Apple iPhone 16 review: Perfecting the basics with a promise of more intelligence
After using the iPhone 16 for a few days, I felt the same way I did while watching the fourth season of Emily in Paris — familiar yet offering twists and turns that make the new edition much more adventurous. Maybe the changes aren’t as dramatic as before, but the allure of the new iPhone continues with more natural-looking photos, a button for taking pictures, and better battery life. The iPhone 16 won’t change the smartphone market, nor does Apple believe it will—it’s a guilty pleasure, much like every new season of Emily in Paris.
Apple iPhone 16 price in India (as reviewed): Rs 79,900 onwards
Improved design, with useful new buttons
Apple iPhone 16 review
Camera Control is the new button on the iPhone 16 series, and I’m getting used to it. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)
When I first unboxed the iPhone 16 in a white finish, I immediately opened my closet to find all the early Apple products designed during the Jony Ive era—the iPod, iBook G3, iBook G4, and more. Even though Ive is no longer with Apple, I can still see his influence in the company’s newest products. There’s so much warmth when you hold the iPhone 16, and it evokes nostalgia—at least for me. The finish and quality are premium, and the thought that the iPhone 16 is an entry-level smartphone didn’t cross my mind. This is what I love about Apple, and that one thing hasn’t changed a bit.
The iPhone 16 is still a one-handed device and slides comfortably into my Levis. The flat-edged shape returns, as do the aluminum rails. Even the front-facing camera cutout morphs into a genuinely useful Dynamic Island, which remains the same as on the iPhone 15 (review). Externally, the iPhone 16 may not look any different from its predecessor, aside from the camera island, which is now a pill-shaped, two-lens oval reminiscent of the iPhone X. The new lens alignment allows the iPhone 16 to shoot stereoscopic spatial videos that enhance viewing with the Apple Vision Pro VR headset. Truth be told, the design continues to be impressive, but there’s nothing particularly special about the iPhone 16 from that perspective, so you could comfortably stick with your iPhone 14 or 15 without upgrading for at least another 2–3 years.
However, the iPhone 16 is getting a couple of new hardware buttons that may or may not change how you use the phone, depending on what type of user you are. But I beg to differ. I actually like the Action Button, which has been passed down from the Pro models and replaces the ring/silent switch. The Action Button serves as a shortcut to useful functions and features, like enabling ChatGPT or activating a Focus mode that limits distractions. You can assign it to a shortcut, including both complex user-built shortcuts and simpler Apple Shortcuts provided by the developers of the apps you use. I feel the Action Button will be relevant to far more users than the ring/silent switch ever was. It’s fun to use and makes it very easy to change your settings. Another new addition is the Camera Control button, which lets you quickly access camera functions and features (more on that later). It’s a brand-new hardware button that’s also coming to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
The iPhone 16 now has a USB-C port instead of Lightning, just like the iPhone 15. It’s a good change, and if you are upgrading from older iPhones, it’s more than just swapping cables—Apple includes a very nice braided USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.
Camera Control button is an interesting addition to the iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 reviewCamera control offers DSLR-like camera control to the latest iPhone. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)
Apple likes to keep the design simple and avoid unnecessary buttons. But for a change, Apple is adding a second physical button to a device for the first time in many years. I think it’s a clever implementation. However, I have mixed feelings about the Camera Control button, which allows you to launch the camera, take photos, and adjust some settings. On the right side of the iPhone 16 is the Camera Control button—a real button that, when fully pressed, launches the camera app. It works like a traditional camera. However, the difference between this and a typical camera shutter button is that the one on the iPhone 16 is also touch- and pressure-sensitive, allowing you to “push halfway” to bring up another set of options, such as zooming in or switching between photographic styles. If you keep your finger on the button and half-push twice in quick succession, you’ll move up one level in the hierarchy and can swipe to access different commands. Then, half-push once to enter whatever controls you want, and you’re back to swiping.
The button itself feels good, and it only took a few minutes to learn how to navigate the Camera Control. However, I won’t be using it every day as Apple might hope, because sometimes the button feels too stiff to operate. There are times when I find myself going back to the on-screen shutter just for convenience. I believe the dual functions of the button need to be implemented better.
Bright display, but no 120Hz refresh rate yet
Apple iPhone 16 reviewThe display is bright but only refreshes 60 times per second. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)
I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, but seeing a 120Hz screen on a super affordable Android smartphone and not on a premium device like the iPhone 16 is worth mentioning. While it’s true that 120Hz is just a visual upgrade and doesn’t improve functionality, I would argue that a high-refresh-rate screen has a meaningful impact on the user experience, whether you are scrolling through your Instagram feed or playing a game. Apple ships the iPhone 16 with a 60Hz screen, which looks dated. Sure, the 6.1-inch display is bright and colorful, and if you have used the Pro models, you will notice that the iPhone 16’s feeds and web pages don’t feel nearly as buttery smooth by comparison.
Keeps getting faster
Apple iPhone 16 reviewThe iPhone 16 runs iOS 18 out-of-the-box. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)
The iPhone 16 is a fast phone, and I bet it will feel faster than most premium Android smartphones on the market. However, the A18 chip that Apple used in the base iPhone 16 models (the Pro models use the A18 Pro) continues to improve incrementally. So yes, the A18 is faster, combined with extra RAM, than the A16-powered iPhone 15. However, I feel the improvements in chip processing power are modest, to say the least, and even older iPhones have enough horsepower for most general use cases. That said, the A18 may have an edge over older processors when running Apple Intelligence features, which I will highlight in detail later. Considering all this, the iPhone 16 offers a significant performance boost compared to the iPhone 15 or iPhone 14. Notably, the iPhone 16 does feel a little faster in daily use and when running the same apps compared to the iPhone 15. Does that warrant an upgrade to the iPhone 16? Probably not, but Apple Intelligence may change your mind, especially since these AI features will only support the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series and won’t be available on the iPhone 15.
Apple Intelligence is not a killer feature yet, but it might be in the future
Apple iPhone 16 reviewThe iPhone 16 model will be capable of running Apple Intelligence. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)
It’s ironic that Apple Intelligence is not yet available on the iPhone 16, yet Apple is heavily branding its AI features as a killer reason to upgrade to the latest iPhones. Maybe it’s a marketing ploy for some, but in reality, the set of AI features coming to the iPhone and other Apple devices may play a significant role in deciding whether to upgrade to the iPhone 16 or stick with your older iPhone.
I’m not an analyst or a trade pundit to forecast anything, but as a reviewer, all I can say is that compatible hardware is needed to run Apple Intelligence, which I feel is promising but still has a lot of room for improvement. I have been using Apple Intelligence as part of the developer beta for a couple of months, and Apple plans to roll out the first wave of AI features later this year for certain markets, with India possibly getting them sometime in the first half of next year. Based on my experience, what Apple is trying to do with Apple Intelligence isn’t too different from what Google has built into the Pixel 9 series. There’s a lot of common ground between Apple Intelligence and the features Google is incorporating into its Pixel smartphones, such as writing tools that use generative AI to proofread and improve text, summarising emails and notifications, and an image cleanup feature for removing unwanted objects from photos.
However, the difference between Apple Intelligence and other generative AI features lies in the ecosystem advantage that Apple offers and the promise of privacy that others can’t easily match. As I mentioned earlier, Apple Intelligence is still work in progress, and so is the iPhone 16. The reason for this is that Apple Intelligence serves as the foundation for an AI-powered smartphone like the iPhone 16, and if it isn’t available at launch, it puts Apple in an awkward position. Apple AI is not on the phone right now, which is running iOS 18. That being said, even without Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 does come with solid software features as part of iOS 18, including new ways to customise your home screen, reorganise your photos, send cash with a tap, and store your passwords in Apple’s sleek new password manager, among others.
[indianexpress]
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