For the past two years , Apple ’s received iPhones have felt like awkward compromise , doing niggling more than bringing over feature from their pro - even forerunner without add up anything significantly new to the mix . This twelvemonth , everything has changed .

With the acquittance of theApple iPhone 16 , Apple ’s 2024 iPhone batting order is back in wholeness for the first clock time since at least 2021 . Unlike the Dynamic Island and Action button in previous years , Apple has n’t unnaturally limited feature like the newCamera Controlto theiPhone 16 Pro models . The balance between the received and pro lineups has been restored , with the high - end models differentiated only by truly Pro - even feature and not mere aim and user interface aspects . fuse in some unique new invention change , and the iPhone 16 feels like an iPhone that can stand on its own rather than being a third wheel .

With so many fun improvements in this year ’s model , you may question where that leaves theiPhone 15 . Last year ’s poser lacked anAction buttonand has a processor that ’s now two generations behind , so is it still a good choice in today ’s iPhone landscape painting ? Perhaps more importantly , is the iPhone 16 deserving the rise if you ’re holding an iPhone 15 in your hand right now ? Let ’s dive in and observe out .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: specs

Front : 12MP

Front :   12MP

Front : Up to 4 K at 60 Federal Protective Service

27W fast charging

25W MagSafe charge up

15W dissolute wireless charge

4.5W countermand wireless charging

15W MagSafe bear down

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: design

It should n’t come as a large surprise that the iPhone 16 retains most of the same blueprint elements of the past few generation as Apple has seemingly settled on the flat - edged style that begin with the 2020iPhone 12 . Nevertheless , the iPhone 16 changes things up in at least one interesting agency .

Specifically , while the dimensions of the iPhone 16 are monovular to those of the iPhone 15 down to the millimetre , and the system of weights is basically the same , the photographic camera layout is a whole new ball game — although perhaps it ’s more accurate to say it ’s a payoff to an older one . The camera moved back to a tandem bicycle vertical system from theiPhone 12era , but the camera protuberance is an even bigger throwback that ’s more reminiscent of what we saw on theiPhone XS . A pill - shaped cutout inclose the two cameras , while the light-emitting diode flash ride off to one side .

It ’s a classier and more elegant look compared to the liberal straight camera bump that always seemed to take up more infinite than needed to halt the double - camera array on Apple ’s non - Pro models . It also give those received role model a looking that fructify them apart as unique gadget in their own right rather than being 2nd - course of instruction citizens to their iPhone Pro counterparts .

The other welcome variety to this class ’s iPhone 16 is a selection of more saturated and vibrant colour . Apple usher in a fresh colour - steep glass to last twelvemonth ’s iPhone 15 models , but only in mostly weak pastel shade . Several reports earlier this year suggested Apple has improved the process , and the termination seem to be deep and richer colors . While it ’s a matter of taste , if you require a blue angel that actually look spicy alternatively of borderline bloodless , the ultramarine iPhone 16 does n’t disappoint , and the raw bluish green and pinkish options are likewise fun .

The side of the iPhone 16 also show two fundamental differences compared to previous models , with last twelvemonth ’s iPhone 15 Pro Action push replace the august band / silent switch on all this year ’s model . There ’s also Apple ’s new Camera Control on the crushed proper side . We ’ll spill more about those later .

The enduringness of the iPhone 16 also improves more or less over the iPhone 15 thanks to the new Ceramic Shield crank on the front . However , the iP68 rating remain the same , mean the phone is rated for immersion in 6 meter of piss for up to 30 minutes .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: display

If you were hope for monolithic display improvements in this year ’s iPhone 16 , we have uncollectible news . It has what is fundamentally the same Super Retina XDR display as last year ’s iPhone 15 , which has n’t been meaningfully meliorate since the iPhone 12 shift to OLED in the first home .

That ’s not to say it is n’t a neat concealment , but some folks will be understandably disappoint by Apple ’s choice tostick with a 60Hz refresh rateon its stock models . Nevertheless , it still offers frizzly text with a 460 pixel - per - inch ( psi ) density and HDR support with vibrant people of color .

The iPhone 16 hold the 2,000 - nit peak outdoor brightness introduce on last year ’s iPhone 15 . The most significant change is its ability to drop cleverness as humbled as a single nit so it wo n’t overpower your eyes in a dark room . Other than that , it ’s the same video display .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: performance and battery

If there ’s one groundbreaking ceremony improvement in this yr ’s iPhone 16 , it comes from Apple ’s decision to shake off its recent trend of using year - old french-fried potatoes in its stock iPhone model .

Before the iPhone 14 , every year ’s iPhone mannikin mostly shared the same A - serial chips ; the iPhone 13 edition of the A15 had one less GPU core than its iPhone 13 Pro opposite number , but even that was an deviance . However , when the iPhone 14 came along , Apple split up the deck , using the prior yr ’s iPhone 13 Pro chip in that standard model and appropriate its young A16 Bionic for the iPhone 14 Pro . That repeated last year with the iPhone 15 get the A16 , while the iPhone 15 Pro go on to the much higher - performance A17 Pro .

gratefully , that ends with this twelvemonth ’s A18 chips , and it also means that the iPhone 16 has a monumental leap in public presentation over its forerunner since it ’s bound off two generation ahead . Apple is still using slightly different chips for its standard and pro models — an A18 and an A18 Pro — but they ’re the same class of silicon , with the chief difference being an excess GPU center in the A18 Pro , like to the A15 french fries of the iPhone 13 era .

Malus pumila tout the new chip as quick for its Apple Intelligence AI features — the 16 - core Neural Engine is double as dissipated at care car learnedness models — but the A18 also throng in enough great power to lend AAA console gaming to the standard iPhone . The computer hardware - accelerated shaft tracing from last class ’s A17 Pro is here , offering noticeably debauched material body rates , and Apple take the five - essence GPU is 40 % faster than that of the iPhone 15 and doubly as fast as the iPhone 12 ’s .

Will you notice that performance if you ’re not gaming or using AI ? Probably not , but the A18 buffalo chip take one other vantage to the table : efficiency . Combined with a bad battery and improved king management in iOS 18 , Apple promises the iPhone 16 can deliver two hr more video playback time on a single care . That ’s been borne out in our examination , where the iPhone 16 got us through an entire sidereal day without needing a noonday top - up .

Apple has also improved wireless charging speeds to support 25 - James Watt charging , although this come with the common asterisk . You ’ll want to grease one’s palms Apple ’s New 25W MagSafe charger to hold these profligate speeds , which promise to top up your iPhone just as promptly as a wired charger . Considering that every Android handset maker has been doing the same for year , it ’s hard to see the need to invest in a proprietary charger as a deal - breaker . received Qi2 charger can only give up 15W right now , as that ’s the maximum supported by the raw standard . sure-enough Qi battery charger stay limited to the same 7.5W speeds on the iPhone 16 as on every other iPhone manakin .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: cameras

Apple has a new name for its primary television camera in this class ’s iPhone card — the 48 - megapixel Fusion — but that may be the most significant change to the primary camera ironware over last class ’s iPhone 15 . While Apple probably has an meliorate sensor under the hood , the raw specs remain the same : a 48MP sensing element with an f/1.6 aperture that can capture 24MP and 48MP photos using computational picture taking .

The “ Fusion ” branding is Apple ’s way of highlighting how the principal tv camera can do double - responsibility as both a 1x and 2x lens thanks to the pixel - cropping technique it debut with the iPhone 14 Pro two years ago . However , it does get an anti - reflective coating that should serve slenderize lens system flare .

Meanwhile , the ultrawide camera retain its 12MP sensor , but increases the aperture to f/2.2 , letting in 2.6x more Light Within and gaining autofocus capableness .

Do n’t let those specs discourage you , as Apple has added some Pro - level features to the iPhone 16 . These admit the macro photo capabilities introduce on the iPhone 13 Pro , include macro video recording transcription with slo - mo and sentence - reversion , plus 4 K Dolby Vision video recording and Spatial videos and photos . The iPhone 16 also gains a wind interference reduction characteristic when tape video and a Modern Audio Mix to help balance out foreground and background knowledge noise .

The other pregnant computational picture taking betterment in this year ’s iPhone 16 is a whole new contemporaries of Photographic Styles that go deeper into the epitome grapevine and can better factor in things like skin tincture , colour , highlights , and shadows in real time when take a leak adjustment . There are now 15 styles to choose from instead of four , and they can be applied during capture . However , what ’s especially great is that , unlike the premature Photographic Styles that were bake into the images , these are non - destructive and can also be changed after the fact while editing in the Photos app . We think they ’re a really fun raw twist that gain a much bigger difference than the core television camera improvements .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: software and updates

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 can both run iOS 18 ; the iPhone 16 ship with it out of the box , while the iPhone 15 can get it as a gratis update .

For the most part , iOS 18 will go identically on both equipment , putting them on par in terms of software feature article . The only meaning remainder are raw buttons like the Action clitoris and Camera Control .

However , the two iPhones will diverge more when iOS 18.1 ships by and by this month on October 28 with Apple Intelligence funding . The iPhone 16 can do by that , while the iPhone 15 ca n’t . That ’s technically still a computer hardware remainder , although it may not feel like one to the nonchalant drug user . That spread will increase even more as subsequent iOS 18 distributor point releases add up more Apple Intelligence feature . Other subtle changes will highlight the bearing of Apple Intelligence , such as a different interface that comes up when activating Siri .

This wo n’t be a big tidy sum if AI sport are n’t your cup of tea . It ’s also worth noting that it wo n’t matter to family line outside the U.S. and other English - speaking countries until sometime next year , as Apple Intelligence is only launch in a few localized English lyric over the next few calendar month .

For software updates , it ’s average to say that the older iPhone 15 will see the destruction of its update life slightly ahead of the iPhone 16 , but that ’s potential year away for either modeling . Considering that iOS 18 still supports the 2018 iPhone XS and iPhone XR , it ’s a safe wager both models will make it to at least iOS 23 .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: special features

As funny as it sounds , the marquee feature of this class ’s iPhone 16 lineup is a button . All four iPhone 16 models sport a young Camera Control on the lower - right side , below the side button , and while we found it took some time to get used to it , it ’s a lot of fun once you do .

As the name suggests , this clit opens the camera app and rent pictures , but there ’s more to it than just those basic occasion . It also features a capacitive touch Earth’s surface that can be used to adapt other options , like a contact - sensitive curlicue wheel . In the built - in tv camera app , these are exposure , depth , zoom , television camera playing area - of - vista , Photographic Styles , and tone . However , third - party apps can also expend the Camera Control , with developer define their own single-valued function .

The Camera Control is also line up to trigger Visual Intelligence , a new feature that wo n’t be uncommitted for the iPhone 16 until afterward this month with the debut of iOS 18.1 . While a single press of the Camera Control will open your camera app of option , holding the button down will spark off a Modern AI feature that will let you apply your iPhone 16 photographic camera to look up more information on material - earth objects , whether that ’s reexamination for a eating house or the breed of a dog walk by .

The iPhone 16 also gains the Action clit that replace the ring / silent switch on last twelvemonth ’s iPhone 15 Pro . That ’s a welfare over the iPhone 15 , just like it was on last year ’s Pro manikin . It works just the same , rent you habituate it to trigger dissimilar built - in functions or even launch cutoff .

When Apple Intelligence get on October 28 , the iPhone 16 will be able to proofread and rewrite textbook and sum up notification , messages , and audio recordings ( including those made from earpiece calls , which is a new feature coming to all iPhone models in iOS 18.1 ) . Other Apple Intelligence feature film will appear over subsequent Io 18 point releases , including AI image multiplication , ChatGPT integration , and a more reasoning and individualized Siri .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: price and availability

The iPhone 16 can be purchase directly from Apple and most other major retailers and carriers — and the good news is that Apple still has n’t increase the price . It starts at the same $ 799 for 128 GB of memory as the iPhone 15 did when it launch last year , and you’re able to take it up to 256 GB or 512 GB storage for $ 899 and $ 1,099 , respectively .

As common , Apple is still selling last twelvemonth ’s iPhone 15 at a low Leontyne Price , with the base 128 GB model selling for $ 699 . Larger storage capacity are still available at the same relative terms points — $ 799 for 256 GB or $ 999 for 512 GB —   which could make it a tough call whether to choose for more storage or the newer iPhone 16 .

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Should you upgrade?

If you ’re shopping for a fresh iPhone this year or promote from a much older model , there ’s petty doubt the iPhone 16 is the one to buy . Apple has perhaps done the iPhone 16 a disservice by focusing too much on the new Apple Intelligence features , as there ’s a lot to recommend here even if you do n’t care about AI stuff .

The new design and saturated colors are the best we ’ve seen in eld . The Camera Control clitoris is useful and a luck of fun , as is the Action button , which was a Pro - exclusive feature last year . There are some meaningful photographic camera melioration , in particular with the new Photographic Styles . The A18 chip is a jumbo spring forward in public presentation for a standard iPhone and mean you ’ll be quick to care any game the App Store can give at it .

Perhaps most significantly , this is the first meter in at least three years that we ’ve had a non - Pro iPhone that has n’t felt like an afterthought . Not only does it pack in the same family of central processor and feature the same strong-arm controls , but the new design makes the received modelling sense like it finally stands on its own as a executable and powerful choice to the iPhone 16 Pro .