iPhone 16/16 Pro Review: Times Have Changed!

The video reviews the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, highlighting incremental hardware updates and significant AI features branded as "Apple Intelligence," which are yet to be fully implemented. The reviewer has also launched a new app called Panels, which offers a collection of wallpapers. The iPhone 16 series introduces minor design changes, improved battery capacity, faster charging, and enhanced camera controls with a new Camera Control button. Despite the AI features not being ready at launch, the phones are solid upgrades, particularly for users with older models, with the Pro versions offering superior camera and display performance.

• The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have been introduced with new features and incremental updates.
• The phones have been tested for about two weeks prior to the review.
• The focus of the new phones is on AI features labeled as Apple Intelligence, although these features are not yet available.

“A widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough internet communications device.”

• Introduction to the new iPhone models emphasizing their multifunctionality.

“So this is the iPhone 16, and this is the iPhone 16 Pro. Brand new, and I've been testing them for about two weeks now.”

• Announcement of the new iPhone models and the duration of testing.

• Launch of a new app called Panels, which consolidates wallpapers used in various videos.
• The app is available on both iOS and Android platforms.
• The app features art from various artists, with profits split 50-50.
• The app is starting as a wallpaper app with plans for future improvements and offers a subscription model.

“You guys have always been asking me where I get my wallpapers. Like, it's frequently the number one suggested search result under my name, has been for years. So now we've put them all in one place. It's called Panels.”

• Explanation of the demand for wallpapers and the solution provided by the Panels app.

“And it's finally live in the App Store, both on iOS and on Android. Feels really good to be able to say that.”

• Announcement of the app's availability on major platforms.

“We have a bunch of awesome artists over there that we are splitting profits with 50-50. And there's already a ton of great collections of art and much more incoming.”

• Details about the collaboration with artists and the profit-sharing model.

• The new iPhone models have minor upgrades over the previous versions.
• Introduction of new buttons: Action Button and Camera Control.
• Aesthetic changes include new colors and slightly larger protruding cameras.
• The new iPhone models are described as "unfinished" due to the lack of Apple Intelligence features at launch.

“So the meta with new smartphones these days is a bunch of incremental hardware improvements and then a whole bunch of AI features that also are being added on top, which is where the real value is.”

• Explanation of the trend in smartphone improvements focusing on hardware and AI features.

“So the iPhone 16 is a minor, minor update over the 15, but with a ton of new AI stuff labeled Apple Intelligence. Except that stuff's not here yet, which is a little awkward considering basically all of the marketing for this phone is Apple Intelligence stuff.”

• Critique of the minor updates and the absence of advertised AI features.

• The iPhone 16 looks slightly different from the iPhone 15 with new poppy colors and larger camera protrusions.
• Introduction of the Action Button and Camera Control button.
• The phone is described as the "wobbliest slab phone" due to its design.
• The Pro models have new displays with slightly larger sizes and thinner bezels.

“Aesthetically, though, there are some really poppy new colors and slightly larger protruding cameras lined up on the back of the phone.”

• Description of the new aesthetic features of the iPhone 16.

“But either way, the rest of the general shape and flat sides and dimensions of this phone are basically the same. It's very familiar iPhone.”

• Confirmation that the overall design remains similar to previous models.

• Apple claims slightly larger capacity batteries for all new models.
• The iPhone 16 offers 22 hours of video playback, up from 20 hours in the previous model.
• The 16 Pro Max offers 33 hours of video playback, up from 29 hours in the previous model.
• Exact battery capacities in milliamp-hours are not disclosed.

“So when Apple unveiled all these new phones, they made kind of a big deal about how they all have slightly larger capacity batteries across the board, and that the new Pro Max would have the longest battery life ever in an iPhone.”

• Apple’s claim about battery improvements in the new models.

“So it has the iPhone 16 at 22 hours of video playback up from 20, and the 16 Pro Max is all the way up to 33 hours versus last year's big phone's 29.”

• Specifics on the improved battery life in terms of video playback hours.

• Battery sizes increased by 6% across the board and 9% on the Pro model.
• Battery life remains similar to last year's models, lasting a full day with heavy use.
• New iPhone 16 lineup supports up to 45W wired charging and up to 25W wireless charging with MagSafe.

"Turns out the batteries are about 6% larger across the board and 9% larger on the Pro. And I've found battery life about the same as last year, to be honest. Like, not noticeably better, not noticeably worse."

• Battery size has increased modestly, but the overall battery performance remains unchanged from previous models.

"All of the new iPhone 16 lineup supports up to 45 watt wired charging now."

• The new iPhone models now support faster wired charging, enhancing convenience for users.

"MagSafe supports, with the new puck, up to 25 watt wireless charging instead of 15."

• MagSafe wireless charging capability has been upgraded to 25W, improving charging speed.

• Introduction of A18 and A18 Pro chips, providing 10%-30% faster performance depending on tasks.
• All models now come with 8GB of RAM, likely to support future Apple Intelligence features.

"On the inside, these phones have the A18 and A18 Pro chips. And again, I'd be lying if I told you I just noticed any difference right out the box and I think basically anybody would."

• The new A18 chips offer performance improvements, but they are not immediately noticeable in everyday use.

"I was actually more curious, though, to find that all of the models have eight gigs of RAM now."

• All iPhone 16 models now feature 8GB of RAM, which is a significant upgrade from previous versions.

• iOS 18 introduces customization options such as moving and coloring home screen icons, and changing lock screen shortcuts.
• These features are available on new iPhones and older models with the iOS 18 update.

"IOS 18 launched with these new phones too. So I made an entire separate video about iOS 18, all the new features."

• iOS 18 brings a range of new customization features to the iPhone, enhancing user experience.

"You can put your home screen icons wherever, you can color your home screen icons, you can change your lock screen shortcuts, basically customize the iPhone a bit more than ever before."

• iOS 18 allows users to personalize their iPhone home screens and lock screens to a greater extent than previous iOS versions.

• Introduction of a new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16, allowing users to adjust camera settings like exposure, zoom, and tone.
• The button's placement is optimized for landscape mode, but could be more accessible.

"This is the new Camera Control button on all of the new iPhone 16's."

• The new Camera Control button provides users with more control over their photography settings.

"The default photos from the iPhone look more iPhoney than ever."

• The iPhone's default camera settings continue to produce bright, low-contrast images, particularly in photos with people.

"The purpose of this new button has been made very clear and it's kind of a theme for the whole phone, which is, well, camera control."

• The new button emphasizes Apple's shift towards giving users more control over their camera settings.

"You have to know that it's a double half press with just the right weight to bring up the sliding menu of camera controls."

• Activating the camera controls requires a specific double half press, which may take some getting used to.

"You also have this D-pad that lets you change even more elements of a photo, including undertones and mood and color and really mess around and dial in the look of the photos you want."

• The D-pad allows for detailed adjustments to photo elements, providing extensive customization options.

"This has risen the iPhone back to the top of my personal favorite rankings of smartphones to shoot with."

• The enhanced camera control features make the iPhone 16 a top choice for photography enthusiasts.

• The new iPhone 16 series offers incremental upgrades in battery, charging, internal hardware, and camera control.
• iOS 18 provides significant customization options, enhancing the overall user experience.
• The Camera Control button introduces a new level of manual control for photography, aligning with Apple's focus on user empowerment.

• The Camera Control button on the new iPhone has been repositioned to be more accessible for portrait photos and videos.
• Half-press sensitivity of the button can be difficult to adjust to, leading to accidental picture taking.
• The button's scrolling feature has momentum physics, which can cause users to scroll too far unintentionally.
• The Camera Control button is likely to be used primarily as a camera shutter button by most users.

"It's still not great. And the half press sensitivity takes some time to really get used to. I'm on week three now, and I'm still accidentally taking pictures by tapping too hard."

• The user is experiencing difficulty adjusting to the half-press sensitivity, leading to accidental photo captures.

"It is just finicky enough and just hidden enough that I honestly think like, 99% of people will never use this for anything other than just a camera shutter button."

• The finicky nature of the button suggests it will likely be used mainly as a camera shutter button by most users.

• The Camera Control button can be remapped to other functions, such as opening the Tasks app.
• Users can also remap lock screen shortcuts to different functions.
• The Camera Control button can be set to open any camera app on the phone.

"I personally did quickly get used to opening the camera quickly with the Camera Control button. And so I remapped my action button to something else, my Tasks app."

• The user adapted to using the Camera Control button for quick camera access but chose to remap it for another function.

"You can map the Camera Control button to open any other camera app on your phone, or just keep waiting for Apple Intelligence features that this will probably make more sense for."

• The button offers flexibility in customization, allowing users to assign it to various apps or functions.

• The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro have new cameras with significant improvements, especially in the Pro models.
• The iPhone 16 cameras are solid but not noticeably better than previous models.
• The iPhone 16 Pro cameras feature a larger main sensor, higher resolution ultrawide, and a 5X telephoto lens.

"iPhone 16's cameras are nice, like they're pretty solid main cameras, very much in character with iPhones of the past but not noticeably better than previous years."

• The iPhone 16 cameras maintain the quality of past models without significant improvements.

"The 16 Pro cameras with the much bigger main sensor and the higher resolution ultrawide and the 5X telephoto are a significant step up, in my opinion."

• The iPhone 16 Pro cameras represent a substantial upgrade with enhanced sensors and zoom capabilities.

• The main camera on the iPhone 16 Pro is highly versatile and performs well in various conditions.
• The ultrawide camera is better in detail during the daytime but not significantly improved for night shots.
• The 5X telephoto lens is effective for zooming and capturing detailed images beyond 5X without AI assistance.

"The main camera I think is my favorite primary sensor in any smartphone to shoot with right now. It's really good at basically everything."

• The main camera on the iPhone 16 Pro is highly versatile and effective across different shooting scenarios.

"The ultrawide is also better, but kind of only in detail during the daytime since it's a 48 megapixel sensor now."

• The ultrawide camera has improved detail during daytime shooting due to its higher resolution.

"The 5X telephoto on both the Pros is also nice now. And there is some chatter about it being worse at the 3X to 4X range because you're still having to do digital zoom."

• The 5X telephoto lens is effective, although there are concerns about digital zoom quality in the 3X to 4X range.

• Shutter speeds are faster, allowing for better action shots and freeze-frame captures.
• The camera's ability to achieve shallow depth of field in close-up shots is comparable to other flagship smartphones.

"Shutter speeds are super fast and freeze action better than ever before. This is kind of underrated, but I love this."

• The improved shutter speeds enhance the ability to capture fast-moving subjects clearly.

"The ease at which you can get a shallow depth of field with a closeup subject is on par with any other big sensor Android flagship like S24 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro."

• The camera's capability to produce shallow depth of field in close-up shots is on par with other leading smartphones.

• The iPhone 16 Pro includes a 4K 120 FPS mode, which offers high-quality video but requires significant storage.
• The phone's processing power and sensor speed suggest it could support 8K 30 FPS, though this feature is not included.

"Apple also added a 4K 120 FPS mode to the Pro phones, and it's sick. It looks great. It is really convenient to shoot and edit."

• The 4K 120 FPS mode provides excellent video quality and ease of use for shooting and editing.

"It also proves to me that they have the processing power and the sensor readout speed to do 8K 30, they just choose not to."

• The phone's capabilities indicate potential for 8K 30 FPS video, though this feature is not currently available.

• The term "Fusion camera" refers to an updated image processing pipeline for optical quality zoom.
• Despite the name, the zoom is not true one-to-one optical quality due to smaller photo sights in the cropped image.

"This is also the first year they're using the term Fusion camera. And you kinda have to dig in a little bit to try to figure out what that means."

• The Fusion camera involves an updated image processing pipeline, but its true function requires investigation.

"But also that zoom is not technically one-to-one optical quality because the photo sights are smaller in that smaller crop."

• The Fusion camera's zoom is not true optical quality due to the smaller photo sights in the cropped image.

• The product launch at the Apple event called Glowtime did not feature the new Siri, which was a notable absence.
• The marketing and promotional materials heavily emphasize Apple Intelligence, creating a disconnect with the product's current capabilities.

"There is something truly weird about this product being launched at an Apple event called Glowtime and not launching with the thing that glows, the new Siri."

• The absence of the new Siri at the Glowtime event creates a sense of inconsistency.

"There's something just off about billboards and marketing material all highlighting Apple Intelligence, and Tim Cook saying this was the first phone built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence."

• The emphasis on Apple Intelligence in marketing contrasts with the product's current features, leading to a disconnect.

• Apple is emphasizing AI in its new products, despite the AI features not being fully developed or available at launch.
• The company is under pressure to appear as a leader in AI, similar to other public companies.
• The AI features are promised to be available through future software updates, but this approach is risky.

"Yet this phone does not have Apple Intelligence at all. It's all coming soon and coming later this year and into next year eventually with software updates."

• Apple's AI features are not yet available and are expected to be released incrementally through software updates over the next year.

"If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, never buy a product based on the promise of future software updates. Buy it for what it is right now when you buy it."

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of purchasing a product based on its current capabilities rather than future promises.

"They have presented a ton of AI stuff that they're working on, and they've done the song and dance of like, 'Hey, we're AI-first and the phone's built from the ground up for AI. It's our whole theme this year.' But the fact of the matter is it's not good yet. It's not. It's actually not even finished."

• Apple is marketing their products as AI-centric, but the actual AI functionalities are not yet fully developed or implemented.

• The Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin are cited as examples of AI products that were released with incomplete functionalities.
• Unlike these products, the iPhone is still a viable and functional product even without the promised AI features.

"When I reviewed that Rabbit, it was basically useless, like literally almost none of the functionality was working as it shipped."

• The Rabbit R1 was reviewed as having almost no working functionality upon release.

"Same with the Humane AI Pin, really, really, really bad product missing almost all of its functionality. Worst product I've ever reviewed for now."

• The Humane AI Pin was similarly criticized for lacking functionality and being the worst product reviewed by the speaker.

"So I guess the difference between the Rabbit and the Humane Pin and the iPhone is, well, one, the iPhone is a fine standalone product even without the promised stuff."

• The iPhone is distinguished from the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin by being a functional product even without the AI features.

• Apple has a history of developing and shipping promised features, which builds a level of trust among consumers.
• The company is relying on this trust to mitigate the risks associated with releasing a product with incomplete features.

"Apple at least now has some element of a track record of developing and shipping things that they promised, where Humane and Rabbit didn't."

• Apple's history of delivering on promises is highlighted as a key difference from other companies.

"They must really believe in themselves to eventually ship this stuff so that people aren't mad."

• The speaker suggests that Apple’s confidence in eventually delivering the promised features is a bold move.

• Some features of Apple Intelligence are available in the 18.1 Beta, but they are limited.
• A more comprehensive review of Apple Intelligence is planned for the future.

"I've been using some of the features in 18.1 Beta on my 15 Pro, but even this is really limited. Like, it's basically just writing tools and the new Siri animation."

• The current beta version of Apple Intelligence offers limited features, mainly writing tools and a new Siri animation.

"I'll say get subscribed to see the Apple Intelligence review when it drops, when it's done, because clearly it's a big part of this phone."

• The speaker plans to conduct a detailed review of Apple Intelligence once it is fully available.

• The iPhone 16 is recommended for users with older models (iPhone 13 or older) looking for an upgrade.
• The iPhone 16 Pro is recommended for users who prioritize better cameras and displays.

"You should buy the iPhone 16 if you're on an iPhone 13 or older and you know, that phone is on its last legs and you're really looking for an upgrade to a new iPhone."

• Users with older iPhone models are advised to upgrade to the iPhone 16 if their current phone is outdated.

"You should buy the iPhone 16 Pro if you really want a better phone in cameras or displays."

• The iPhone 16 Pro is recommended for those who want superior camera and display features.

• The iPhone 16 has several enhancements including Camera Control, matching RAM with the Pro models, new colors, an action button, and a bright display.
• The base iPhone 16 is suitable for users who do not need ProMotion (higher screen refresh rate).

"The cheap iPhone really has never looked better, honestly. It has the Camera Control, it matches the RAM of the more expensive Pros, it has the more interesting colors if you're into that."

• The base iPhone 16 offers several features that make it an attractive option, including Camera Control and matching RAM with the Pro models.

"I personally cannot use a 60 hertz, $800 phone in 2024. I just can't do it. And there are lots of people just like me who will immediately have to upgrade to the Pro just for that."

• The speaker and others who prioritize screen refresh rate will find the base model inadequate and may prefer the Pro version.

• Despite the AI features not being fully implemented, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are solid products based on their current capabilities.
• Consumers are advised to purchase based on the current functionality rather than future promises.

"I still say buy it for what it is today, not for what it could be tomorrow. And even without any of the AI stuff maybe ever coming to these phones, they're still rock solid, very, very incremental upgrades."

• The final advice is to buy the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro based on their existing features, as they are reliable and offer incremental improvements.