, I’ve hardly modified the depth of area and photographic kinds on my iPhone 13 mini since setting it up. And now that they’re extra conveniently obtainable, I already really feel motivated to take extra inventive and different photographs with the iPhone 16. As is typical for Apple, you shortly learn to use the brand new menu and discover your method round.
I can not say an excessive amount of concerning the digital camera high quality but. At first look, the standard appears to be like like that of final 12 months’s iPhone. You may get an impression in my photograph gallery. However as I stated: I am curious to see how a lot my iPhone images will change because of the brand new operation!
Battery & Charging
Apple is as soon as once more conserving the precise dimension of the iPhone 16 battery below wraps. Nonetheless, the battery life is alleged to be two hours longer than its predecessor when enjoying movies. So 22 hours as a substitute of 20—sadly I have never been ready to make use of the brand new iPhone for that lengthy but. Each quick charging and the charging possibility by way of MagSafe ought to work sooner—the iPhone 16 can be appropriate with the Qi2 normal.
After just a few hours of use, I can not say something concerning the endurance of the iPhone 16. Nonetheless, the battery is meant to last more—however an improve of two hours when enjoying movies in comparison with its predecessor is sufficiently small that you just most likely will not discover a lot of it in on a regular basis use. Give me slightly extra time right here—I am going to proceed on the detailed overview!
Technical Specs
| iPhone 16 | |
|---|---|
| Show |
|
| SoC | |
| Reminiscence capability | |
| OS | |
| Digicam |
|
| Selfie digital camera |
|
| Battery |
|
| Connectivity |
|
| IP certification | |
| Dimensions and weight |
|
Early Verdict
After this 12 months’s Apple keynote on the brand new iPhone fashions, I used to be actually disillusioned. By some means there gave the impression to be hardly any improvements that had been related to me. This impression pale slightly after the primary few hours with the iPhone 16. It’s because the motion button and the brand new digital camera management considerably change the operation of the essential mannequin.
On the similar time, they bring about capabilities to the fore that I by no means used on older fashions. Along with the brand new iOS 18, this leads to a totally new consumer expertise—and I am actually eager to discover it additional.
Since Apple depends on the A18 Bionic, this consumer expertise can be extremely fluid and “snappy”. Sadly, there’s once more just one panel with 60 Hz, which will definitely be one of many largest criticisms of the iPhone 16 in my ultimate check. I additionally don’t love the truth that Apple continues to be utterly lacking out on potentials equivalent to spatial recording. So: It stays thrilling with the iPhone 16—I will be again quickly with extra check impressions!
Apple iPhone 16
To system database