Apple has unveiled the iPhone 16 during a presentation from its HQ in California. The iPhone 16 – sure to be one of the biggest selling smartphones over the next 12 months – has a host of improvements over its predecessor, and some genuine innovations no one has seen before.
The screens are bigger, the processors more powerful, the buttons have been given a rejig and for the first time artificial intelligence (AI) is part of the feature set. Or at least, it will be soon – we’ll explain more below.
Interested? Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 16 range.
iPhone 16 models: four to choose from
As with previous iPhone ranges, the iPhone 16 family comprises four models. There’s the standard iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Pro, the larger iPhone 16 Plus and the even bigger iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The Pro models are very similar to the non-Pro variants, but with more power and a more advanced camera. They’re also made from titanium – a stronger and lighter material than the stainless steel of the non-Pro models. And they’re slightly bigger, as we’ll explain next…
iPhone 16 screen: bigger is better
For the first time since 2019’s iPhone 11, the Pro and non-Pro model have different-sized screens. The Pro has grown to 6.3 inches while the standard iPhone 16 stays at 6.1. The same is true of the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max – the former stays at 6.7 inches, while the latter has been enlarged to 6.9.
A growth of 0.2 inches might not seem much, but it should feel significantly larger in the hand. That will give you more space for gaming controls, be able to fit in a larger social media timeline, and make films, TV shows and games look clearer and more stunning.
iPhone 16 buttons: Action!
All four iPhone 16 models have a new Capture button, which lets you take photos without having to wake the phone first. You’ll never miss a photo opportunity again. And the Action button has now come to the non-Pro variants – this can be customised to activate the torch, camera, silent mode and more.
You can also set the Action button to activate different functions at different times, so it can open the calendar app during the day and turn on the torch at night, for example. Clever.
iPhone 16 camera: more zoom
As ever, the new iPhones have better cameras than last year’s models. The iPhone 16 has a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (up from 12 megapixels), which should make for much more detailed shots. And all four handsets can capture 3D videos and photos to be viewed on Apple’s Vision Pro virtual reality headset.
iPhone 16 features: AI coming soon
Artificial intelligence is the new battleground in the smartphone war, but Apple’s version (called Apple Intelligence) won’t arrive until next month. It looks impressive though – it makes Siri more intelligent and natural to interact with, helps you write using exactly the right words, and find photos and even exact moments within your videos.
iPhone 16 price and release date
The iPhone 16 range goes on sale on Friday 20th September for the following prices:
- iPhone 16: from £799
- iPhone 16 Plus: from £899
- iPhone 16 Pro: from £999
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: from £1,199
The non-Pro models come in Ultra Marine, Teal, Pink, White and Black, while the Pro models come in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium finish.
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