Apple unveiled a swath of recent {hardware} right this moment, together with the iPhone 16, the AirPods 4, and the Apple Watch Sequence 10. We’ve already obtained you lined in relation to the new Apple Watch and the newest AirPods, however now it’s time to deal with the corporate’s new telephones.
The iPhone 16 is Apple’s first AI-centric telephone, however for everybody who hasn’t purchased into massive tech’s newest development, there’s nonetheless loads to speak about, together with a shocking return to buttons. In an more and more same-y telephone panorama, the iPhone 16 is trying to do one thing somewhat completely different. Right here’s the way it stacks as much as its largest competitors: Google’s Pixel 9 and Samsung’s Galaxy S24.
What’s new with the iPhone 16?
Apple is admittedly pushing Apple Intelligence, its first foray into AI, laborious with the iPhone 16. At present’s occasion didn’t say a lot we hadn’t heard earlier than, however the shadow of AI loomed over the entire presentation.
I’ll get to that in a second, however first, the telephone you’ll be utilizing Apple Intelligence on. Like previous fashions, the iPhone 16 is available in 4 variations, with two sizes for the bottom choice and two sizes for the upgraded professional model. In contrast to previous fashions, Apple is making the “sweet bar” rectangular design that is develop into synonymous with smartphones normally somewhat enjoyable once more.
These days, Apple’s been shifting in direction of fewer buttons, adopting a extremely generalized design that saved the iPhone from protruding throughout the competitors. There have been even rumors Apple would ditch buttons completely. This 12 months, Apple determined to go all-in on the tactile, gadget-y really feel that may solely include a bodily press.
All iPhone 16s are getting the customizable Motion Button that was unique to the iPhone 15’s professional fashions, however there’s additionally now a brand new Digicam Management button. This works a bit like a DSLR shutter, and can assist you to press it with various ranges of strain to both take a photograph or alter issues like zoom, publicity, and focus. You’ll be able to even slide your finger throughout the button for even larger management.
As somebody who purchased the iPhone 15 Professional partially so I may use the Motion Button to activate the digital camera, I’m all-in. Extra bodily controls on my telephone, please.
Apart from that, there’s the everyday upgrades to digital camera and battery, however apparently, all iPhone 16s are getting some model of the brand new A18 chip. Which means individuals who get the bottom mannequin received’t be caught with final 12 months’s professional chip, which was how Apple’s base fashions labored. It additionally means all iPhone 16s will get Apple Intelligence and can be capable to play graphic-intensive video games, like Loss of life Stranding. The iPhone 16 Professional will nonetheless get a greater model of the chip—the A18 Professional over the A18—however all fashions of this new CPU are speculated to be stronger than something Apple’s launched to date.
For these Professional fashions, there’s additionally now greater screens, too, though Apple has saved the bezels skinny to cease the machine itself from getting greater. Now, the iPhone 16 Professional has a 6.3-inch display screen and the Professional Max has a 6.9-inch display screen.
As for that promised Apple Intelligence, it’s speculated to hit the general public subsequent month, coming first in U.S. English. Throughout its occasion, Apple additionally introduced Visible Intelligence, a solution to get AI assist by holding the brand new Digicam Management button.
Whether or not all these adjustments will make the telephone really feel like a correct improve will nonetheless want to attend for a full overview, however it’s actually a extra expansive overhaul than simply upping the processor and digital camera specs. The iPhone 16 begins at $799 for the bottom mannequin and $899 for the Plus model, whereas the iPhone 16 Professional begins at $999 and the iPhone 16 Professional Max begins at $1,199.
iPhone 16 vs Pixel 9
Whereas Apple’s latest telephone is searching for methods to reinforce the traditional “sweet bar” rectangle format, the Pixel 9 as an alternative did one thing Apple followers are nonetheless ready for: It introduced a foldable to the desk.
The Pixel 9 line wasn’t the primary time we obtained a Google foldable, however with the introduction of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, Google undoubtedly embraced the concept, not spinning it off right into a sub-brand. When getting Google’s newest telephone, now you can select both a Pixel 9, a Pixel 9 Professional, or a folding model of that 9 Professional.
There are completely different sizes for every of the non-folding fashions, certain, however folding is a much more fascinating design tweak than a shutter button (even when a shutter button remains to be enjoyable). I’m undecided it’s price it—folding telephones are nonetheless far costlier, and also you sacrifice some digital camera functionality going for one right here—however it makes the Pixel 9 a extra fascinating choice for individuals who don’t suppose barely higher specs are sufficient of a purpose to improve.
The Pixel 9 nonetheless has these too, after all, plus some extra of the unique software program options Google is thought for. This 12 months launched “Add me,” which might make group pictures simpler to take, and Pixel Studio, which is actually an AI picture generator. There’s additionally reimagine, which helps you to use AI to edit current images, though that’s kicked up a little bit of an argument following an investigation by The Verge.
Proper now, the important thing causes to get a Pixel are both that choice for a foldable, or these unique options, though it’s doable Apple Intelligence will make the latter appear a bit much less compelling. That’s a little bit of a disgrace for Google, as a result of with the bottom Pixel 9 beginning at $799 and the Pixel 9 Professional beginning at $999, there’s no value incentive to go along with its telephone as an alternative.
iPhone 16 vs Samsung Galaxy S24
The Samsung Galaxy line has lengthy been Android’s reply to the iPhone. The place Google’s Pixel typically focuses extra on standing out with distinctive designs and intelligent software program, Samsung’s flagship provides a cultured however extra conventional design, and focuses on industry-leading cameras. (That mentioned, the corporate does have its personal foldable sub-brand within the Galaxy Z collection.)
That’s nonetheless the case right here: The Galaxy S24 Extremely packs a 200 megapixel important lens that blows the 48 megapixel lens on the iPhone 16 Professional out of the water. Even the bottom Samsung Galaxy S24 has a stronger important digital camera than the usual iPhone 16, at 50 MP vs 48 MP.
There’s additionally the S Pen that comes constructed into the Galaxy S24 Extremely, which provides you some tactile note-taking capabilities which might be laborious to copy on an iPhone, even with a third-party stylus (these often simply mimic a finger).
AI on the Galaxy S24 is weaker than what Apple Intelligence seems to offer, borrowing most of its smarts from Google, though options like sketch-to-image make use of the telephone’s distinctive capabilities effectively.
Not everybody cares about AI, although, and in case you additionally don’t care in regards to the iOS ecosystem, it’s controversial that the Galaxy S24 seems like probably the most premium choice on this record. That may simply be as a result of I just like the sq. corners (versus rounded) and the digital camera lenses not being segregated into their very own little field. It’s actually a subjective judgment, however I’d say that Apple won’t be the posh king right here.
That displays in pricing, too. Whereas the bottom Galaxy S24 is on par with the iPhone 16’s $799 MSRP, the Galaxy S24 Extremely begins at $1,299, so it’s a bit costlier than Apple’s premium choice.
It’s a robust competitor for Apple, however one word of warning: having launched in January, the S24 line can be due for a refresh quickly, so it’s most likely sensible to attend earlier than shopping for one. Nonetheless, this additionally means you could possibly get a value reduce by going for a retailer that is not Samsung itself.
