I've waited a long time for an iPhone upgrade, and I've decided this is finally the year I make the switch. With the iPhone 16 series, I've seen enough to convince me to leave my ancient iPhone XS behind. Going into the iPhone 16 launch, I was almost ready to choose the Pro, but after the event, I'm convinced that the non-Pro models are better for most people—myself included.
The Pro models have some excellent video recording features, and if my work revolved around that, I'd get the top variant in a heartbeat. But I am just like most people who buy iPhones: I take pictures, install a monstrous number of apps, browse the web, use social media, and play the occasional game. For people like me, a "Pro" iPhone is no longer a must-have.
When you use your iPhones for as long as I do, it's important to avoid caving to impulses and time your upgrade strategically. Had I caved in and upgraded to an iPhone 14, I would have waited a long time to make the switch to USB-C. Had I bought an iPhone 15, I would have missed out on Apple Intelligence. The jury's still out on AI, but as a technology journalist, I want to try these features before passing judgement.
With the iPhone 16, I see this as the key moment to take advantage of tech that will last quite a while. You get the latest A18 processor, and reports indicate that all iPhone models ship with 8GB of RAM. That means any new iPhone I choose will run Apple's generative AI features, whether I buy the cheapest iPhone 16, or the most expensive 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 also has the Action button, the Dynamic Island, and the new Camera Control button, which means the hardware itself is almost identical to the 16 Pro. All iPhones this year support tech like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3, and are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. When you pair that with other Pro features now available on the 16, such as wind noise reduction in videos, Thread networking technology, and macro photography, you're looking at a solid overall package with few major omissions.
The 16 Plus also has great battery life: When compared with the 16 Pro, Apple says both models get the same 27 hours of local video playback, but the Plus ekes out an extra two hours of battery when streaming video. What's more, the Plus' battery reportedly lasts for 100 hours of audio playback, while the Pro's lasts for 85. The Pro Max has them all beat, but when looking at the two iPhones I'm most likely to buy, that extra battery life is a perk.
That matters when you're looking at these prices: The iPhone 16 starts at $799, while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899. Once you move into Pro territory, you're spending at least $999. If you want more storage than the standard 128GB offered with each iPhone, you'll need to keep adding to that price tag. The Plus offers a lot of great features, and a larger display, for $899. I don't think the Pro justifies the extra $100 minimum.
In previous years, there was a clear demarcation between the base and the Pro iPhone models, as Apple reserved some of the most interesting features for its more expensive devices. One could go as far as to say that the iPhone X was the first "Pro" iPhone. You could still buy the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, but if you wanted to feel like you had a "new" iPhone, the iPhone X was the one to go for.
That difference only grew from there, especially with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15: Apple recycled the processors from the previous generation of iPhones for these devices. If you wanted the latest and greatest hardware—you know, something new—you had to buy a Pro.
With the iPhone 16 generation, that line is now blurry. You can use the iPhone comparison tool on Apple's website and verify this yourself. Very few features are exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro: For the extra cost, you get a ProMotion display, which bumps the refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz; an extra GPU core in the A18 chip; faster USB speeds; a telephoto lens for high-quality "zoom" photos; a better wide-angle camera; Night Mode portrait shots, though the 16 and 16 Plus support standard Night Mode; and a titanium body. This is a smaller list than what we've seen with the 14 and 15 series iPhones. Of all of these features, I'm personally tempted to get the Pro models just for the display, but otherwise, there's not that much to push me to upgrade.
The biggest advantage to the Pros, in my view, is with video recording. The 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max support industry standards, like ProRes and LOG video recording, as well as the Academy Color Encoding System. While the phones support shooting 4K up to 120 fps (the 16 and 16 Plus cap out at 4K 60 fps), you can connect the Pros to an external source to record your footage. It's quite the professional setup for a smartphone, but, again, I don't record video this way, so I don't need these features.
For a while, it became standard practice to upgrade your iPhone every two years. That's no longer necessary. Your iPhone is good enough to last you at least three years, and, if you're careful, even longer. In recent years, Apple has reiterated its focus on the longevity of its products, and begrudgingly worked to make iPhones more repairable. To that point, as the rumors suggested, the iPhone 16's battery is now easier to replace.
Even though this is coming in response to regulatory scrutiny, these moves are going to make it easier to hold onto your iPhones for longer. Data from CIRP suggests that 61% of iPhone buyers used their smartphones for two years or more. Similarly, Verizon's CEO has claimed that many iPhone owners keep their devices for over three years. Modern iPhones are powerful, reliable, and stable. When you look at the changes from one generation to another, you aren't missing out on much. Take a look at this comparison between the Phone 14 Pro, 15 Pro, and 16 Pro, and you'll see there aren't that many gaps in the feature set with each generation.
Unless you're a professional videographer who uses iPhones as a part of the recording setup, you aren't going to miss out on much if you upgrade once every three years. In fact, you'll be doing your wallet and the environment a huge favor by using your iPhones for as long as you can. My iPhone XS is still kicking despite releasing in 2018: An iPhone 16 Plus with these aforementioned features should suit me well for quite some time.
I keep advising you to avoid installing OS betas on your primary devices and you'll be happy to know that I follow that advice too. When I opted to move my iPhone XS to the iOS 18 beta cycle, my brother was kind enough to hand me his slightly cracked 12 Pro Max, which is now my daily driver. This year, I'll trade in the iPhone XS and move to the 16 series.
A small voice in my head is telling me to future-proof my smartphone needs and get the Pro, but the rational part of me cannot justify the expense. I don't use my iPhone for professional video recording, and while that Pro display is impressive, I primarily watch movies and shows on my large TV at home.
The choice for me is between the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro. Since the former has better battery life, a larger display, and most of the features I need, I'll be buying the iPhone 16 Plus. If I can stretch my budget a little, I might even treat myself to the 512GB variant.
