iPhone 16 Pro Reviews: 'Iterative' Upgrades… For Now

[byron_hinson]

Apple should have launched the phone / ios18 with an ‘opt in’ beta preview experience of Apple Intelligence allowing users to experience some of it now and showcasing an interactive demo of what else to expect in future. That would have been better than nothing.

When you consider the rest of the world outside America won’t be getting AI features until even later I doubt even that would work

 

[normwood]

I’m coming off a 12 Pro Max. I moved on from the FOMO induced upgrading every cycle years ago. I’m super excited for my 16 Pro Max to arrive on Friday.

 

[kawa636r]

what about heat dissipation and display dimming on high temperature?

 

[stevefeinstein]

As expected the camera control button seems like a gimmick similar to the Touch Bar.

I loved the Touch Bar, and the Camera control is fantastic if you commit to it. If you don't use it you're not worse than you were without it. Unlike the touch bar which stole the escape key.

 

[9081094]

Apple should have launched the phone / ios18 with an ‘opt in’ beta preview experience of Apple Intelligence allowing users to experience some of it now and showcasing an interactive demo of what else to expect in future. That would have been better than nothing.

There wasn’t anything AI related for developers too at WWDC24. For me it’s proof they’ve just started building it.

 

[victorvictoria]

News to me. I’m pretty sure my iPhone gets used as a camera far more often than it gets used as a phone.

As for the 16 Pro, really pathetic update. I can’t believe they didn’t include the option of 24mp photos from the Ultrawide and macro shots. Is Apple just getting lazy?

I'm sorry you don't have people to call or who want to call you, to the extent your phone is now a de facto camera. Chuck it in the river, and go meet some folks!

 

[Sprocket_Proton]

I have a 16PM on order due on Friday, feeling already about returning it and waiting another year.

 

[citysnaps]

Camera this. Camera that. Camera the other.

It's a phone, not a camera. And why buy it now, when all the actual software features and upgrades we hear about are months or years away?

It is indeed a camera. And as a photographer I've been using iPhones exclusively for quite awhile.

And will be picking up my 16PM this Friday at the local Apple Store.

 

[Devyn89]

Not mad about no reasons to spend another $1500.

 

[skywalkerr69]

I'm sorry... what?!

First of all, at the end of the day, I'm not saying you should upgrade, you do you. But I wanna look at the logic here.

These are absolutely WILD takes, IMO. I agree these phones are expensive, and everyone has a different mindset of what is valuable to them, but... like... are you reading the articles and seeing the comparison to the iPhone 15 Pro and thinking it applies to you?

Lets compare the iPhone 13 Pro to 16 Pro shall we? Lets also exclude AI completely for this arguments sake.

- Larger, Brighter, AOD displays
- Dynamic Island
- Titanium (Despite the 16 Pro being larger, it is still 0.16oz lighter)
- 30% faster CPU
- 8GB of RAM vs 6GB.
- Cell Modem Improvements
- Satellite Connectivity
- WiFi 6E/7
- BT 5.3
- Dual Band GPS
- Camera Upgrades
- Mic Array Upgrade
- Action Button
- Camera Button
- USB C with 10Gbps
- Better Battery Life
- Crash Detection
- 2x Faster wireless and wired charging speeds
EDIT: -- improved thermal performance.

Objectively, that's a lot of upgrades over the 13 Pro.

One of you is considering, CANCELLING your PRE-ORDER, in that case why did you pre-order in the first place if a comparison to the 15 pro is enough to dissuade you.

The other, wants to REBUY a 3 YEAR OLD phone.

Genuinely baffling takes IMO. What even is going on here.

Just to respond quickly my old 13 pro max and the 16 pro max have the same PPI. There is no difference and the same 120 hertz.
Camera means nothing to me
CPU means nothing when IOS is so good
Battery life was fine, I had apple care plus and if I needed a new one I would just smash it and get a new one with a new battery
Crash detection? My car does that on its own
Better modem? No service area still means no service
GPS was fine the way it was, not going to the moon
RAM again doesnt matter with IOS being so smooth. Developers dont even use it for their aps. Remember when VR was a thing?
USBC C Doesnt do anything for me, my battery lasted all day and I charged it at night
Camera button? I mean i used the old way it was fine
Satellite connectivity? For what?

Not saying people should not buy it. Just saying I would have waited if I still had my 13 pro max. The 16 isnt much of a major upgrade. I will enjoy the larger size tho.

 

[skywalkerr69]

Apple does in the refurbished store.

I will check this out! Maybe return my 16 pro max

 

[dampfnudel]

Really tough sell for the pro this year.

Yeah, I hope Tim gets the message that it’s time for a visual overhaul on the design with falling sales.

 

[dampfnudel]

I'm sorry... what?!

First of all, at the end of the day, I'm not saying you should upgrade, you do you. But I wanna look at the logic here.

These are absolutely WILD takes, IMO. I agree these phones are expensive, and everyone has a different mindset of what is valuable to them, but... like... are you reading the articles and seeing the comparison to the iPhone 15 Pro and thinking it applies to you?

Lets compare the iPhone 13 Pro to 16 Pro shall we? Lets also exclude AI completely for this arguments sake.

- Larger, Brighter, AOD displays
- Dynamic Island
- Titanium (Despite the 16 Pro being larger, it is still 0.16oz lighter)
- 30% faster CPU
- 8GB of RAM vs 6GB.
- Cell Modem Improvements
- Satellite Connectivity
- WiFi 6E/7
- BT 5.3
- Dual Band GPS
- Camera Upgrades
- Mic Array Upgrade
- Action Button
- Camera Button
- USB C with 10Gbps
- Better Battery Life
- Crash Detection
- 2x Faster wireless and wired charging speeds
EDIT: -- improved thermal performance.

Objectively, that's a lot of upgrades over the 13 Pro.

One of you is considering, CANCELLING your PRE-ORDER, in that case why did you pre-order in the first place if a comparison to the 15 pro is enough to dissuade you.

The other, wants to REBUY a 3 YEAR OLD phone.

Genuinely baffling takes IMO. What even is going on here.

There’s one big upgrade missing, significant design change.

 

[dampfnudel]

But what does iJustine think???

She loves the pink one.💖

 

[NetMage]

Review it as it is and make sure people know it really isn’t worth an upgrade this year.

Well, that really depends on the phone you currently have. If everyone bought a 15 last year, there is only a few reasons to upgrade (new camera button and telephoto camera tempts me from my 15 Pro). But if you have 12 Pro or 13 Pro, lots of reasons to consider upgrading.

 

[Pandyone]

Just to respond quickly my old 13 pro max and the 16 pro max have the same PPI. There is no difference and the same 120 hertz.
Camera means nothing to me
CPU means nothing when IOS is so good
Battery life was fine, I had apple care plus and if I needed a new one I would just smash it and get a new one with a new battery
Crash detection? My car does that on its own
Better modem? No service area still means no service
GPS was fine the way it was, not going to the moon
RAM again doesnt matter with IOS being so smooth. Developers dont even use it for their aps. Remember when VR was a thing?
USBC C Doesnt do anything for me, my battery lasted all day and I charged it at night
Camera button? I mean i used the old way it was fine
Satellite connectivity? For what?

Not saying people should not buy it. Just saying I would have waited if I still had my 13 pro max. The 16 isnt much of a major upgrade. I will enjoy the larger size tho.

What are you actually waiting for in a release then?
Nothing really seems to matter to you in a hardware upgrade.

I will at least give it a try. There is a lot of new stuff between 13 Pro and 16 Pro.

 

[Naraxus]

Wish MacRumors would stop mentioning her lol she is the worst reviewer out there

Like it or not she's an influencer with alot of clout.

You always have the option of skipping review roundups knowing full-well she'll be one of the people mentioned in the article.

 

[PeteyNice]

I think it’s incredibly weird anyone would review the iPhone 16 models right now considering many of the promised software features aren’t even available yet. Guess the “influencers” need to keep the gravy train running with their clicks.

The reviews now include the things I actually care about...pics, video, battery life, etc. The AI stuff is little more than a party trick at this point and completely inconsequential to my buying decision.

 

[JungleNYC]

As expected the camera control button seems like a gimmick similar to the Touch Bar.

I guess I'm the only one who liked the Touch Bar 🥴

 

[Sprocket_Proton]

Just to respond quickly my old 13 pro max and the 16 pro max have the same PPI. There is no difference and the same 120 hertz.
Camera means nothing to me
CPU means nothing when IOS is so good
Battery life was fine, I had apple care plus and if I needed a new one I would just smash it and get a new one with a new battery
Crash detection? My car does that on its own
Better modem? No service area still means no service
GPS was fine the way it was, not going to the moon
RAM again doesnt matter with IOS being so smooth. Developers dont even use it for their aps. Remember when VR was a thing?
USBC C Doesnt do anything for me, my battery lasted all day and I charged it at night
Camera button? I mean i used the old way it was fine
Satellite connectivity? For what?

Not saying people should not buy it. Just saying I would have waited if I still had my 13 pro max. The 16 isnt much of a major upgrade. I will enjoy the larger size tho.

iPhone 12 mini has better ppi than 16PM

 

[jcshas]

I feel like every year, Apple is one step closer to not calling it a phone. 📸

 

[UliBaer]

I feel like every year, Apple is one step closer to not calling it a phone. 📸

It was never Steve's plan, to sell a phone. He wanted to sell a portable computer to everyone. He managed that, by combining it with a phone, which nearly everybody had at that time in one form or another.

 

[unobtainium]

I'm sorry you don't have people to call or who want to call you, to the extent your phone is now a de facto camera. Chuck it in the river, and go meet some folks!

Thanks for your concern, but I’m wondering if this is an age and gender thing. I cannot think of anything I would less want to do than talk on the phone. The same is true of my peers.

 

[Phone Junky]

If I wasn’t on the upgrade program I’d miss it this time. Nothing at all enticing about it

You know you can keep your current iphone and it will be paid off next year and you will actually own it. Then you could trade it in on next years model if you wanted to. The upgrade program doesn’t mean you HAVE to get the new one.

 

[bradman83]

I guess I'm the only one who liked the Touch Bar 🥴

I loved the Touch Bar! I loved the precision of using sliders for things like volume and being able to glance down to see if I'm muted while keeping my menu bar clear of icons.