Apple unveiled a brand new technology of iPhones on the GlowTime occasion on September 9, 2024. The iPhone 16 comes with Apple Intelligence options and a number of upgrades and tweaks that we’ve come to anticipate with the annual releases. Some individuals replace their iPhones yearly and will probably be questioning whether it is price updating from the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16, others will probably be updating from an older iPhone and deciding whether or not to go complete hog and get the iPhone 16, or if they might be higher off saving some cash and getting the iPhone 15.
We’re right here that can assist you select between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. On this article, we’ll clarify what’s completely different and what’s the identical and whether or not the iPhone 16 is price the additional money. We evaluate the previous and the brand new fashions to see which one you should purchase.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and Construct
Apple
Apple
Apple
Considered from the entrance, the 2 generations of iPhone look very related: each have a Dynamic Island (the evolution of the notch), each have squared-off edges on an aluminum chassis. Nonetheless, flip the iPhone round and it’s clear they’re completely different. The iPhone 16 colours are a lot bolder and darker, and the digicam structure is completely different, so will probably be clear that you simply’re sporting the newest mannequin.
iPhone 15 got here in Pink, Yellow, Inexperienced, Blue, and Black. Whereas the brand new iPhone 16 boasts Ultramarine, Teal, a fairly vivacious Pink, together with Black and White liveries.
The opposite distinction may be seen on the aspect of the brand new iPhone 16. The iPhone 16 sports activities two buttons on the aspect. First it positive factors the Motion button first seen on the iPhone 15 Professional fashions. The Motion button replaces the Mute change discovered on the iPhone 15 and may be custom-made to set off numerous duties which may be chosen through a menu created utilizing Shortcuts.
Becoming a member of the Motion button is the Digital camera Management button. This can be a recessed floor constructed over a taptic engine (like these present in the previous couple of generations of Residence buttons on iPhones) and it’s contact delicate. It brings cool new instruments, which we’ll cowl within the Digital camera part.
The scale and weight of the 2 fashions are virtually equivalent, with the newer iPhone being barely smaller and lighter, as you may see beneath:
- iPhone 15: 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches (147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm); 6.02 (171g)
- iPhone 16: 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches (147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm); 6.00 (170g)
Each telephones sport the identical IP68 water and mud resistance scores, Face ID, USB-C charging and MagSafe. The iPhone 16 provides help for 25W wi-fi quick charging when you have a 30W or increased MagSafe charger.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Show
Apple makes use of the identical 6.1-inch Tremendous Retina XDR panel on each fashions, with a 2,556 x 1,179 decision and 440ppi, HDR, True Tone, Haptic Contact, broad colour show, and typical max brightness of 1,000 nits or 1,600 nits in HDR and a couple of,000 nits in out of doors mode.
The important thing distinction is that the iPhone 16 can drop all the way down to a 1 nit brightness when at the hours of darkness and Apple states that it’s protected by the newest model of its Ceramic Defend (though it doesn’t say how a lot that is higher than the Ceramic Defend on the iPhone 15). This could imply that in case you drop the telephone the glass will probably be much less prone to shatter, however we nonetheless suggest placing a display protector in your iPhone, or on the very least an iPhone case that has a raised lip across the edge.
The Dynamic Island that first appeared on the iPhone 14 Professional gadgets is current on each gadgets. The Dynamic Island makes the notch required for the digicam and Face ID know-how extra helpful by including software program animations round it that rely on what operate you might be utilizing.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Tech Specs
As you may see from the comparability desk beneath, the iPhone 16 is barely lighter and smaller than its predecessor, it affords two extra hours of battery life, options the brand new Fusion digicam, can take Macro images (first time in a non-Professional iPhone) and affords the brand new Spatial Seize characteristic. There’s additionally Wi-Fi 7 and help for sooner MagSafe charging.
| iPhone 15 | iPhone 16 | |
| Show | 6.1-inch 2556×1179 460ppi Tremendous Retina XDR OLED show; 1000/1,600/2,000 nits peak brightness (TypicalHDR/Out of doors); Dynamic Island; Ceramic Defend entrance | 6.1-inch 2556×1179 460ppi Tremendous Retina XDR OLED show; 1000/1,600/2,000 nits peak brightness (TypicalHDR/Out of doors); 1nit minimal brightness; Dynamic Island; next-generation Ceramic Defend entrance |
| Processor | A16 | A18 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
| Rear Digital camera | Twin 48MP f/1.6 Foremost, 12MP f/2.4 Extremely Extensive; 0.5X, 1X, and 2X zoom; Good HDR 5 | Twin 48MP f/1.6 Fusion, 12MP f/2.6 Extremely Extensive; 0.5X, 1X, and 2X zoom; Good HDR 5, Macro, Spatial Seize |
| Entrance Digital camera | 12MP TrueDepth, f/1.9 | 12MP TrueDepth, f/1.9 |
| Video Recording | 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Imaginative and prescient as much as 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Motion Mode | 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Imaginative and prescient as much as 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Motion Mode, Spatial video, Wind noise discount, Audio combine |
| Biometric Safety | Face ID | Face ID |
| Management choices | Mute change | Motion button, Digital camera Management button |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| LTE | 5G | 5G |
| Battery life | 20 hours (video playback) | 22 hours (video playback) |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wi-fi Charging | Sure, with MagSafe | Sure, with MagSafe (charging as much as 25W with 30W adapter or increased) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Apple Pay | Sure | Sure |
| Waterproofing | IP68 | IP68 |
| SIM | Twin (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US) | Twin (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US) |
| Dimensions | 147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm | 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.8mm |
| Weight | 171g | 170g |
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Efficiency
Macworld
Macworld
Macworld
The largest distinction between the 2 fashions is discovered within the processing division. Apple has moved from the A16 chipset within the iPhone 15 to model new A18 silicon for the iPhone 16. This marks a change from the previous couple of years when the usual iPhone adopted the processor of the Professional iPhone within the earlier technology. This not solely brings generational enhancements in efficiency and energy effectivity, however it additionally unleashes the principle promoting level of the iPhone 16 vary – Apple Intelligence. Extra on that in a minute.
Apple introduced that the A18 has a 6-core CPU with 2 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores. It’s constructed on an up to date 3nm course of, with a 16-core neural engine that’s 2x sooner at machine studying than that of the A16 Bionic. There’s additionally 17% extra system reminiscence bandwidth to maintain issues snappy.
Apple says the A18 is it 30% sooner than the A16 and 30% extra energy environment friendly. This may be evidenced by the extra 2 hours of battery life that Apple says you’ll get with the iPhone 16. Bear in mind, these gadgets are precisely the identical dimension in order that’s some spectacular positive factors.
There are additionally enhancements to the GPU, which is acknowledged to be 40% sooner and 35% extra energy environment friendly than the one within the iPhone 15. To date, the iPhone 16 has stolen fairly a march on its older sibling.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Apple Intelligence
YouTube / Apple
YouTube / Apple
YouTube / Apple
So, enter Apple Intelligence. That is Apple’s AI assistant, which permeates iOS 18 and brings a variety of useful software program instruments for day-to-day duties. We’ve already had a preview of the AI options on the WWDC occasion in July the place Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence. However, in a nutshell, it would allow you to write emails or just about something you want, tidy up something you’ve already typed, create emojis from textual content prompts, discover images in your library simply by describing what’s in them, provide you with summaries of messages in Mail, enhance the best way Siri works and what it will possibly do, plus a spread of different probably very helpful issues.
Visible Intelligence is one thing akin to Google Lens, the place you may level your digicam at locations or merchandise and Apple Intelligence will discover extra details about it for you.
There’s additionally the large benefit of Non-public Cloud Compute, the place Apple’s servers will course of info for you, however not retailer your information. Within the age of AI, the place prompts and what they create are sometimes saved and utilized by corporations, this might nicely be a promoting level by itself.
Apple Intelligence requires particular {hardware} to run, so it isn’t out there for iPhone 15, however you’ll get it on iPhone 16 and all iPhones from this level on. It does really feel like a demarcation level for iPhone, so be sure you issue that into any shopping for determination.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Cameras
The iPhone 15 comes geared up with a 48MP f/1.6 sensor in the principle digicam, paired with a 12MP f/2.4 Extremely Extensive sensor. These mix to supply 0.5x, 1x and 2x optical zoom capabilities. There’s additionally Sensor-Shift optical stabilization to maintain issues crystal clear, Good HDR 5, portrait lighting, Evening mode and different cool photographic options. It’s an incredible mixture that can fulfill most individuals, who simply need a wonderful digicam with a couple of choices.
It’s virtually the identical on the iPhone 16, though Apple has known as the 48Mp f/1.6 essential module a Fusion digicam. Apple claims that this will seize optical high quality 2x telephoto zoom pictures, however the iPhone 15 additionally had a 2x zoom choice. We are able to solely assume at this level that the elevated computational energy of the A18 processor have to be including one thing right here to the standard.
There’s nonetheless a 12Mp Extremely-Extensive digicam accompanying the principle shooter, however this time the aperture goes as much as f/2.6 and there’s a new macro photograph characteristic for close-ups of small particulars (beforehand the macro was a Professional iPhone solely characteristic). Once more, the iPhone 15 had a 0.5x zoom, so it have to be one thing within the software program that makes Apple extra excited concerning the pictures.
There are not any updates to the front-facing FaceTime digicam, so that you’ll discover the identical 12MP f/1.9 TrueDepth sensor on each.
A brand new positioning of the rear cameras (together with the A18 chip) implies that the iPhone 16 affords a brand new Spatial Seize characteristic. Which means stereoscopic pictures that can work with Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional may be taken. Clearly there’s fairly a distinct segment marketplace for that proper now.
On the video aspect of issues, each iPhones can file video as much as 4K at 60fps, provide Cinematic and Motion modes, and have Evening mode time-lapse, slo-mo, and common slo-mo modes, plus audio zoom and shift-sensor stabilization. The iPhone 16 positive factors Spatial video and audio for the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, plus it has a brand new Wind Discount characteristic to scrub up noisy recordings.
The principle increase for the cameras on the iPhone 16 although is the brand new Digital camera Management button on the aspect. This provides you fast entry to software program controls for the digicam simply by giving it a soft-press, you may then regulate the settings by sliding your finger throughout the touch-sensitive floor, which interprets to the choices on the display. Then, while you need to take the shot, a more durable press turns it into the shutter button. The Digital camera Management button additionally permits you to immediately launch the digicam so that you don’t miss these vital moments.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Worth
As is often the case, Apple slots the brand new mannequin in on the identical value because the one it replaces, with the older one getting a reduction however remaining within the catalog.
So, the brand new iPhone 16 begins at $799/£799 for the 128GB mannequin, whereas the iPhone 15 will get a brand new $699/£699 price ticket for a similar storage configuration.
With simply $100/£100 between the 2 telephones it seems to be just like the newer iPhone 16 affords a lot better worth for cash, however it’s price contemplating if storage is extra vital to you than the newest tech, as a result of that additional $100/£100 can even double your storage.
Right here’s the complete breakdown:
iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 (128GB) – $799/£799
- iPhone 16 (256GB) – $899/£899
- iPhone 16 (512GB) – $1,099/£1,099
iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 (128GB) – $699/£699
- iPhone 15 (256GB) – $799/£799
- iPhone 15 (512GB) – $999/£999
Apple introduced pre-orders for the iPhone 16 begin on 13 September with the gadgets occurring basic launch per week in a while 20 September.
Apple will proceed to promote the iPhone 15, however you might be able to discover a whole lot at one of many many third-party retailers. Take a look at our greatest iPhone 15 offers U.S. and iPhone 15 offers U.Okay. pages as there might be some respectable affords now that the iPhone 16 has arrived.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16 Verdict: Is the iPhone 16 higher than iPhone 15?
The iPhone 15 remains to be an incredible machine and can make most individuals very blissful, however the A18 chip within the iPhone 16 does really feel like a major step ahead. Sure, AI has promised a lot earlier than and never delivered, however the fee at which it’s bettering is scary, plus the best way Apple has baked Apple Intelligence into iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 makes it really feel like we would get the expertise that was promised all these years in the past when Siri first arrived.
Add to that the improved battery life, efficiency, additional bodily controls and their customization choices, and the iPhone 16 looks like an actual step ahead fairly than only a cautious improve. There’s solely $100/£100 distinction between the 2 and the iPhone 16 seems to be nicely well worth the cash.
For extra recommendation learn our iPhone Shopping for Information and Greatest iPhone comparability chart.
