Apple’s iPhone 16 family takes a familiar formula and sharpens it, pairing small but meaningful hardware tweaks with bigger ambitions around on-device intelligence. The range spans iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, with clearer feature separation than ever—and a few surprises that matter in daily use.
Models and key specs
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus run Apple’s A18 chip (3nm), with a six‑core CPU, five‑core GPU, and a 16‑core Neural Engine aimed squarely at Apple Intelligence tasks. Apple claims up to 30% faster compute and up to 35% lower power draw versus comparable previous-gen silicon, a difference you notice when juggling camera, maps, and messaging at once.
The 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max step up to A18 Pro with a six‑core CPU, six‑core GPU, and hardware‑accelerated ray tracing. Apple cites up to 15% faster CPU performance, up to 20% faster GPU, and up to 3x better ray tracing versus the prior Pro chip—useful for console‑class titles that have migrated to iOS. All four phones include 8GB of RAM, according to regulatory documentation and component teardowns.
Storage options: iPhone 16/16 Plus in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB; iPhone 16 Pro in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB; and iPhone 16 Pro Max from 256GB up to 1TB.
Prices and configurations
Current pricing places the iPhone 16 at $729 (128GB) and the 16 Plus at $799 (128GB) or $899 (256GB), with select carriers offering an additional $30 subsidy on certain variants. At launch, the 16/16 Plus carried higher list prices, while the 16 Pro started at $999 (128GB) and the 16 Pro Max at $1,199 (256GB). Apple no longer sells the 16 Pro or Pro Max directly, though carrier and retail inventory may persist.
This strategy mirrors Apple’s recent playbook: lower the non‑Pro entry points after the next generation arrives, while rotating Pro models out of the official store to focus demand.
Colors and design
The iPhone 16/16 Plus arrive in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine—richer hues than last year’s pastels. The Pro pair sticks to Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium finish that reads bronze in some light and blush in others.
Materials remain premium: aluminum for the iPhone 16/16 Plus; a titanium exterior with an aluminum subframe on Pro models for a lighter, stiffer chassis. The rear cameras on the 16/16 Plus now sit vertically—a small change with big implications for spatial photo and video capture.
Displays and performance
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus keep 6.1‑inch and 6.7‑inch Super Retina XDR OLED panels with the Dynamic Island. They drop as low as 1 nit for comfortable bedtime use, but still run at 60Hz and skip Always‑On. That deliberate cap is Apple’s clearest segmentation lever; if you value smoother scrolling, you’re nudged Pro.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max grow slightly to 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively, with thinner bezels, 120Hz ProMotion, and Always‑On display. In practice, the A18 Pro’s GPU uplift and faster ray tracing reduce frame time spikes in visually dense games, while the broader thermal envelope in the larger Pro Max helps sustain peak performance.
Cameras and the new Camera Control
Apple didn’t overhaul sensors, but the lineup is more coherent. The iPhone 16/16 Plus feature a 48MP main (f/1.6) with sensor‑shift OIS, outputting 12MP by default with optional 24MP/48MP, plus a 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2) with autofocus for macro. Cropping the 48MP sensor yields clean 2x shots, and the vertical stack unlocks spatial capture for Vision Pro.
Both 16 Pro models now share the same setup: 48MP main (f/1.78) with second‑gen sensor‑shift OIS, 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2) with AF, and a 12MP tetraprism telephoto delivering 5x optical zoom. The Pro pair can record 4K Dolby Vision up to 120fps, a practical win for creators who mix slow‑motion and HDR workflows on the same timeline.
Headline feature: Camera Control—a dedicated, pressure‑sensitive capacitive button with haptic feedback. A light press launches the camera; press to shoot; press‑and‑hold for video. Swipe to zoom, double‑press for quick settings, and a two‑stage shutter (half‑press to lock focus/exposure, full press to capture) is slated via software. Apple says third‑party developers can tap into these controls, which could finally make iPhone ergonomics feel like a compact camera.
Battery life and charging
Regulatory filings point to larger cells this cycle: approximately 3,561mAh (iPhone 16), 4,674mAh (16 Plus), 3,582mAh (16 Pro), and 4,685mAh (16 Pro Max). Combined with the A18 family’s efficiency and improved thermal management, Apple’s official video playback ratings rise across the board compared with the previous generation.
China’s 3C certification data indicates up to 45W wired charging support, a notable jump over prior iPhones. Apple officially lists wireless: up to 7.5W via Qi, up to 15W via Qi2, and up to 25W via MagSafe. As usual, no charger is included in the box, so pairing a USB‑C PD charger that meets Apple’s specs remains the fastest route.
Connectivity and durability
All U.S. units are eSIM‑only; models sold in many other regions retain a nano‑SIM slot and support dual eSIM. This aligns with the GSMA’s broader shift toward embedded SIMs, simplifying carrier switches and international roaming for frequent travelers.
The lineup is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance and supports USB‑C, Wi‑Fi 6E or better (model dependent), and ultrawideband for precise device finding and ecosystem features. As always, treat water protection as a safety net rather than a challenge—especially around saltwater.
Software and Apple Intelligence
Shipping with iOS 18, the iPhone 16 series is built to run Apple Intelligence—Apple’s on‑device and private‑cloud AI stack. Features include Writing Tools for rewrites and summaries, notification prioritization in Mail and beyond, and a more context‑aware Siri. Several capabilities arrived through subsequent iOS 18 point releases, but the hardware is clearly provisioned for the roadmap.
Apple doesn’t publish a hard update policy, yet its track record shows multi‑year support that outlasts most competitors. For buyers, that consistency—paired with broadened AI features and the new Camera Control—makes the iPhone 16 lineup a pragmatic upgrade, and the Pro models the obvious choice for gamers, creators, and spec chasers.