Apple iPhone 16 review: forget the Pro, this is the pick of the 2024 iPhones

Introduction

By its own design, Apple’s biggest iPhone feature of 2024 wasn’t even available when the phones went on sale.

Apple Intelligence is Apple’s suite of iOS-enhancing AI tools, only just rolling out in the US and coming soon to the UK.

Indeed, it won’t even be feature-complete then, with some extra morsels due to come at later dates. It’s an easily updated software feature, of course, and is just one of many, many aspects that I’d normally consider in a review.

The problem is that Apple has put so much effort behind associating Apple Intelligence with its suite of 2024 iPhones that it’s quite a challenge to just forget about it for this review.

Even though I’ve had a play with an early, incomplete version, it’s not properly on the streets yet, so I’ve decided not to consider it here – it’s just too early to tell whether it will be a benefit worth buying a phone for.

So what else does Apple’s 2024 iPhone lineup have to offer? The other key headline feature is Camera Control, essentially a shutter button that also opens the camera app and can be used to fine-tune zoom levels (or other options you decide on).

Crucially it’s not just coming to the Pro models but it’s available on the 6.1in iPhone 16 which I’ve reviewed here (available in 128, 256 and 512GB capacities) as well as the 6.7in iPhone 16 Plus. Again the Plus model is the same as this standard one – just with a bigger screen and more capacious battery.

The other key thing to consider is that the camera on both the 16 and 16 Plus has had a decent upgrade, with a 48MP camera which Apple calls Fusion. The key benefit is that it’s also got a 2x telephoto lens, which is currently still a rarity amongst flagship phones not at the top of the range.   

Design: some tweaks, but more of the same

Design-wise, this year’s iPhone doesn’t evolve a huge amount, though Apple has now arranged the camera vertically instead, which is smarter-looking than the odd-angle formation of previous iPhones. The bezels are a little thicker compared to the Pro lineup, but it’s a tiny differentiation. The overall dimensions and weight are essentially the same as the iPhone 15’s. The phone feels very durable this time around and the rounded edges mean that the design isn’t as sharp as, say, the iPhone 13.

Previously the preserve of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the Action button now replaces the mute switch on the standard iPhone, too – that’s a really good thing as it is a much more customisable solution. It can mute if that’s what you still want a physical control for, but you’re also able to customise to open whatever you’d like. I still find I use it for mute – you can also customise the quick actions at the bottom of the lock screen for speedy access to things, too. There’s the new Camera Control button, of course, which I’ll cover in more detail later on.

As well as black and white there are three quite new bold colours, Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink. Ultramarine is our pick of the bunch, though we do miss the (Product) Red and, indeed, other brighter colours.

Specs and battery life: faster and longer-lasting

The iPhone 16 includes a bigger battery, but it’s a small increase (3561mAh compared to 3349mAh) but clearly some progress has been made in terms of optimisations from the new A18 chip (and presumably other areas). You’ll probably get another hour of continuous use out of it. In more practical terms, it will take you well into a second day – possibly even until lunchtime.

The A18 chip is mega fast – there’s no lag and I’m hard-pressed to tell the performance difference between this and the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.

One massive miss for the iPhone 16 is the lack of Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion tech. This is clearly a choice to keep it special for the Pro models. While it’s OLED, the iPhone’s 60Hz refresh rate is now only comparable to cheap Android phones. It’s a real shame, especially as the overall display quality remains excellent. If there is one area where the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are lagging begind in, it’s that.

Setup is still mega simple, especially if you have an existing iPhone – Apple has worked hard to make this as simple as possible and your paired Apple Watch is now even transferred to the new device which is great.

You can now 25W fast charge via MagSafe wireless charging, but you need a 30W charger and a new MagSafe adapter. If speed is what you’re after when charging, I’d always suggest you’re better off charging via wired USB-C rather than wireless.

Camera: welcome additions, great pictures

On a brighter note, the camera system has got a lot better this time around. There are still two lenses, one of which is a 12MP ultrawide plus, as we mentioned, the main 48MP lens is capable of going to 2x telephoto (at 12MP). It’s a very welcome feature that enables a wider range of shots than ever.

Results are predictably well-balanced, with new Photographic Styles adding to the mix in terms of the effects you can create. The camera is excellent – I  got some top shots which you can see below. The telephoto is a really welcome addition, coming to the ‘standard’ iPhone for the first time. It’s not as useful as the 5x on the Pro, but you can get some really great shots with it.

Let’s get into the new Camera Control. First and foremost it opens the camera app. It can also be used to open a third-party app if you so choose (or open Magnifier) so you could use it to whizz straight into Instagram if you wanted. You can then press again to take a picture or press and hold to take a video. From the lock screen, pressing twice will get you straight into the camera. So simple point and shoot with the new button is quicker.

If the camera is already open then pressing twice lightly enables you to change the mode that Camera Control is in. The most commonly used for me was the zoom, but you can also pick from other settings like tone, field of view, style and so on. You’ll unlikely be doing this a great deal, I’d suggest.  This is quite fiddly and like me you’ll probably just use it to zoom in and out.

Your finger can slide across the Camera Control to switch between the selected setting – so it can zoom in or out or change exposure or the depth of field effect for a portrait, for example. Some people have said to me that the placement of the button doesn’t feel very natural, but I haven’t found that myself; you soon get used to it. However, it is very easy to press Camera Control by mistake, while if you’re trying to take a picture in a hurry with one hand, it is easy to select the wrong thing.

You can adjust the Accessibility settings for Camera Control – adjusting the pressure or speed needed to double-press, for example. You can also turn it off entirely in the main Camera Control settings should you wish to not use it.

Software: a gentle update with some great extras

As we mentioned earlier, iOS 18 is somewhat unfinished because of the lack of Apple Intelligence which we’ve disregarded here. The incoming 18.1 update will bring that in tandem with an upgraded Siri. From what we’ve seen of this so far, it’s better, but aside from that, there’s a bunch of enhancements that are mostly interface tweaks. There’s the welcome addition of the Passwords app, which takes storing passwords on a step from before.

It works much more like Google Password Manager where everything is stored centrally. It can also work alongside other password apps, as if you’re in Chrome for example and save a password to Google, it’ll ask you if you want to save it to your Apple Account as well. You can also use Face ID to lock particular apps, too, for added security – really good if you have kids to prevent them getting into, say, your work email.

In terms of messaging, you can now schedule iMessages, and there are also new ways to write messages, too. There’s also long-awaited support for RCS messaging for interoperability with Android.

One of the key tenets of iOS 18 is even more customisation including dark mode icons for the homescreen. Control Center has also had a glow-up and you can choose exactly what you want to show on it, including controls for third-party apps. You can also change the lock screen controls, too. It may be window-dressing, but the window sure looks great. One thing that doesn’t look so great is the photos app which includes more curation, but has a confusing layout. We think Apple will have to address this at a later date.

iPhone 16 verdict

This year’s iPhone 16 Pro lineup is a mighty fine selection to choose from, but it’s the standard model that does more to impress, with a lot of the same features as the Pro. Camera Control and the 2x telephoto lens are great to have in particular, while the battery life is excellent. The screen’s refresh rate does disappoint, though Apple clearly believes most people don’t care – but you and I aren’t most people. As for the software features, it’s a real shame there’s no Apple Intelligence yet – especially as that’s one of the key features Apple is marketing this phone on. But the bottom line is that even without it the iPhone 16 represents great value for those who want this year’s iPhone.  

Apple iPhone 16 technical specifications