Apple is the brand that swept the world off its feet with the iPhone. And so far, they still are. The brand-new iPhone 16 was released on September 20, 2024. In the first weekend of the release, more than 37 million were sold. It may seem like a lot but for Apple, it’s not. This phone retails for $799 for the regular 16 and $899 for the 16 plus. So is this phone worth all that money?
The new iPhone is almost a replica of the iPhone 15 Promax. If you are comparing them with how well they work, they are about the same, as they have the same features and aspects. The only difference is that the iPhone 16 has a new side button that allows you to access the camera app quickly. However, people have had complaints about accidentally pressing the button when they didn’t want to. So even though this phone may be faster by a little, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is much cheaper and has almost the same amount of efficiency.
The iPhone 16 has the A18 Pro chip which provides a faster and more efficient energy saver, a solid upgrade from the old model. This results in battery life that will last all day. Additionally, the quality of the cameras was upgraded slightly. To deliver sharper photos, the cameras have 48-megapixels, and the 5x zoom lens allows for closer shots without loss of quality. Also, Apple added tone control for fine-tuning colors for photos. So, if you like to take a lot of high-quality photos, this is the phone for you. Additionally, the phone is fast when it comes to 5G internet, even if you have demanding games or you heavily multitask on apps.
There are a variety of colors that are offered with the new phones. The Pro offers more neutral tones, such as Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and Desert Titanium. The iPhone 16 offers ultramarine(blue), Teal, Pink, White, and Black. With the variety of new colors, many are enticed to get the new phone, for as we say, “the aesthetic of it”.
The iPhones in general have many new features that are not just offered on the iPhone 16 or 16 Pro. Notably, when moving your apps around they can move around freely instead of going right next to the other apps you have, mainly to create a cooler visual for your iPhone display. Additionally, you can resize any widgets on your home screen more easily without having to delete and then re-add them. More customizable features are the tint feature where you can make all your apps one specific color of your choice. Furthermore, on your lock screen in the bottom corners, you are able to customize your shortcuts to whatever you would like instead of the classic flashlight and camera feature. Apple is also incorporating artificial intelligence into their phones, like editing to Apple Notes for grammar checks. One of the last cool features this new iOS update has is the Satellite feature, where you can send messages without any service at all.
So back to the original question: is the iPhone 16’s really worth the money? Many agree that it all depends on what you want in an iPhone. For example, one reason to get it is if you want the aesthetic appeal and you like one of the colors. But if we are talking about the quality of the phone, the iPhone 15 is practically the exact same iPhone with the cameras in different places. If you’re looking for a cheaper option that is the same, I would go with the iPhone 15. In the end, it’s about what matters to you. If you value looks and have the latest, go for the iPhone 16, but if you want the same performance for a lower cost, the iPhone 15 will be your best bet.
