Introduction
The Apple iPhone 16 – the series’ namesake – bridges the gap between vanilla and Pro models by introducing a refined design, faster hardware, improved connectivity and charging, and camera improvements.
The new iPhone 16 once again breaks new ground in toughness thanks to an improved Ceramic Shield glass, and maintains the extended IP68 rating for water immersion up to 6 meters. It also has the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with high brightness, HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
There is now a new generation chip: the Apple A18. It brings a new, more powerful processor, much more advanced graphics than the A16 in the iPhone 15, faster memory bandwidth for AI tasks, and 8GB of RAM, just like the Pro models.
The dual camera on the back has undergone some changes. First up is the primary 48MP with sensor-shift stabilization and Fusion capability, allowing for improved 2x zoom in the sensor (better than on the iPhone 15). Then there’s an improved ultra-wide camera with a brighter aperture and autofocus for some nice macro photos. And finally, the new Tone setting lets you fine-tune the iPhone’s camera’s tonal processing to your taste.
The iPhone 16 has next-generation MagSafe and Qi2 support for wireless charging options up to 25W if you choose the new MagSafe charger and a 30W+ power adapter.
The iPhone 16 runs on iOS 18 and fully supports Apple Intelligence, although the latter has yet to be released.
Apple iPhone 16 specifications at a glance:
- Body: 147.6×71.6×7.8mm, 170g; Ceramic Shield glass front (Corning glass), glass back (Corning glass), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6 m for 30 min), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
- Display: 6.10″ Super Retina
- Chip set: Apple A18 (3nm): Hexa core; Apple GPU (5-core graphics card).
- Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM; NVMe.
- Operating system/software: iOS 18.
- Reversing camera: Broad (head): 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0 µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120 degrees, 0.7 µm, dual pixel PDAF.
- Front camera: Broad (head): 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF; Depth: SL 3D.
- Video recording: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound recording; Front camera: 4K at 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120fps, gyro EIS.
- Battery: XXXX mAh; Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 25 W wireless (MagSafe), 15 W wireless (China only), 15 W wireless (Qi2), 4.5 W reverse wired.
- Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Double SIM card; WiFi 7; BT 5.3; NFC.
- Miscellaneous: Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; Support for Ultra Wideband (UWB) (gen2 chip), Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite.
Apple has kept the 60Hz screen refresh rate for another year. The solid hardware under the hood has once again turned the cheapest new iPhone into an excellent gaming machine where a stable 60 fps sounds like enough.
We won’t defend Apple’s choice of default refresh rate, so that’s an immediate negative for us. But apart from that, the iPhone 16 is shaping up to be one of the most popular compact phones of the season.
Unpacking the iPhone 16
The iPhone 16’s retail bundle is what you’d expect these days: you get a braided USB-C cable and a SIM eject tool.
There is no paper pocket anymore, even though the paperwork is there. The Apple sticker, on the other hand, has now disappeared.