It’s that time of year again! Apple has just dropped its latest lineup of iPhones and a new generation of AirPods and Apple Watches. We know the excitement is real, and you might be wondering if it’s time to break the bank for that shiny new upgrade. But is the iPhone 16 truly a leap forward from its predecessor? Let’s compare the iPhone 15 and 16 series to help you decide if it’s worth the hype and the hefty price tag.

All-new Apple Intelligence

First thing’s first: AI.

With the upcoming iOS 18, the iPhone 16 series will include Apple Intelligence, the tech giant’s own AI platform that’s also one of the more significant upgrades this year. It lets you rewrite, proofread, and summarize across apps like Mail, Notes, Voice Notes, and more. AI Genmoji also lets you create images from your sketches, descriptions, and even from your Photos library.

Siri even receives a major upgrade in iOS 18, becoming even more intuitive with richer language understanding and the ability to perform actions within and across different apps. Plus, its all-new design boasts a glowing light around the edge of your screen.

The new Camera contorl button on the iPhone is really cool and also has tons of visual AI features not coming until later this year

The main thing it’ll do out of the box is flip through camera controls when taking photos and videos in the camera app pic.twitter.com/5c2Vjykijh

— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) September 9, 2024

For the older models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the only units able to support Apple Intelligence. So, if you want to play around with AI, you might want to consider this.

However, note that the Apple Intelligence features will only start to roll out on iOS 18 later this year.

A powerful chip

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models use the A18 Pro chip. This chip offers a significant performance boost compared to the A17 Pro that’s found in the iPhone 15 Pro models.

A18 Pro promises exceptional speed and efficiency, thanks in part to a groundbreaking 20% boost in system memory bandwidth – “the highest ever in iPhone, for outstanding performance.” This translates to smoother, more responsive performance across the board, and especially in demanding tasks like gaming, where you can expect lifelike graphics and lighting effects like never before.

Battery life also sees a substantial improvement. While the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max offered up to 23 and 29 hours of video playback, respectively, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max extend that to an impressive 27 and 33 hours, ensuring you can enjoy your content for even longer.

Bump in size

While the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max offered 6.1″ and 6.7″ screens, respectively, the premium iPhone 16 range expands that to a generous 6.3″ for the Pro and a massive 6.9″ for the Pro Max for an even more immersive viewing experience.

Meanwhile, the entry-level iPhone 16 and 16 Plus maintain the same screen sizes as their predecessors, providing familiar 6.1″ and 6.7″ displays.

Camera button and pro cameras

Aside from the volume, action, and lock buttons that the iPhone 15 series already has, iPhone 16 premium models will also debut a major upgrade in camera controls.

A brand-new camera control button lets you simply slide your finger to adjust functions like depth of field and zoom, putting professional-level control at your fingertips.

The iPhone 16 premium models also boast not one, but two 48-megapixel cameras: a main camera for stunning detail and a new ultra-wide camera for breathtaking landscapes and group shots. Plus, with a new 5x zoom capability, you can capture distant subjects with exceptional clarity. This is a major leap forward from the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which offered a 48-megapixel main camera, an ultra-wide camera, and zoom up to 3x.

As for videos, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max now support up to 4K video recording at an astonishing 120 fps, delivering what Apple calls “the highest-quality video in a smartphone.”

Pricing

Here’s a quick comparison of the pricing for both series when they first released:

iPhone 15 series:

iPhone 15 starts at P56,990
iPhone 15 Plus starts at P63,990
iPhone 15 Pro starts at P70,990
iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at P84,990

iPhone 16 series:

iPhone 16 starts at P54,990
iPhone 16 Plus starts at P62,990
iPhone 16 Pro starts at P69,990
iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at P84,990

It seems Apple is making the latest iPhone a little bit more accessible, with the entry-level iPhone 16 potentially launching at a lower price than the iPhone 15.

The verdict

So should you make the upgrade? The answer all depends on your needs and preferences. If you’re sporting an iPhone 14 or 15 and you’re still happy with your phone’s performance, the upgrades might not be significant enough to justify the hefty price tag.

However, if you’re rocking an iPhone 12 or older, the leap in technology – from processing power and battery life to camera capabilities and AI features – would undoubtedly be a game-changer. Ultimately it’s up to you and how you want to use your phone and if you can justify the costs.

When will iPhone 16 series release in the Philippines?

While Apple hasn’t announced an official release date for the Philippines yet, based on last year’s iPhone 15 launch, we can anticipate that the iPhone 16 models will likely hit Philippine stores around mid-October.

Aside from the iPhone, Apple also introduced the new Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4. Plus, they announed a hearing aid feature for the AirPods Pro 2.

Check out everything they announced here.

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