draw a blank the Macs and the MacBooks ; it ’s the software and services that make the foundation of Apple ’s bread and butter . The gimmick everyone looks toward is the iPhone , whether as a benchmark of what ’s desirable in a phone or as an adversary for what another equipment should strive to reach . While it is silly watch out iPhone users get excited over new feature iniOS 18that have been mutual in the Android world for so long , I call up that people on this program are traditionalist because they care the way Apple does it over anyone else . I already like how it ’s doing unreal intelligence more than thatotherplatform I ’m on .
Many the great unwashed who buy the iPhone get it because it makes all that “ high - technical school poppycock ” seem more accessible . The iPhone 16 series will do that for AI , even if its execution is not as groundbreaking or prominent as on other platforms . The new Pro earpiece is n’t just a vessel for unreal intelligence , though it does have all the hardware chop to make the title possible for those willing to be early adopters . Everything about the iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max is solid , from its seven - electron lens camera system to its stamp battery life . Its new vividness this year are also bright and lighter . We ’ve only had a week with the iPhone Pro / Pro Max thus far , but if this is your year to upgrade , get ready to be prepped and primed for what ’s coming next .
Apple iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max
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It ’s the upright iPhone tune up specifically for your future with Apple Intelligence .
Pros
Cons
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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Review: Big or small?
Besides a few other thing , the good thing that hap to me this year is that Apple andGoogleagreed to release two versions of the Pro models without transfer the television camera system between them . Last year’siPhone 15 Pro Maxwas the only version with the maximum 5x optical zoom . This year , there are few divergence between the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max beyond the electric battery and concealment size .
Pre - Order iPhone 16 at Best Buy
Pre - Order iPhone 16 Pro at Best Buy
© Florence Ion / GizmodoA comparison photo between the iPhone 16 Pro (left) and the Pixel 9 Pro (right).
The iPhone 16 Pro modelsare much bigger than last year ’s iPhone 15 Pro . This twelvemonth , they ’re 6.3 - column inch and 6.9 - inches , severally . The unconstipated Pro model hasbeen bumped upfrom 6.1 - inches and the Pro Max from 6.7 - inches . Since Apple thinned out the shape by a midget spot , the large displays act in both eccentric — and because they are thinner , they do n’t experience as bulky with a compositor’s case on . The iPhone 16 Pro is now what I would believe the consummate size without any compromises on the camera system of rules . The iPhone 16 Pro Max is for those who secretly need an iPad as a phone .
The iPhone 16 Pro Max looks best in its fresh desert titanium colorway , which Apple provide us for review . The white titanium and natural Ti are overnice , too , and there ’s also dark atomic number 22 for the modern contemporary . I ’ve heard folks complain that there is n’t a pinkish variant of the iPhone 16 Pro this year . But if you face closely at desert atomic number 22 , it skew almost blush rose whenever particular hue hit it .
Meet the Camera Control button
The new physical dimension of this generation ’s iPhone batting order is the haptic - enabled Camera Control button . The push button gives you easy admittance to the camera app , whichever you prefer , and act as a shutter button . On the stock camera app , the Camera Control button commend whether you were zooming in or align the exposure the last fourth dimension you snap a picture . Double soft - press to switch between modes or mount like zoom , camera styles , and focus depth .
I ’ve already heard from some left - handers that they ’re not too keen on the right - side placement of the Camera Control clit . I tried using it with my left hand , even though I ’m a large right - hander , and it did feel embarrassing to sample to scroll through the different preferences with my quarter round . After less than a week of take up pictures only with the iPhone 16 Pro , I prefer set up the shot from the full - screen viewfinder rather than interfacing with the Camera Control release . It can be tedious to turn with if you ’re already struggling to keep back the earpiece .
At the very least , now there ’s a consecrate photographic camera cutoff clit for when you want to take a nimble shot . It ’s way faster than unlocking the phone and press the camera cutoff on the lock screen . As I remark , if you have a camera app you opt over the iPhone ’s stock camera app , you could remap it to set in motion via the Camera Control button . And since developer can tap into theCamera Control , more third parties can drum up interesting uses for the iPhone ’s new button .
© Florence Ion / Gizmodo
A18 Pro Chip: Built for everything
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Maxusesthe new A18 Pro crisp . The six - effect , 3 nm processor promises good public presentation and efficiency systemwide . There ’s also a 16 - core neuronal engine prepped and prim out for all that Apple Intelligence purport to do , while the GPU offers ray - tracing capabilities for all the mobile games that take reward of the iPhone as a portable powerhouse .
I do n’t play many of those types of game any longer , and with all that ’s been going on , I still need to delve into deed that take vantage of it . But my sentence spent inside Apple Arcade withHello Kitty Island AdventureandSonic Dream Teamhas been pleasant , specially with the aid of theRazer Kishi Ultra . I also played a littlePokémon Go . I will try titles likeAssassin ’s Creed Mirageand theResident Evil 2Remake in due time . I ’m also curious how the system handles a streaming session of my favorite cozy games on Xbox Game Pass .
Apple made a big to - do in its tonic and subsequent presentation about how it restructured the iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max ’s home design to maximise thermal capacity . The upshot is a 20 percent better sustained performance than the last generation . We ’re still in the throes of benchmarking that to see if the routine ring true . But I can already say the Geekbench 6 numbers are more telling than what theGoogle Pixel 9 Prois sprinkle out with its Tensor G4 CPU .
© Florence Ion / GizmodoWhen you talk to Siri, the screen lights up in response.
As for the iPhone chassis , it still gets warm . I clocked in at 98 degree Fahrenheit on the iPhone 16 Pro with a causa on while strike it with my ready to hand kitchen thermometer . We ’ll do a little more thermal testing this workweek to see whether the iPhone 16 Pro can keep cooler alongside the Pixel 9 Pro , which has been create the turn in the forums for getting too quick .
Thus far , the iPhone Pro series is still the best - do twist in Gizmodo ’s battery benchmark test . It rely on forever stream a YouTube video at 200 nit and measuring how long the telephone takes to peter out . I expect the iPhone 16 Pro Max ’s electric battery to outlive last year ’s iPhone 15 Pro Max , which already endure an impressive 25 hour .
I will be updating this review with the official identification number by and by this workweek . For now , I can tell you the iPhone 16 Pro , with its diminished battery gang , perform impressively on a daylight out into the metropolis . I still had 20 % shelling toward the ending of my passage ride back to the motorcar after six hours out and about with theAirPods 4 with ANCengaged in my ears . I also set off the mean solar day with 83 % on the iPhone 16 Pro , only to terminate up at 24 % barrage after seven hours of installing software , shooting exposure , exact a phone call , take heed to a podcast , and play a little Apple Arcade .
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Review: 7-cameras-in-1
Apple says itsiPhone 16 Pro serieshas the power of seven Pro lenses stuffed inside its stocky frame . Thisincludes a 48 - MP Fusion tv camera with adjustable 24 mm , 28 mm , and 35 mm mountain chain genus Lens for different photographic perspectives . That ’s four cameras , plus the 48 - MP Ultra Wide camera with macro capability makes six , and then the 7th lens is the one that enables 5x Telephoto .
This strategy is not unlike the one convey out by Android earphone manufacturing business . Samsung’sGalaxy Ultra , for instance , is herald for all the cameras it pack into one machine . In its pursuance to make the iPhone 16 Pro stand out as a professional - horizontal surface equipment , Apple is borrowing this strategy to remind us that it , too , can play that biz . The three - lenses - in - one trick is a hangover from last year ’s iPhone 15 Pro . you’re able to still well access it from the photographic camera app by selecting the 1x option and tapping through until you get the figure you want to hit with .
Apple advertises that the primary 48 - MP Fusion camera offers up to twice as fast data point readout . I cerebrate that peradventure I was seeing shiny photos than its forerunner and on the Pixel 9 Pro because of a larger sensor . The iPhone 16 Pro ’s primary camera detector is n’t bigger ; it ’s just new . Because it ’s more capable of process multiple angle bracket at a clip , it produce brighter photos than I was used to with the iPhone 15 Pro Max .
This year ’s most significant add-on to the characteristic pile isPhotography Styles . Before you take your shot , you could adjust the photo ’s tone with nine elan , range from “ cozy ” to “ complete B&W. ” You do n’t have to use the styles while you ’re shooting ; you could go in after the fact in the Photos app and line up the tone . Swiping up brings up the mid - tones related to the filter , and moving your fingerbreadth from left to correct adjusts the hue . There are also five dissimilar tinge trend to help equilibrise the tegument tone of people feature in effigy . You wo n’t see much alteration from the tinge expressive style on a landscape painting photo , but on a picture of folks or a selfie of yourself , you ’ll see change specifically on the skin between presets like Amber , Rose Gold , and Cool Rose .
Not only does Apple want you to usethe iPhone 16 Profor your photography , but it also enable high - resolution video recording capture straight to a grueling drive from the phone via USB 3 . The iPhone 16 Pro features up to 4 K capture at 120 frames - per - moment ( fps ) in Dolby Vision . I wish I had the chops to make something with this shoot potentiality and screen its efficacy . Maybe someday . For now , this is the suave fashion for me to take videos of BART educate zooming on by .
There is an ere of “ God Almighty ’s tool ” in the iPhone 16 Pro series , more so than in the iPhone ’s past . Whether you ’re making a short documentary on the arrival of an senior only for your family to see or you ’re only collecting images and motion for memory , the iPhone 16 Pro take to be the only camera you need . Apple has already done an excellent job convincing its users this is what it ’s about .
Apple Intelligence
Apple has also made a big to - do about how it build the iPhone 16 series for Apple Intelligence from the flat coat up , even thoughwe’re still waitingfor much of it to come to the user experience . I ’ve noticed criticism around Apple advertising something that it ’s not entirely quick to debut . But I ’d counter that it had no choice but to jump before it was prepared because of everything Google and Samsung have been campaign through .
Apple ’s scheme is to smartly gyrate its slow rollout of AI as a necessity to grow a high - quality product , and it ’s working . After the past year of slowly discovering all of the apps and military service that no longer work because of Google Gemini on the Pixel , the temper approaching seems like the smartest move for Apple to keep users on board . You may all require to berate on how behind Apple is to the AI show , but I ’m still hold off to feel the bribe for having Gemini Advanced on Android . We can revisit this discussion in a few calendar month when there ’s more traction in the manufacture and Apple has launch more Apple Intelligence feature . I ’m still waiting for Google to launch some thing , too .
For now , the Apple Intelligence power are primarily tools for moving faster on the twist . They let in summaries in Mail , notification , and AI - enhanced committal to writing tool to copy - edit and change the pure tone of whatever you ’re compose . They let you discover specific pictures faster in the Photo app andclean up photoswith too many supernumerary people in the background . Apple Intelligence also ameliorate Siri , which is now gentle to chat with and command . It ’s alike to the revamped experience of Gemini Live , except you may still call for Siri to perform basic smart home command without it being a whole process .
Should you buy the new iPhone 16 Pro?
Apple ’s new iPhone 16 series is build for Apple Intelligence from the ground up , even if it ’s not quite the independent attraction of the raw phone handout . The AI enhancement are more revolve around around reactivity and performance than user fundamental interaction . Apple is wiser for it because rather than frustrate its users with something that is unluckily inevitable , it ’s temper its approach by lento introducing the abilities . Even if it is late for the AI company , Apple still wins because it have its users feel like they do n’t have to jump into the pool until they feel quick .
If you ’re due for an upgrade this year , you ’ve been dealing with a crusty former iPhone on its last legs , and were thinking of depart Pro , then yes , you should considerthe iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max . As Apple said , it built this phone for Apple Intelligence , which should state you about what ’s on the horizon for the well - curated walled garden over the next class . It ’s also dainty that you may pick a smaller phone with all the camera glass of the larger gimmick but not the mass .
Note that the iPhone 15 Pro will also work with Apple Intelligence if you need to apologise why you should n’t upgrade — earnestly , there ’s no understanding to upgrade a twelvemonth - old iPhone , particularly the Pro variant . While the Camera Control clit is a neat improver to the lineup , it ’s still unneeded . And the next time you raise your iPhone , at least more apps will take reward of it than there are now .
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