I’ve been testing the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus for the past week, and they’ve quickly unseated last year’s iPhone 15 series as the handsets I recommend to most people. Considering it’s the iPhone 16 that we’re talking about, perhaps I shouldn’t be as surprised by the polish and familiarity.
The new features, including the Action button, Camera Control, and Apple Intelligence, make the standard iPhones feel more capable than ever. The Action button replaces the physical mute-switch toggle and can be mapped to a unique function, offering customization freedom. The Camera Control allows for adjusting camera settings at a finite level, providing a new photography experience for many users.
The iPhone 16 Plus weighs slightly less than the iPhone 15 Plus, making it more comfortable to hold. The new 12MP ultrawide camera, combined with the 48MP Fusion camera, ensures versatile and detailed photography in various lighting conditions. The Photographic Styles feature allows for modifying color profiles before and after taking a shot, catering to different preferences.
While the iPhone 16 continues to have a 60Hz refresh rate and 20W wired charging, the wireless charging speed has been bumped up to 25W via MagSafe. The battery life has been sufficient, lasting about a day and a half per charge. However, the slower charging speeds may not impress users coming from flagship phones with faster charging capabilities.
The Apple Intelligence suite, including a revamped Siri and call recording, will be fully available in October. The new Siri understands natural language better, providing a more seamless user experience. However, some AI features like notification summaries may need further refinement through software updates.
In conclusion, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus offer a compelling package with their performance, camera capabilities, and battery life. The decision between the two models comes down to individual preferences, such as one-handed usability versus longer battery life. While the AI capabilities are still evolving, the current features of the iPhone 16 make it a solid choice for users looking for a reliable and versatile smartphone.
