| Image: Apple |
Apple has announced the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, which include a dedicated ‘Camera Control’ button, an A18 Pro system-on-a-chip, and larger displays. The 16 Pro has a 16cm (6.3in) screen, and the Pro Max’s screen is 17.5cm (6.9in).
The company says the 16 Pro includes a new ’48MP Fusion Camera’ with a ‘second generation quad-pixel sensor.’ According to Apple, it has a two-times faster readout than the previous version, allowing for ‘no shutter lag.’ The Pro Max’s 5x lens has also come to the regular iPhone 16 Pro, replacing the 3x camera that was on the previous generation.
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The iPhone 16 Pro’s main camera has a faster sensor readout, according to Apple. Image: Apple |
The 16 Pro’s ultra wide camera now also has a 48MP sensor, up from 12MP on the previous generation, and the company has updated its ‘Photo Styles’ feature, offering more control over color. You’re also able to change the style after capturing the image; they used to be baked-in.
Video has also received an update: you can now shoot 4K video at 120 frames-per-second when using the main camera. 120fps will also be available while shooting with the ProRes and Log features when recording to external storage. Apple has added a new interface to the Photos app that allows you to change the playback speed of high frame rate footage.
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You can adjust the playback speed of 120fps footage on-device. Image: Apple |
The company says the 16 Pro includes four ‘studio-quality’ microphones, that will provide a lower noise floor for videos shot on the iPhone. They can also capture ‘spatial audio,’ which you can mix using the phone. According to Apple, you’ll be able to focus the sound on the subject in the frame.
Apple also announced the 15.5cm (6.1in) iPhone 16 and 17cm (6.7in) iPhone 16 Plus. The phones get the ‘Camera Control’ button, as well as the ‘Action’ button that was exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro in the previous generation. The phones also feature a new A18 processor, which the company says has a 30% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU than the chip found in the regular iPhone 15.
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The iPhone 16’s camera bump is smaller than the previous generation’s. Image: Apple |
Earlier in the presentation, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the phones “the first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence and its breakthrough capabilities.”
The company says the ‘Camera Control’ button allows you to control various features in the camera app. Pressing it will open the camera, and pressing it again will take a picture. You can also press and hold it while in the app to take a video. The button is touch sensitive, letting you slide your finger across it to change zoom level, depth of field, and more.
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Lightly double-tapping the Camera Control will let you choose which variable to adjust. Image: Apple |
The button also has haptic feedback, which the company says “emulates the feel of a DSLR camera shutter.” Later this year, on the Pro models, it will have a ‘two-stage’ action that will lock focus and exposure, similar to a half-press of the shutter button on most dedicated cameras.
Apple says the button will also provide ‘instant access’ to Apple Intelligence features. According to the company, pressing and holding the ‘Camera Control’ will bring up an interface that lets you perform a search using ‘Visual Intelligence.’ You can point it at an object, and the phone will bring up information about what’s in frame. It can also be connected to third parties, getting information about what the camera is pointed at from services like ChatGPT.
The iPhone 16’s ultrawide camera has been upgraded, and now includes autofocus. The company says it can capture ‘2.6x’ more light, thanks to a wider aperture. It also now allows users to capture ‘Macro’ photos using the ultra wide camera, a feature that was previously limited to the Pro models. The main camera appears to be very similar to the previous model, though now features an anti-reflective lens coating.
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The iPhone 15’s ultra wide camera had a F2.4 lens. Image: Apple |
The iPhone 16’s new design also features what appears to be a smaller camera bump than the previous generation, as the wide and ultra-wide cameras are in line vertically, rather than being at a diagonal. Apple says the phone can now capture spatial videos and photos, using both cameras. While spatial video was available on the iPhone 15 Pro, the company says spatial photos are ‘a first’ for iPhone.
The regular 16 gains the updated photographic styles announced with the 16 Pro.
The iPhone 16 will start at $799 for a model with 128GB of storage, and $899 for the Plus model, also with 128GB of storage. The 16 Pro will start at $999 for a 128GB model, and $1,199 for a 256GB version.
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