Apple iPhone 16 and
iPhone 16 Plus
AI is MIA, but there’s no wait for hand-me-downs this year.
The “regular” iPhone has become like a second child. Year after year, this model has gotten the hand-me-downs from the previous version of the iPhone Pro – the older, smarter sibling. The iPhone 15 received the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island and A16 Bionic processor, and the iPhone 14 before that got the A15 Bionic chip and a larger Plus variant with the same screen size as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. For the iPhone 16 ($799 & up), there are trickle-down items once more. But this time around, that’s not the entire story for the Apple phone that’s the best option for most people.
Surprisingly, Apple gave some of the most attractive features it has for 2024 to both the regular and Pro iPhones at the same time. This means you won’t have to wait a year to get expanded camera tools and another brand new button. Sure, Apple Intelligence is still in the works, but that’s the case for the iPhone 16 Pro too. The important thing there is that the iPhone 16 is just as ready when the AI features arrive.
So, for perhaps the first time – or at least the first time in years – Apple has closed the gap between the iPhone and iPhone Pro in a significant way. ProRAW stills and ProRES video are still exclusive to the priciest iPhones, and a new “studio-quality” four-microphone setup is reserved for them too. Frustratingly, you’ll still have to spend more for a 120Hz display. But, as far as the fun new tools that will matter to most of us, you won’t have to worry about missing out this time.
For once, you don’t have to wait a year to get the best new features from the iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone 16 offers all the ones you will appreciate most, and for $200 less.
Editors’ note: The current score reflects our experience with the hardware and iOS 18 features that will be available to users at launch. We will evaluate Apple Intelligence and other post-launch features over the coming weeks and months, and may adjust our review score if warranted.