At the “It’s Glowtime” Apple event, the Cupertino tech giant unveiled the flagship iPhone 16 Pro. Thanks to a bunch of new camera features and the addition of the Capture Button (plus a bunch of other upgrades), this device might be the new best pick for photographers.
Read more: Apple’s AI explained: what is Apple Intelligence
Following tradition, it comes in two sizes, but this time even bigger. The iPhone 16 Pro is now 6.3-inches, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is now a giant 6.9-inches. But, the devices themselves are an almost identical size. It’s all thanks to some rather swish display tech that’s let Apple shrink down the device’s bezels to almost non-existent. In fact, they’re the slimmest bezels on any Apple device – including the M4 iPad Pro.
iPhone 16 Pro’s front display is more durable than ever. It’s 50% tougher than first-gen Ceramic Shield, and 2x stronger than normal glass. It can blast up to 2000 nits of brightness, and get now get down to just 1 nit. Like before, you benefit from the Pro-exclusive 120Hz ProMotion and an Always On Display.
Last year’s customisable Action Button returns, but it’s joined by a new button in the form of the Camera Control Button. Rather than a button you actually press, this one you can tap, double tap, and slide around on to control your iPhone’s camera. Clicking the button launches the camera, and a hold launches video recording. But there’s also a new button in the form of the Camera Control. Rather than a button you actually press, this one you can tap, double tap, and slide around on to control your iPhone’s camera.
The Camera Control button allows an iPhone 16-exclusive feature called Visual Intelligence. With a quick snap, Apple Intelligence jumps in to analyse whatever’s in front of you, dishing out extra details or letting you interact with what you see. Spot an event poster? You can add it straight to your calendar, just like that. These images aren’t saved on your device, and it’s similar to Google Lens. And if you’re still stumped, you can even ask ChatGPT to help explain what you’re looking at.
Apple says this device has the best battery life of any iPhone, but doesn’t say more. As you’d expect, these devices are event faster, thanks to the new A18 Pro chipset from Apple. This processor has been majorly beefed up from last year, with a focus on the Neural Engines. It makes the iPhone 16 Pros perfect for the AI Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 18.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pros open on Friday, and the devices will start shipping and arrive in stores next Friday (20 September). Just like last year, the regular iPhone 16 Pro retails for $999/£999, and the 16 Plus goes for $1199/£1199. There are four new titanium colours to pick from: black, white, natural, and desert (the new browny gold option).
Related: Apple Watch Series 10 is here, and it’s the biggest upgrade to Apple’s smartwatch in years
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