Apple Inc.'s annual fall iPhone-centric event has ended. As always, Cupertino-based tech company Apple took the wraps off its next-generation iPhones, as well as the latest Apple Watches and AirPods 4. In this article, we take a look at what the new iPhone 16 series offers in terms of optics, features, battery, and more.
The first two – the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus – look very similar to the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus, albeit with some design changes and new features. The Apple iPhone 16 models are said to be 'built from the ground up' for Apple Intelligence (AI). They come with a capacitive design, which Apple calls the Camera Control. Situated on the right side below the power button, the Camera Control button is protected by sapphire glass and lets you control various functions inside the Camera app by pressing or sliding your finger along it. It gets 'force sensor functionality', enabling the button to respond to varying levels of pressure: a light press sets the focus for a subject, while a firmer press captures the photo. Also, the button supports swipe gestures for zooming in or out.
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In addition, they get the customisable Action button that was earlier limited to the iPhone 15 Pro smartphones. With this update, the Action button is no longer a Pro-exclusive feature and is now offered on all iPhone 16 models. It is a feature introduced last year with the iPhone 15 Pro and provides options to choose between opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, recording voice memos, activating a Focus mode, and more. With the Action button, you can even lock or unlock a car through the FordPass app.
In terms of optics, the phones have a vertical camera layout, instead of a diagonal camera arrangement. On the back, there is a dual-lens system, comprising a 48-megapixel 'fusion camera' and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide snapper with a faster aperture. The setup is capable of shooting spatial videos/photos, Macro shots, and more. You can also shoot 4K60 video using Dolby Vision HDR. The display is an OLED panel, with the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus retaining 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes, respectively. The OLED panel comes with micro-lens technology, offering reduced power consumption and improved brightness.
Underneath the surface, the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus are equipped with an upgraded A-series chip (A18) built on TSMC's 3-nanometer process. This means that the phones support AI features. Apple offers A18 chips with fewer GPU cores for the iPhone 16 models. The battery is said to offer a longer life, thanks to the new internal design and advanced power management of iOS 18. Colour options are Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black. In India, the iPhone 16 is priced at Rs 79,999, while the iPhone 16 Plus costs Rs 89,900.
The latter two – the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max – get the Action button and the Camera Control button as well. While the main camera is the same as the iPhone 16 models, Pro models additionally get a 12-megapixel 5x Telephoto lens and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The models also offer four studio-quality microphones with reduced background noise as well as support 4K120 video recording.
Apple has also bumped up the display size of the iPhone 16 Pro from 6.1 to 6.3 inches, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display, up by 0.2 inches. The design remains the same, but the bezels are slimmer. Like the iPhone 16 models, the OLED display is more power efficient. The devices use an A18 Pro chip, offering enhancements over the A18 chip. Built on a second-gen 3nm process, the A18 Pro comes with a 16-core Neural Engine, giving access to advanced AI features. Apple says AI works 15 per cent faster than the iPhone 15 Pro.
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Other notable bits include ProRes video recording, better USB 3 transfer speeds, an 'advanced cooling chamber' for heat dissipation, and a new MagSafe charger for faster charging. The pricing starts at Rs 1.20 lakh for the Pro and goes up to Rs 1.45 lakh for the Pro Max.
