Apple on Monday unveiled its new iPhone 16 lineup, introducing the world to its latest creations. But what’s new about the iPhone 16 compared to the iPhone 15 (other than the iPhone X-esque camera bump on the back)? And, which one should you buy? When it comes to specs, features, and price, here’s a quick rundown of what’s different — and what isn’t:
iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15
- Colours:
- iPhone 16: Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, Black.
- iPhone 15: Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black.
- Price:
- iPhone 16: Starting at $1,129.
- iPhone 15: Starting at $999.
- Display:
- Both have a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with a 2556-by-1179-pixel resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate.
- Both models boast a max brightness of 1000 nits (typical) with a peak brightness of 1600 nits (HDR) or 2000 nits (outdoor).
- Unlike the iPhone 15, the iPhone 16’s brightness can scale all the way down to 1 nit.
- Design & Build Quality:
- Both phones have an aluminum chassis with a colour-infused glass back.
- The iPhone 16 features a new touch-sensitive, capacitive Camera Control button on the right side that can launch the Camera app, capture photos and videos, zoom in or out, adjust the strength of the bokeh effect in Portrait mode, and more.
- Both phones are water-resistant to a depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes, with an IP68 rating.
- Size & Weight:
- iPhone 16: 147.6 mm height, 71.6 mm width, and 7.80 mm depth at a weight of 170 grams.
- iPhone 15: 147.6 mm height, 71.6 mm width, and 7.80 mm depth at a weight of 171 grams.
- Processor:
- iPhone 16: A18 chip.
- iPhone 15: A16 Bionic chip.
- Both have a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
- Main Camera:
- iPhone 16: Advanced dual-camera system with 48MP Fusion (with anti-reflective coating) and 12MP Ultra Wide lenses.
- iPhone 15: Advanced dual-camera system with 48MP Main and 12MP Ultra Wide sensors.
- Both phones offer super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) and next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, with support for 0.5x, 1x, and 2x Optical zoom options and sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
- The iPhone 16 supports macro photography and spatial photos/videos.
- Front Camera:
- Both have a 12MP TrueDepth front camera with an ƒ/1.9 aperture.
- The iPhone 16 adds support for Dolby Vision video recording on the front camera.
- Safety Features:
- Both have Emergency SOS, Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via Satellite, and Crash Detection features.
- Connectivity:
- Both phones share a USB-C port with support for USB 2.
- Both support 5G cellular and have other similar cellular and wireless technologies.
- Other Features:
- The iPhone 16 will support Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of upcoming AI features that the company says “helps you write, express yourself and get things done effortlessly.” iPhone 15 users won’t have access to Apple Intelligence features when they come out.
- Both devices are compatible with MagSafe accessories.
- Battery:
- iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh, rated for up to 22 hours of video playback by Apple.
- iPhone 15: 3,367 mAh, rated for up to 20 hours of video playback by Apple.
- The iPhone 16 can also fast-charge wirelessly (up to 50% in 30 minutes) with a 30W adapter or higher paired with a MagSafe Charger.
Going from the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16 is more of a hop than a leap. Barring the new Camera Control button and Apple Intelligence (whenever Apple gets around to actually making it available), there aren’t many revolutionary changes.
If you’re an Apple loyalist who simply has to have the tech giant’s latest and greatest, someone who’s in love with the swanky new colours on the base iPhone 16 (hello, Ultramarine), or an older iPhone user looking for an upgrade, the iPhone 16 is certainly a good option. That said, if you don’t need the newest tech, the iPhone 15 with its nice little price drop isn’t looking too shabby.
You can pre-order the iPhone 16 starting this Friday, September 13. This year, Apple’s even letting customers configure their orders before pre-orders officially kick off on Friday. The iPhone 16 is set to launch at Apple Stores across the globe next week on September 20.
