The new wafture of iPhones are here , and they ’ve arrived in a big way . Apple ’s September issue showcased four new iPhones : theiPhone 16,iPhone 16 Plus , iPhone 16 Pro , andiPhone 16 Pro Max . probability are you know what to expect from each of those names , and the canonical rule is that “ more intelligence in a name ” mean “ bigger or more sinewy , ” but it ’s worth hold open in mind that even the basic iPhone 16 is a mobile fireball that ’s desirable of going toe - to - toe with themost powerful Android flagships .
But who cares about Android ? One of the biggest questions on every Apple aficionado ’s lips is always , “ How is the new iPhone better than the old one ? ” After all , it stands to reason the newer iPhone is better — but exactlyhowmuch better is it ? If you ’re currently read this on last year’siPhone 15 Plus , should you be rushing to the storage to grease one’s palms your iPhone 16 Plus ? Here ’s how the Apple iPhone 16 Plus compares to the iPhone 15 Plus , and whether it ’s worth the upgrade .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: specs
MagSafe wireless charging ( 25W )
Qi radio charging ( 15W )
overturn wireless excite ( 4.5W )
4,674mAh
MagSafe wireless charging ( 15W )
Qi wireless charging ( 7.5W )
4,407mAh
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: design and display
The iPhone 15 Plus was always going to be an awkward middle fry in term of pricing , but it was anything but awkward in condition of the design . Like the rest of the iPhone 15 range , the Plus benefited strongly from a invention refresh . In fact , the large frame of the 15 Plus was even more impacted than the small phones by the comfortably curved side and improve weight balance . As a termination , it ’s a very comfortable speech sound to hold , and it looks gorgeous .
Has Apple topped it with the iPhone 16 Plus ? Apple kept a like design for the iPhone 16 Plus , so the positive points of last yr ’s example have stuck around . But there are some substantial changes as well . The camera mental faculty layout has changed . Rather than the aslant layout we ’ve derive to lovemaking , Apple has go back to a twofold - stack for the two rearward photographic camera . Additionally , the tv camera faculty was n’t influence into a squircle as it was with the iPhone 12 , which means the iPhone 16 Plus resemble nothing less than theiPhone Xwhen watch from the rear . It ’s an odd throwback , but it ’s sport .
But most exciting is the plus of a new button : Camera Control . This joins theAction buttonand can be used to launch the camera , swipe to soar , and even mark between hard and soft presses , all to streamline your photographic camera experience . It can also be used to kvetch - start Apple ’s Visual Intelligence AI . It could be one of those characteristic you terminate up forgetting about , but it ’s await more like a ocean alteration in smartphone pattern .
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus do n’t have vainglorious displays like the Pro model , but they have gotten a reduction in bezel size , thanks to fresh technical school . As a result , the phone does n’t have that much of a larger video display , but feel as though it encompasses more of the equipment ’s front because , well , it does . Unfortunately , Apple kept the60Hz refresh rateon the chintzy model despite the bulk of Android devices from the midrange and up moving on to much higher refresh rates .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: performance, battery life, and charging
It should fall as no surprise that Apple ’s newest machine have more powerful processors than the class before , but there ’s a caution to search here . It ’s become an inauspicious tradition that the cheap of Apple ’s new machine get last twelvemonth ’s processors — so while theiPhone 15 Prohad raw A17 Pro chips , theiPhone 15and 15 Plus made do with the premature year ’s A16 buffalo chip . This year , thing are different . The Pro model have acquire the A18 Pro chip , but at least the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get an A18 microchip . In all likeliness , it ’s still an A17 micro chip with a new name , but at least it doesn’tfeellike much of a downgrade now .
Does it make a difference of opinion in real - life use ? We found there ’s a detectable jump in carrying into action . Recent iPhones have all felt slickness and superfast , and with how powerful phone hardware is now , it ’ll be twelvemonth until it stop feel that fashion . This iPhone 16 Plus is no exception . bombardment living is also impressively potent , with a 4,674mAh battery compared to the iPhone 15 Plus ’s 4,407mAh size . Early rumors peg the new headphone to have a smaller battery than its herald , but that is n’t the shell .
The shoot down speed seems to have increase a chip , however . While hearsay earlier say Apple had built a significantly faster 45 - watt commove rate into all of its new phones , that is n’t the case , as the iPhone 16 Plus seems to be mostly restrict to a 26W charging rate . That outstrips the 20W speed we saw in last yr ’s Plus manakin , but it ’s not by much . Still , new owners get a big upgrade in MagSafe charging f number , jump up to 25W.
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: cameras
While it initially seems Apple has n’t done much to change the camera , that ’s not in reality the case . Despite front the same on newspaper publisher , there have been some full-grown change that serve to bring in the canonic iPhones nigher to the Pro leagues than they ever have been before . The 48 - megapixel main lens now has the Fusion branding , signify it can function as a 48MP lens , a 2x zoom at 24MP , or a 12MP lens with pixel - binning for increase light intake . It can also take spatial photos and videos for the Apple Vision Pro , a feat only antecedently uncommitted to the Pro models . However , you have to marvel how many people are pay for a Vision Proand then skimping on their iPhone .
Outside of those improvement , you ’re going to find the camera experience between these two phones very similar — and that ’s no unsound matter . The iPhone 15 Plus was another ofour favourite camera phonesfrom last year , and there ’s deservingness in Apple sticking with what operate .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: software and updates
There are no surprises here : Both iPhones runiOS 18 , and you ’re choke to find the experience interchangeable on both . Yes , the iPhone 16 Plus establish with iOS 18 , and that commit it slightly ahead of the iPhone 15 Plus , which will have to use one of its upgrade to get to iOS 18 . That ’s less of a big deal than on other phones , though , as Apple is quite generous with software updates . While it does n’t put a limit on the act a equipment can get , it ’s fair to say your earpiece will have reached a advanced old eld ( for a phone ) before it no longer gets Modern iOS versions . Apple even update the iPhone XS , a five - year - quondam phone , to iOS 18 , so you’re able to expect to get at least that grade of support .
There is one particular feature you ’ll regain only on the New phone , though , and it ’s a biggie : AI , specificallyApple Intelligence .
Apple ’s foray into AI will introduce a number of unexampled lineament to the iPhone . Siri will be supercharged , and capable of much more natural conversation . Writing Tools will help you to rewrite your sentence to gibe specific tones , or just advise replies free-base on context . It can create Memory Movies , as well as create transcript in your Phone or Notes app . Heck , there ’s evenChatGPTintegration . It ’s a big handshake - up in the way iOS functions , but there ’s only one tear — it ’s , er , not available yet .
Apple Intelligence wo n’t be hitting iPhonesuntil iOS 18.1 is availablein late October and even then , it ’ll miss the ChatGPT functionality . Plus , it will only be available on avery sole tilt of iPhones . The total unexampled iPhone 16 ambit is included , but outside of that , you ’re only looking at the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max being compatible . That intend the iPhone 15 Plus is frozen out .
Of naturally , whether you care or not will come down to your personal feelings about AI , and the usefulness of those features on the whole . We ’ll have to wait and see how it act out in our recapitulation when Apple Intelligence is finally useable .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: special features
Malus pumila ’s telephone have never exactly been replete with special features . It ’s not really Apple ’s way to shove out a gang of features and see what pin , like , say , Samsung is wo nt to do . But it would be a Trygve Lie to say there is n’t anything . Both of these phones have access code to Apple ’s common extra features , including Face ID , Animojis , and other fun tricks you ’ve come to expect . The iPhone 15 Plus also has the mute substitution on the side of the earphone , a lionize feature that appropriate you to muffle and unmute your sound with the flick of a switch . It ’s one of Apple ’s most useful features , and it ’s a disgrace the iPhone 15 Plus will be one of the last iPhones to support it .
While the iPhone 16 Plus does n’t have a mute permutation , it does have something potentially even better . It has the Action clit , previously only available on last class ’s Pro models . This buttoncanfunction like a tongueless switch , or you may utilize it to toggle Focus modal value , turn on the torch , start the Camera app , or any one of a number of other option . It ’s very customizable , though it ’s easy to see why citizenry may overleap the mute switch still available on the iPhone 15 Plus .
There ’s another new button on the iPhone 16 Plus , though , and it ’s a bit more exciting . call Camera Control , this slightly recessed button opens the camera when you press it , no matter what else you ’re doing on your earpiece . When the app is open , conjure it again to take a snapshot , or adjure and hold to get down taking a video . Sounds unproblematic ? There ’s even more to it . Because it has a capacitive sensor , you’re able to softly press it to open up an option card for your camera , and slew to align . It may take a trivial bit of recitation to adjust to it , but when you ’ve got it down , it feel amazing .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: price and availability
The iPhone 16 Plus is currently useable , with price originate from $ 899 . As it ’s an Apple flagship , right now you could usually find it in pretty much every storehouse that transmit smartphones of any kind . The iPhone 15 Plus is in fundamentally the same situation , and is still available from Apple even after the release of the newest model . Happily , it ’s had a small drop in monetary value as a result , and can be bought for $ 799 , a $ 100 discount from its original request price .
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: Is it time for you to upgrade?
So , what ’s the verdict ? Is the new iPhone a better headphone than the last one ? Well , yes . The iPhone 16 Plus is better - see , more powerful , and has more features than the iPhone 15 Plus . go past premature phones is the introductory layer of what we anticipate from a replacement , so this does n’t get as a surprise .
But that ’s not really the question we plant out to respond anyway — is the iPhone 16 Plus a gravid enough ocean change in Apple ironware to make it a must - promote for iPhone 15 Plus owners ? No , not really . Unless you ’re absolutely desperate to experience Apple Intelligence , then there ’s short to really charm you . Yes , the iPhone 16 Plus is intelligibly the more powerful and capable of the two , but it ’s not worth expend extra money to get what are , most definitely , minor incremental updates . Even those unexampled features you ca n’t get on the older phone , like Camera Control and Apple Intelligence , are worth wait for .
If you ’re deciding between the two phone , and are n’t tempted by the lower price of the iPhone 15 Plus , it ’s definitely deserving spending the $ 100 extra . But if you ’re thinking about an upgrade ? hold off it out . hold off and see what the next few iterations of the iPhone bring to the board .
