Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Pro series buying guide

Note: This feature was first published on 11 September 2024 and is republished now because the phones go on sale today.

Getting the new iPhone 16? What’s in it for you?

While there’s no question that Apple fans will spend money on the company’s latest iOS handsets, the choices are even more vague now. The introduction of Apple’s AI, Apple Intelligence, across all the new phones and a new class of processors for both series narrowed the distinction between both offerings this year.

In this buying guide, we’ll look at the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max to decide how to choose between them while retaining everything relevant to your needs. We’ll look at what’s new to both series relative to their predecessors, look at key upgrade paths for both general and professional consumers, and anything else you should know before buying 2024 iPhones. Here’s how our guide is dissected and feel free to jump to the relevant sections:

Content in this buying guide

1. Essentials to know: Price, Colours, Configurations
2. What you need to know about Apple Intelligence
3. iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
4. iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
5. eSIM matters
6. When and where can you buy the new iPhone 16 models

We suggest checking out these news and hands-on stories first to make the most of your iPhone buying decisions. Also, check out our prior guides for Apple iPhone 15 and Apple iPhone 14 to refresh yourself on what’s new in those phone line-ups to get a better perspective of our inputs in this guide.

Things to know: prices, configurations, colours, and more

Here are the configurations available in Singapore, along with their official prices:

Apple iPhone 16 series Singapore official prices 

(Note: iPhone 15 launch prices are in brackets)

Model / Storage	iPhone 16	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro Max
128GB	S$1,299 (S$1,299)	S$1,399 (S$1,449)	S$1,599 (S$1,649)	—
256GB	S$1,449 (S$1,459)	S$1,549 (S$1,609)	S$1,749 (S$1,809)	S$1,899 (S$1,999)
512GB	S$1749 (S$1,779)	S$1,849 (S$1,929)	S$2,049 (S$2,129)	S$2,199 (S$2,319)
1TB	—	—	S$2,349 (S$2,449)	S$2,499 (S$2,639)
Colours	Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, Black		Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium

Interestingly, the launch prices for the iPhone 16 series and 16 Pro series are S$10 to S$140 lower than last year’s. This goes against the trend of rising Android phone prices, which is good news if you’re due for an iPhone upgrade.

Everything discussed in this buying guide is based on the launch information and hands-on experience we had at Apple’s 10 September 2024 keynote, Glowtime. It may evolve when the iPhones get more features via firmware updates, but that’s for future you and HWZ to worry about later.

Also, the new phones prompted Apple to remove the previous year’s iPhone 15 Pro series from its retail lineup. If you decide to get last year’s Pro models, know that you’ll have to look outside of Apple’s online store to find these devices. (Hint: authorised resellers).

Like the last two cycles, the iPhone 16 series models differ from their Pro counterparts through features. Still, the distinction within each tier (e.g. iPhone 16 versus iPhone 16 Plus, or iPhone 16 Pro versus iPhone 16 Pro Max) solely boils down to size, display, and battery capacity preferences. You get the ، option if you like ، phones, have ، hands or need more battery uptime.

A word on Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence, first unveiled at WWDC 2024, is available on all iPhone 16 models. However, it’s not necessarily available right out of the phone box. Apple has said it will roll out “next month” (October 2024) with the iOS 18.1 firmware update.

Some known Apple Intelligence features are:

• Writing Tools: Proofread, rewrite, and summarise text based on context and tone in any Apple-made or third-party app like Mail, Notes, Pages, and more.
  
   
• Clean Up: This feature identifies and removes distracting objects from a photo’s background. It is found in the default Photos app.
  
   
• Audio recording, transcription, and summary: These are available only in the Phone and Notes app. Callers are notified, and summaries are provided at the end of the call.
  
   
• New Focus mode, Reduce Interruptions: The AI decides for you if a notification requires immediate attention.
  
   
• Priority Messages: This feature is only available in the Mail app and brings up time-sensitive messages. It also summarises an email and shows the summary as a preview instead of the old “first two lines of the email” format.
  
   
• Siri integration: Siri, the voice assistant, becomes more conversant. Siri can also help users troubleshoot (e.g. delete duplicate photos) or customise their iPhone settings (e.g. share Wi-Fi password with other iOS devices owned by you).

These AI tools mostly have Android equivalents, as seen in Google Pixel’s Gemini AI and Samsung’s Galaxy AI. Since its rivals have been around for some time, Apple Intelligence should be easy to understand, even if you’re new to using AI tools on your phone. 

What’s new to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus?

When comparing to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus get the following upgrades:

• Apple A18 Bionic chip, 1.5 generations ahead of the A16 Bionic on iPhone 15 series.
  
   
• The customizable Action Button, previously not available at this tier and inherited from the iPhone 15 Pro series, replaces your ring/silent switch.
  
   
• The New Camera Control button is a tactile and capacitive addition that controls the default Camera app shutter and adjustments with click and slide gestures.
  
   
• 1-nit minimum brightness, previously not available in its predecessors.
  
   
• An improved 12MP ultrawide camera that captures 2.6x more light than its predecessors
  
   
• Macro photography on the ultrawide, which was previously exclusive to Pro models
  
   
• Spatial photo-taking and video recording at 1080p30FPS, which can be displayed on Apple Vision Pro.
  
   
• Better battery efficiency with 1 to 2 more hours of video playback, per Apple’s claims.
  
   
• Faster MagSafe wireless charging, up to 25W (previously 15W on predecessors).
  
   
• Second-generation Ceramic Shield glass front, 50% tougher than predecessor and 2x tougher than “glass found in any other smartphone, per Apple’s claims.

Other small tweaks include improved Photographic Styles (more filters and more control), a realigned rear camera design, an additional anti-reflective coating on its main camera lens, the ability to record Audio Mixes, access to Wi-Fi 7 support, the inclusion of ThreadNetwork, and, of course, Apple Intelligence, which Apple said won’t come to phones running anything older than A17 Pro chipsets.

The list of upgrades on the iPhone 16 series is longer (almost double) than what iPhone 15 series got, and that’s just the ones with noticeable improvements and benefits. The upgrades are more blatant if you’re comparing it to even older iPhones. 

Should I upgrade to iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus?

The main reasons why a normal Apple phone user would upgrade to the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus would be its new A18 Bionic processor for added performance (as tested by us), the added convenience of its customisable Action Button, and the additional Camera Control button that lets you shoot with a more natural grip (regardless of your content creation or influencer tendencies).

Inheriting the power to shoot macro photos is a nice touch, which can be helpful to people who aren’t great at judging near distances (since the macro function is automatically triggered).

Other reasons would be faster charging, better battery uptime, and 1-nit minimum brightness for gentler viewing in the dark or better always-on display efficiency. They add to the experience even if they aren’t critical reasons for an upgrade.

For most people, including previous-generation iPhone 15 series users, this upgrade cycle is more sensible and justified after suffering under years of incremental improvements. Upgrading is not a must, but it’s a sweet spot if you choose to do so with the iPhone 16 series.

The exception to this rule would be the users of the previous Pro generation models, since the regular iPhone 16 series inherited some of its previous Pro features. 

What’s new to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The following additions or upgrades are exclusive to the Pro models:

• Apple A18 Pro Bionic chipset, a one-generation upgrade from A17 Pro on iPhone 15 Pro series.
  
   
• Slightly ، displays owing to thinner borders on the new phones (0.2 inches diagonally on both models) 
  
   
• The new 48MP ultrawide camera is up from the previous 12MP and now has added pixel-binning.
  
   
• 4K120FPS shooting for videos, with Dolby Vision compatibility.
  
   
• Cinematic slow motion, with playback speed controls.
  
   
• Four built-in studio quality microphones.
  
   
• Two-stage shutter for the Camera Control button for focus and exposure locking, but only as a firmware update later.
  
   

The following are new, too, but they are also available on the regular iPhone 16 series:

• Apple Intelligence
• Camera Control button
• Improved Photographic Styles with touchpad-like controls
• Spatial Photo and Video recording
• Audio Mix
• Wind Noise Reduction in recordings
• Faster 25W MagSafe wireless charging
• Second-gen Ceramic Shield
• 1-nit minimum brightness on display
• Anti-reflective lens coating (but the Pro gets it on all three rear cameras)

Support for USB 3’s transfer speeds (10Gb/s) is not new, but it remains a Pro-only exclusive perk. That’s just like other Pro-only perks, such as ProRAW compatibility, Log video recording, and the Academy Colour Encoding System for video editing.

Similarly, the primary and telephoto cameras between both the 15 Pro series and the 16 Pro series are not noticeably different on paper. However, Apple claimed it has reduced shutter lag to zero on the 2024 Pro phones when taking ProRAW or HEIF formats.

Also, note that the Pro models are physically larger than the previous generation equivalents, but not by much (roughly 1-2mm in height and width, same thickness).

Should I upgrade to iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max?

If you’re currently using an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, you should know that Apple Intelligence will be available as a firmware update (iOS 18.1 and later) even to these older phones. The chipset on these mobiles can run these AI tools, so if you’re upgrading for AI reasons, we suggest you reconsider and hold out a bit longer.

The change to a 48MP ultrawide camera makes it feel like Apple is playing catch-up to ensure all its rear cameras are ready for professional production needs.

That also means that if you’re not working with videos/photos in a professional capacity, the ultrawide upgrade won’t matter (since you’d rarely be in a situation where you need to undo pixel-binning to shoot at full 48MP format for ultrawide).

It’s also apparent when you consider all the other upgrades between previous and current Pro generations. Unless you’re working as a professional in online content production, film-making, photography, or recording industries, upgrades like shooting in 4K120FPS and having a two-stage shutter do not directly impact your day-to-day use.

The only one that does affect daily use is the extra 0.2 inches of display, but we’d say that the A18 Pro chipset would be a ، pull factor.

In fact, it’s entirely possible to upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro series to the non-Pro iPhone 16 series, since the list above already shows you where all the actual day-to-day upgrades are.

But, Pro and Pro Max users are a generous bunch. Not only is it okay for the regular series users to get the spotlight once in a while, we also know that it won’t stop them from shelling out top dollar for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, even if the additional perks aren’t as critical to their usage.

Also, Pro series phones have lower starting prices than last year’s, which helps with the self-gong tao (self-hypnosis through black magic) that they’re getting the best at a better deal. Admittedly, we would, too (but our excuse is that we are content producers).

If your iPhone is older than the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, then by all means, this is a good time to upgrade since the gap is much, much larger. For example, you might have skipped out on Grade 5 Titanium, the previous Action Button, or the tetraprism lens design, all of which were introduced last year.

Are all iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 series devices eSIM only?

In Singapore, iPhones still support physical SIMs. All four models are dual-SIM compatible, with support for one nano-SIM and one eSIM simultaneously.

U.S. models are dual eSIM, with the option to store up to eight eSIMs in total. Theirs come without physical SIM compatibility.

When and where can you get the new iPhone 16 models?

All four iPhone 16 models start pre-orders from 8pm on 13 September 2024, while general availability and retail sales will begin on 20 September.

• iPhone 16 and 16 Plus pre-orders and purchase, go here.
• iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders and purchase, go here.
  
   

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