Something to look forward to: Apple has remained more hesitant about AI than competitors like Google, which has gone full-bore with the technology in their software, services, and smartphones. As Cupertino pulls the curtain back on Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 is the company's first phone to integrate AI as a central feature, powering numerous new camera functions.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 (6.1-inch), iPhone 16 Plus (6.7-inch), iPhone 16 Pro (6.3-inch), and iPhone 16 Pro Max (6.9-inch) open on Friday, and the devices will hit stores on September 20.
While the new models' focus on AI features is not surprising, Apple is also introducing various new hardware-based camera controls.
The new camera control button is the first physical button the company has added to the iPhone in some time. Fast or sustained clicks can operate different functions, and the button recognizes multiple gestures with haptic feedback. Apple's presentation showed how the new button can summon preview, zoom, and other camera controls within the iPhone's main camera app.
Holding the button activates a new AI feature Apple revealed this week, called Visual Intelligence, which will debut later this year. When users point the camera at objects like restaurants, billboards, or animals, the phone can instantly retrieve information about them. Apps like ChatGPT and Snapchat will also offer various functionalities powered by Visual Intelligence.
The iPhone 16 is notably the first non-Pro model to support the Apple Intelligence features unveiled at WWDC in June. Users can generate emojis, access Siri's new ChatGPT-like functionality, automatically edit text, and quickly organize files.
The new A18 processor powers these features approximately 30 percent faster than the iPhone 15, with users upgrading from older models experiencing an even more significant performance uplift.
A public beta for Apple Intelligence will launch in October for American English users, with support for other English dialects arriving in December. Betas for Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish are planned for 2025.
The iPhone 15 Pro made significant strides in gaming last year, and the iPhone 16 further raises the bar by supporting AAA titles without requiring the Pro model. Users can enjoy top-rated games like Assassin's Creed Mirage and Resident Evil Village on the go or cast them to their TV via AirPlay.
Apple claims that gaming performance on the iPhone 16 is around 30 percent better than on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Another feature that was previously exclusive to the Pro model, the customizable action button, is now included with the standard iPhone 16. Other notable additions include a larger battery, Wi-Fi 7, macro photography, satellite text messaging, and more.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max offer several performance and content creation upgrades over the 15 Pro, not to mention slightly bigger screens.
The A18 Pro SoC is built on 2nd-generation 3nm technology, and offers a 16-core Neural Engine. The 6-core CPU consists of two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, delivering roughly a 15 percent performance boost and double the speed of data processing compared to its predecessor. The 6-core GPU also offers up to 20% better performance than the A17 Pro with hardware ray tracing.
The device supports faster USB-C transfer rates and doubles video encoding data processing.
The iPhone 16 Pro is equipped with a new 48-megapixel "Fusion" camera, featuring a second-generation quad-pixel sensor that eliminates shutter lag for 48-megapixel ProRAW and HEIF photos.
One of the key features of the Pro model is its ability to record 4K video at 120fps in Dolby Vision. It also supports half-rate, quarter-rate, and one-fifth-rate playback for impressive slow-motion effects. Additionally, video and audio recordings can selectively reduce background noise to make voices clearer.
Apple claims battery life on the iPhone 16 Pro Max has been extended to up to 33 hours, thanks to a new mechanical design and advanced power management system that also improves heat dissipation for better sustained performance.
Starting prices are $799 for the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, $899 for the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, $999 for the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro, and $1,199 for the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. A free software update, releasing on September 16, will bring iOS 18 to the iPhone XR and later models, introducing new Control Center options, RCS messaging, and enhanced password management features.
iPhone 16 goes all-in on AI, adds new camera controls, available September 20
