iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Hands-on // Is it worth the upgrade?

Summary

In the latest 'Tech Ninja After Dark' episode, Kevin reviews the newly announced iPhone 16, highlighting its upgraded features. The iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a larger 6.9-inch display and a more efficient A18 Pro chip, promising improved AI capabilities and battery life. A dedicated camera button offers quick access and innovative haptic feedback. The camera system includes a fusion camera with a 48-megapixel main sensor, an ultra-wide lens with autofocus, and a 5x telephoto camera. The Pro Max also introduces 4K at 120 frames per second recording. While the Pro and Pro Max are nearly identical, Kevin suggests that current iPhone 15 Pro users may not need to upgrade, but content creators and photography enthusiasts should consider the iPhone 16 Pro for its advanced camera features.

Takeaways

• 📱 The iPhone 16 features an all-new design with a larger 6.9-inch display on the Pro Max model compared to the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
• 🔍 The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have a new A18 Pro chip, which is 15% faster and 20% more power-efficient, enhancing AI capabilities and video encoding.
• 🔋 Apple claims the iPhone 16 has the best battery life on any iPhone, addressing past concerns about battery performance on Pro models.
• 🎮 The improved performance and battery life are expected to benefit gaming, with Apple pushing for better gaming experiences on iPhones.
• 📸 The iPhone 16 series introduces a dedicated camera control button, providing quick access to camera functions with a tactile feedback mechanism.
• 📹 The camera system includes a fusion camera with a faster and more efficient quad-pixel sensor, and the ultra-wide lens is upgraded to 48 megapixels with autofocus and better macro capabilities.
• 📹 Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max now feature a 5x telephoto camera, reducing the gap between the two models in terms of camera capabilities.
• 🎥 The iPhone 16 Pro Max can record 4K at 120 frames per second with ProRes and ProRaw, offering more flexibility in post-production.
• 📡 The iPhone 16 comes with Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, future-proofing the device for faster wireless connectivity.
• 🌗 The new iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in four titanium finishes, with 'desert titanium' replacing the 'blue titanium' option from the previous model.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the iPhone 16 according to the transcript?

The main focus of the iPhone 16 is its AI camera capabilities and its all-new design, including a larger display and a new A18 Pro chip for improved performance and power efficiency.

How does the iPhone 16 Pro Max's display size compare to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a larger 6.9-inch display compared to the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What is the new chip in the iPhone 16 Pro and what are its improvements?

The new chip in the iPhone 16 Pro is the A18 Pro chip, which is 15% faster in terms of CPU and 20% more power efficient than its predecessor.

What is the claim Apple makes about the iPhone 16's battery?

Apple claims that the iPhone 16 has the best battery life on any iPhone, which is an improvement over previous models that have not had great battery performance.

How does the iPhone 16's gaming performance compare to the iPhone 15 Pro?

The iPhone 16 is expected to have better gaming performance due to its new A18 Pro chip, which should allow developers to push the hardware further without impacting battery life.

What is the rumored battery capacity for the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

Rumors suggest the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a battery capacity of 4,676 mAh, compared to the 4,441 mAh of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What is the new dedicated button for the camera on the iPhone 16 called and how does it work?

The new dedicated button for the camera on the iPhone 16 is called 'camera control'. It provides quick access to the camera, with different actions depending on whether you press or hold it. It's not an actual button but simulates the feel of pressing a button with a motor inside.

What is Apple's AI focus on the iPhone 16?

Apple's AI focus on the iPhone 16 is to integrate AI capabilities throughout the device, with the new A18 Pro chip designed to handle AI tasks efficiently.

What are the camera upgrades on the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a fusion camera system with a 48-megapixel main camera sensor, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens with autofocus and better macro capabilities, and the ability to record 4K at 120 frames per second with ProRes Vision.

How does the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera compare to the iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera is an upgrade with a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens with autofocus, and the ability to record 4K at 120 frames per second, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max is capped at 60 frames per second at 4K.

What new Wi-Fi capabilities does the iPhone 16 have?

The iPhone 16 now has Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, which is an upgrade from the Wi-Fi 6 found in previous models, providing future-proofing for the device.

What are the new titanium finishes available for the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in four titanium finishes: black, white, natural, and desert titanium, with desert titanium replacing the blue titanium option from the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Outlines

00:00

📱 iPhone 16 Pro Max: Design, Performance, and Battery Life

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has been announced with a larger 6.9-inch display compared to the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and thinner bezels. Despite the slight increase in size, the phone maintains a similar feel to its predecessor. The new A18 Pro chip offers a 15% faster CPU and 20% improved power efficiency, which is crucial for the enhanced AI capabilities and video encoding. Apple claims this model has the best battery life on any iPhone, which is a significant improvement, especially for gaming and the Apple Arcade. The rumored battery size is 4,676 mAh, an increase from the 15 Pro Max's 4,441 mAh, and the new chip's efficiency should further enhance battery life.

05:02

📸 iPhone 16 Series: Camera Innovations and Design Changes

The iPhone 16 series introduces a dedicated button for the camera, named 'camera control,' which provides quick access to camera functions with different interactions like press, hold, and double-tap. This haptic feedback feature simulates the feel of pressing a button, offering a new way to control the camera. The camera system has been upgraded with a fusion camera system and a 48-megapixel main camera sensor on both the 15 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max. The ultra-wide lens is now 48 megapixels with autofocus and improved macro capabilities. Both Pro and Pro Max models now feature a 5x telephoto camera, eliminating the previous performance gap. The iPhone 16 Pro Max can record 4K at 120 frames per second, a first for any smartphone, offering more flexibility in post-recording adjustments. The iPhone 16 also comes with Wi-Fi 7 capabilities for future-proofing. The design now offers four titanium finishes, with 'desert titanium' replacing the 'blue titanium' option from the previous model.

Keywords

💡iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 is the latest iteration of Apple's flagship smartphone series. It represents the cutting-edge technology and design that Apple offers to its consumers. In the video, the iPhone 16 is discussed in the context of its new features and improvements over the previous model, the iPhone 15. The discussion includes its new design, AI capabilities, and camera system, indicating that it is central to the video's theme of technological advancement in smartphones.

💡AI Camera

The AI Camera refers to the integration of artificial intelligence into the camera system of the iPhone 16, enhancing its capabilities. This technology allows for smarter image processing and improved photography outcomes. In the script, the AI camera is mentioned as a significant talking point in the announcement of the iPhone 16, suggesting that it is a key feature that sets the new model apart from its predecessors.

💡Design

Design, in the context of the video, refers to the physical appearance and aesthetic of the iPhone 16. It includes aspects such as size, bezel thickness, and overall look. The script mentions that while the iPhone 16 has an 'all new' design, it is not drastically different from the iPhone 15, but it does feature a larger display and thinner bezels, which are important for users who value screen real estate and modern aesthetics.

💡A18 ProChip

The A18 ProChip is the new system-on-chip (SoC) that powers the iPhone 16, offering improved performance and efficiency. The script highlights that this chip is 15% faster and 20% more power-efficient than its predecessor, which is crucial for handling the increased demands of AI processing and high-quality video encoding. This chip is a central component in delivering the performance promised by the new iPhone model.

💡Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence, or AI, is the collective term for Apple's suite of artificial intelligence features and services. The video discusses how the new iPhone 16 is built with AI in mind, suggesting that AI capabilities are deeply integrated into the phone's hardware and software. The A18 ProChip's AI capabilities are expected to enhance these features throughout the year, indicating the growing importance of AI in smartphone technology.

💡Battery Life

Battery life is a critical aspect of smartphone performance, referring to how long a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The script mentions that Apple claims the iPhone 16 has the best battery life of any iPhone, which is a significant improvement over previous models. This is particularly important for users who rely on their phones heavily throughout the day and is a selling point for the new model.

💡Gaming

Gaming on smartphones has become increasingly popular, and the video discusses how the improved hardware of the iPhone 16, particularly its enhanced performance and battery life, can benefit mobile gamers. The iPhone 16's capabilities are expected to allow for better gaming experiences without compromising battery life, which is a key consideration for users who play games on their devices.

💡Camera Control

Camera Control refers to the new dedicated button on the iPhone 16 that provides quick access to the camera app and its settings. The script describes this button as a feature that enhances the camera experience, allowing for faster and more intuitive control over the camera's functions. This feature is particularly relevant for users who frequently use their phone's camera, such as content creators.

💡Fusion Camera

The Fusion Camera is a new camera technology introduced with the iPhone 16, which combines a 48-megapixel main camera sensor with a faster and more efficient quad-pixel sensor. The script indicates that this technology allows for nearly instant shutter speeds even when using the full 48-megapixel resolution, which is a significant improvement over previous models and is particularly beneficial for photography enthusiasts.

💡Ultra Wide Camera

The Ultra Wide Camera is a component of the iPhone 16's camera system, which has been upgraded to a 48-megapixel sensor with autofocus and better macro capabilities. This upgrade is significant as it allows for higher quality wide-angle shots, which is useful for landscape photography and capturing more expansive scenes. The script mentions this as a 'big upgrade', indicating its importance in the overall camera system of the iPhone 16.

💡4K at 120fps

Recording video in 4K at 120 frames per second (fps) is a new capability of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, allowing for ultra-high-definition slow-motion video. This feature is highlighted in the script as a first for any smartphone, indicating a significant advancement in mobile video recording capabilities. It offers more flexibility in post-production, as the footage can be slowed down after recording, which is valuable for content creators and filmmakers.

Highlights

iPhone 16 features an all-new design with a larger 6.9-inch display on the Pro Max model.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has thinner bezels, making it slightly larger but with a similar feel to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16 Pro is now 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro.

The new A18 Pro chip offers a 15% faster CPU and is 20% more power efficient.

Apple claims the iPhone 16 has the best battery life of any iPhone, addressing past concerns.

The iPhone 16 is expected to enhance gaming performance without impacting battery life.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is rumored to have a 4,676mAh battery, an increase from the 15 Pro Max's 4,441mAh.

A new dedicated camera control button provides quick access to camera functions.

The camera control button uses haptic feedback to simulate a physical button press.

Apple AI is integrated throughout the iPhone 16, leveraging the new chip's AI capabilities.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 48-megapixel main camera sensor with a faster quad-pixel sensor.

The ultra-wide camera is upgraded to 48 megapixels with autofocus and better macro capabilities.

Both Pro and Pro Max models now feature a 5x telephoto camera, reducing the gap between the two.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max can record 4K at 120 frames per second, a first for any smartphone.

The iPhone 16 introduces Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, future-proofing the device.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in four new titanium finishes, including a new desert titanium option.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are largely the same, with the main difference being the size.

Transcripts

the iPhone 16 was just announced

yesterday Apple had a lot to say about

AI camera and also its all new design

and you may be wondering if it's finally

time to upgrade I'm Kevin the tech ninja

and this is Tech ninja after

dark let's dive into it starting with

design Apple says all new and I think

that's partially accurate the phone

doesn't look much different but when we

take a deeper look there are a few

things that are different starting with

the size the iPhone 16 Pro Max features

a larger 6.9 in display compared to the

6.7 inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro

Max the new model also has thinner

bezels which makes the device a bit

bigger overall but once you get these

two phones in the hand they feel very

similar once I've bought a bigger phone

I have never once wished my phone to be

smaller so I do welcome the size change

because you truly can't feel the

difference and the iPhone 16 Pro is 6.3

in versus 6.1 on the 15 Pro we now have

the new a18 prochip which has 15% faster

CPU and it's also 20% more power

efficient now this will come in handy

for the allnew Apple intelligence or

apple AI stuff coming to the phone

throughout the year AI takes a lot of

horsepower to run and this new chip has

a lot of AI capabilities but also has a

lot of video encoders but only time will

tell Apple also said this is the best

battery on any iPhone which is something

I love because the pros really haven't

had great battery over the past few

years and I'm I'm always carrying around

a battery bank or something like that to

get me throughout the whole day so I am

really crossing my fingers that this is

actually true and we finally get a great

battery this performance should also

filter down to gaming Apple has been

pushing gaming very hard and then we

have apple arcade and we have AAA titles

that runs excellent on the iPhone 15 Pro

and so yeah having this gaming Hardware

that gets better will allow devs to push

it even more if it doesn't impact

battery life so to me that's win as I

mentioned it's a bigger battery now we

don't have exact sizes um because Apple

doesn't give that information the rumors

say it's

4,676 on the 16 Pro Max and the 15 Pro

Max has 4,441 milliamp but once again

the new chip is also more efficient

which should also increase battery life

keyw should okay we are definitely

losing some light so let's hurry this

thing up the 16 series now has a new

dedicated button for camera it's called

camera control and this gives you quick

access to the camera now once you're the

camera depending on if you press or hold

it it takes pictures or videos then if

you double tap it will take you to

camera controls then you swipe between

all the options it's not an actual

button but it's like a Macbook trackpad

so you do fill the presses but that's a

little motor inside that's making you

feel like you're pushing down on a

button it's actually really cool to feel

it will take some time to get adjusted

to it as I kind of struggled with it a

little bit but I can see this being a

powerful tool for the camera and also

other apps will have access to it as

well and I'll be excited to see some of

these apps that I really love tapping

into it of course we have apple

intelligence and this phone is built

from the ground up with AI in mind and

that's where this chip will come into

play now as far as I know Apple AI or

apple intelligence will be the exact

same on both devices but maybe it's a

bit faster on the 16 but that is just a

guess so on the surface we take a look

at the camera system we see that 15 15

Pro Max and the 16 Pro Max both feature

a 48 megapixel main camera sensor but

there's more to the story because now we

have what Apple calls the fusion camera

which is faster and more efficient quad

pixel sensor I really don't want to get

into that in this video too much because

I really want to use the camera systems

to to really tell you if it matters as

each year we see these camera samples

that will absolutely blow your mind and

so I don't want to fall into the hype

just yet but I will say I did notice the

shutter is nearly instant even when

using the full 48 megapixel and pro raw

which is one of the biggest things I

didn't like about using Pro Raw it's

slow so that's definitely better for me

already what is a big upgrade is the

ultra wide it is now 48 megapixels

instead of 12 it also has autofocus and

better macro now both the pro and pro

Max Now features the 5x telephoto camera

there's typically a drop off when you're

are using a pro instead of the Max and

now they're pretty much the same outside

of battery size the last change in

camera I wanted to mention is that the

iPhone 16 Pro Max can record 4K K 120

inobe Vision which is the first on any

smartphone you can also slow down the

footage after the fact when you record

in 120 as well which opens up the

flexibility the 15 Pro is capped at 60

frames per second at 4K so now we have

double the frames per second also one

thing not really mentioned it's not a

big deal but it's kind of future

proofing the phone the iPhone 16 now has

Wi-Fi seven capabilities compared to

Wi-Fi 6 the new iPhone 16 Pro Max is

available in four titanium finishes we

have have black white natural and desert

Titanium with desert titanium replacing

the blue titanium option from the iPhone

15 Pro Max so here it is these are the

differences I don't think year-over-year

we're having a lot of change in

technology cuz not many breakthroughs

are actually happening all the

breakthroughs we are seeing is now going

to be on the AI things and now all the

hardware is going to adjust for AI but

the capture button is something worth

checking out if you use your phone as

your main camera or you're someone that

uses the camera for to make a lot of

videos or you're a content creator like

me you do have the fusion camera system

and better wide angle lens which I think

is pretty cool so if you want the best

possible camera on an iPhone then yeah

you should definitely check out the

iPhone 16 Pro and I guess one of the

cool things is that the pro and pro Max

is pretty much the same phone just the

size is different but beyond that it is

hard to recommend buying a 16 Pro if you

have a 15 Pro but of course those are my

thoughts I want to know what yours

are sound off down below Kevin the tech

ninja Tech ninja after dark talk to you

guys later peace