The Pro model in the test When the iPhone 16 is worth considering for you

At first glance, the latest phone model from Apple doesn't have much new to offer. On closer inspection, however, the new photo options and longer-lasting battery are particularly impressive.

With every announcement of a new iPhone model, a good-humored man in a burgundy shirt is once again celebrating a boom. In the view of many critics, the leaps in innovation in the individual models are simply too small. The meme sums this up in an amusing way.

The 16 model is no exception. A slightly better camera, a slightly more powerful chip and the sales arguments are enough to lure Apple fans back into the stores or the digital showroom.

But even in terms of hardware, the leaps have been increasingly modest in recent years. Cell phone manufacturers are unanimously reaching their physical limits, so they are focusing more and more on software. "Imaging Pipeline" or "Photonic Engine" are the keywords that further optimize the images and squeeze every last ounce out of the sensors. How much users really notice is questionable.

And the world becomes colorful

On the iPhone 16, however, one area has now been greatly optimized again, which really catches the eye. Under "Photographic Styles", users have the option of defining very specific color aspects and moods. Although this function has been available since iPhone 13, it was previously limited primarily to contrast and white balance.

With controls for saturation, intensity or hue, subjects literally shine in a completely new light. Paired with the camera's automatic wide-angle lens, even fantastic macro shots like this one are possible.

Apple has also improved the operation of the camera on the latest iPhone model. "Camera control" is the name of the new button on the right-hand side of the housing. Pressing it lightly opens the various shooting options. Pressing it again triggers the camera.

The button also has a swipe sensor. This can be used to operate the zoom or exposure, for example. This sounds wonderful in theory, but in practice it is a little fiddly, at least at the beginning, and you can accidentally end up in completely different menus and apps than you had actually planned.

Once you get the hang of it, however, the iPhone 16 can actually take wonderful photos that are not inferior to professional cameras in many ways. The same applies to videos, where content creators will enjoy the Studio mode. This allows voices, for example, to be mixed afterwards as if they had been recorded in a studio. Disturbing wind noises can also be easily filtered out, eliminating the need for additional video editing software.

Better battery, faster charging

Where the iPhone 16 impresses across the board is the new battery. It is both larger than its predecessor and even more efficient thanks to the newly installed A18 chips.

In everyday use, this means that I can usually get through almost two days without recharging the phone. I have to say that I'm not necessarily a "heavy user" and often scroll through social media feeds, but I do watch the occasional video.

In any case, most users should get through the day without any problems before they have to charge the iPhone 16 again. The charging speed is similar to that of its predecessor, although wireless charging via MagSafe is now a little faster. However, the phone does get noticeably warmer than when it is supplied with power directly via USB-C.

Ready for the AI age

With the aforementioned A18 chip, the performance of the iPhone 16 Pro also leaves nothing to be desired. You never have the feeling of reaching the limits when using it. Everything runs smoothly, with no stutters or unexpected crashes, as is regularly the case with competitor products.

In view of the announced AI functions from Apple Intelligence, this computing power is certainly necessary. In the future, for example, it will also be possible to transcribe voice calls directly with AI, there will be ChatGPT integration and by next year, assistant Siri should also make a significant leap in terms of support.

The first features of Apple Intelligence are initially only available in English. Also in Switzerland, but not in the EU. Next year, Apple Intelligence will also be available in German.

Conclusion

Let's summarize: The iPhone 16 is primarily worth considering for photo and video enthusiasts. The most significant changes compared to the previous model can be seen in this area and really make life a little easier. However, this does not make the iPhone 16 a must-buy. More of a "nice to have".

However, if you already own a slightly older model, the latest model could be of real interest to you, as the sum of innovations and technical upgrades of the last few years is quite something. And if you want to be ready for the cell phone AI age, you'll be happy if you also have correspondingly powerful chips.