At first glance, the iPhone 16 is reminiscent of the 2020 model, as Apple has switched from a diagonal camera lens to a vertical one. Having used it for over a week, this compact flagship certainly packs a punch. You get cool new colors like Teal and Aquamarine Blue which look minimal and premium on a glass back. There is a new camera control button for some handy shortcuts, an upgraded chipset, new AI features, brighter displays, and much more, making this iPhone a decent upgrade after a long time!
First Impressions
When I unboxed the iPhone 16, it instantly felt lighter and smoother, especially on the edges. The display is brighter and more vivid. The color contrast is perfect. The phone automatically adjusts the brightness from 2000 nits all the way down to 1 nit. How can Apple still not upgrade its 60 Hz screen? You can feel the difference while gaming or just casual scrolling. It doesn’t take much time to get used to Dynamic Island features. The vertical dual-camera setup looks great and makes the phone stand out. All-in-all, unlike the last 3-4 years, you actually feel like you’re holding an upgraded version of the iPhone.
AI & Performance
AI or Apple Intelligence as Apple likes to call was a big buzz around the launch. It works fine and has some interesting features. The writing tool is amazing and guides you through any type of text or email. The Siri is also upgraded and more conversational. The main issue with AI in iPhones is that the base models only come with an 8GB RAM configuration. You cannot run most AI-based tasks efficiently with a phone under 12 GB RAM. Performance-wise, the A18 Bionic chip feels powerful from day one. It easily runs everyday tasks and definitely feels like an upgrade over the previous chip. You can also feel the difference in battery optimization and image processing.
What’s Better?
The batteries and the displays are the first major upgrades you will notice on iPhone 16. A single full charge will last an entire day. The C-to-C cable charges from 0-50% in less than 30 minutes. The Super Retina OLED screen is brighter and sharper than most smartphone displays. The cameras have gotten better for videos, with additional stabilization and AI-backed processing. I had never liked Apple’s selfie cameras in low light, but this time they have improved on that. The camera control is handy to switch between different modes.
Is It Worth The Upgrade?
Apple has not increased the base price and kept it under 80k. Although it is not the best smartphone for multi-tasking or AI features, you still get a premium Apple experience with superior build quality, amazing cameras, and colorful displays. Performance-wise, it is comparable to the Pro models of previous generations. Battery life, which was a big issue for Apple users has gotten better. iPhone 16 is worth an upgrade if you are still using the iPhone 13 or an older model.