New iPhones, AI upgrades, and other gear are available at Apple's largest event of the year.

Now that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are official releases, I'm unsure whether to acquire because I'm overdue for an update. With some of the greatest iPhone upgrades in years, including a brand-new button for managing your camera, coming to both at once, Apple's 2024 smartphone portfolio continues to blur the borders between the entry-level iPhone and its Pro equivalent.

Before we surely see delayed shipment dates on popular colors and sizes, you have time to decide if this year is the year for an update. Apple's newest iPhones go up for presale on September 13 and go on sale on September 20. Here's all the information you want regarding Apple's most recent attempts to win the title of greatest smartphone, along with some preliminary user feedback.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, in terms of design, are the obvious winners of this year's iPhone lineup. The phones' new vertically oriented camera lens configuration makes the rear of the phone seem even sleeker and more symmetrical, while the matte metal surface still feels fantastic to the touch compared to last year. The color selections for the iPhone 16 are some of my favorite that Apple has ever provided; I can't decide between the striking teal that goes well with my favorite New York Liberty outfits, the vibrant pink, or the gorgeous purplish-blue called "ultramarine." Yes, if you insist, it is still available in black and white.

Although colors are great, the two new buttons that are located on the sides of the basic iPhone 16 are what really make it interesting. First off, the Action button on the iPhone 16 is a carryover from the Pro versions. It takes the place of the ring/silent switch that was located above the left volume buttons. This completely programmable key can initiate a voice memo, turn on your lights, and start an almost infinite number of additional tasks that, with enough ingenuity, you can set up in the Shortcuts app. Previously available only on the iPhone 15 Pro, the Action button carried forward the tradition of bringing some of the top Pro features from the previous year to the entry-level iPhone.

However, you won't have to wait a year for Camera Control, a whole new photography feature that will be available on the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro at the same time. The Camera Control key is a long, pressure-sensitive button located at the bottom-right (or top-right in landscape mode) of the phone. It allows you to access your camera app with a single tap, capture a picture with a single tap, and record a video by holding down the button. Its goal is to make taking pictures with your iPhone as quick as with a reliable point-and-shoot, and it appears to be successful for the most part.

It was as simple as promised to take rapid pictures and films using Camera Control, although it took some getting used to using its more precise features. A little camera menu can be accessed with two fast light touches, allowing you to slide your finger left and right to change settings like depth of focus, zoom level, and Photographic Styles filters. It's a fantastic feature, however I couldn't get this menu to open correctly since I was pushing too softly or too forcefully. With some effort, I was able to get there in the end, but it's important to note that some people may find Camera Control to be challenging at first.

Speaking of cameras, the iPhone 16 will include a new 12MP ultrawide camera in addition to an updated 48-megapixel fusion camera, which at last will bring the ultra-detailed macro capability to the entry-level iPhone. If you're among the select few who spent $3,500 on an Apple Vision Pro, you can also take spatial images and videos—another function that was previously only available to Pro users.

A speedier A18 processor, which powers Apple Intelligence and enables you to play Triple-A titles like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding without requiring a Pro phone, is among the other standard performance and battery increases included in the iPhone 16 (are you noticing a theme here?). Along with a "huge battery boost," Apple claims that the new processor will allow the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus to play videos for up to 22 and 27 hours, respectively. In contrast, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have runtime ratings of 20 and 26 hours, respectively. We're eager to verify this discrepancy in our own hands.

What is Apple Intelligence all about?

When Apple Intelligence launches in beta next month, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro will be among the first smartphones to support it. This means you'll be able to use the company's interpretation of generative AI capabilities, which are meant to make your life a little bit simpler. Although these types of benefits have been hit or miss on other devices, Apple appears to be approaching AI with greater practicality than some of its rivals, at least based on the Apple Intelligence capabilities we've seen and used.

Apple Intelligence consists of a redesigned Siri that you can converse with more casually when making voice or text inquiries. It also includes versions of common AI tricks like summarizing lengthy documents, rewriting text messages to be more formal or informal, and creating goofy pictures and emoticons that you can send to friends. Although I don't use these capabilities often, I find it intriguing that I can, for example, use the text prompt tool to search a certain photo or video, summarize a lengthy email chain to catch up on the conversation, and snap a picture of a concert flyer to have it immediately put to my calendar.

Although Apple Intelligence will be supported by all iPhone 16 models (as well as the iPhone 15 Pro range), the 16 Pro and Pro Max provide a few unique benefits. This features upgraded Voice Memos, which allows you to layer voice notes on top of each other using the Pro's sophisticated microphones. This is ideal for artists who want to add harmonies or voices on top of a guitar concept. This is the one news from Apple's presentation that actually made me gasp, as someone who does music for a living and has an absurd amount of song ideas stashed away in their Voice Memos.

Post Tag- Iphone-16, Iphone-16pro