Review of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Overview
Apple has brought attention back to the iPhone Pro this year. To begin with, the feature set of the iPhone 16 Pro is exactly the same as that of the Pro Max (yes, that includes the cameras). There’s more, though: a larger 6.3-inch screen with incredibly thin bezels makes the previously smaller Pro model officially no longer so little.

Many people have been dreaming of a slightly larger screen on the Pro model, and finally their wish has been fulfilled. A 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED with excellent brightness, refresh rate, and resolution, along with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10, is included with the iPhone 16 Pro. There is a brand-new third-gen Ceramic Shield on top of it, advertised as the hardest smartphone glass.

The Apple A18 Pro, a new microprocessor with enhanced processing, graphics, and memory bandwidth for stronger AI, is then housed inside the 16 Pro.

Read more: Pricing for the 128GB and 256GB Galaxy S24 FE versions were inadvertently confirmed by Samsung US.

big improvement has been made to the camera department. The first is the upgraded 48MP primary lens, which has Fusion capabilities for a 2x in-sensor zoom and next-generation sensor-shift stabilization. The 48MP ultrawide camera with autofocus comes next, promising amazing macro and panoramic images. Lastly, the iPhone 16 Pro now has the improved 12MP 5x telephoto from the 15 Pro Max, which now includes sensor-shift stabilization.

Additionally possible with the upgraded cameras and chipset are 4K@120 frames per second and spatial audio support for video capture.

Additionally, a new Camera Control key featuring an array of sensors has been added, with the goal of further imitating a camera on the iPhone.

Lastly, Qi2-based next-generation MagSafe wireless charging, capable of 25W, is now available on the iPhone 16 Pro. We shall discuss this topic in more detail later. It is also rumored that the upcoming Pro models will include up to 45W quick wired charging.

Specs of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro in brief:

• Body: 149.6×71.5×8.3mm, 199g; Ceramic Shield glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), titanium frame (grade 5); IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
• Display: 6.30″ LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM), 1206x2622px resolution, 19.57:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi; Always-On display.
• Chipset: Apple A18 Pro (3 nm): Hexa-core (2×4.04 GHz + 4×2.X GHz); Apple GPU (6-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM; NVMe.
• OS/Software: iOS 18.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm, 1/3.06″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 0.7µm, PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS; Depth: SL 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video/audio, stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 3,582mAh; Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only), 15W wireless (Qi2), 4.5W reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip), Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite.

At first glance, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro appears to have everything sorted out and nothing is missing. This in and of itself is extremely uncommon.

Read this : Review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro

Opening the iPhone 16 Pro’s package:

As anticipated, the iPhone 16 Pro’s retail box includes just the phone, a USB-C cable that is braided, and a tool for removing the SIM card.

This is it. While scarce, it is still more than what, say, Sony offers, so it is something.

Design, construction quality, and management:

The design of Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and 15 Pro are nearly the same. So what’s actually novel? To begin with, it is larger. Next, on top of its new, bigger, bezel-less screen, is a third-generation Ceramic Shield that is two times more durable. The new Camera Control key is the last addition. Depending on your point of view, it may be miraculous or merely a gimmick.

Naturally, there aren’t many design innovations, which is to be anticipated. With its titanium frame, the iPhone 15 Pro represented something of the peak of the latest generation of iPhones. And all we are seeing right now are small steps forward.

For instance, Apple’s frame is now made of modern titanium grade 5. The third-generation Ceramic shield glass up front has already been mentioned. Finally, let’s talk about the rear glass panel created by Corning, which is yet unidentified.

Do not misunderstand; the iPhone 16 Pro is among the most durable, expensive, and possibly visually appealing phones available today.

Everything has a smooth matte finish, with the exception of the screen, and it has the classic flat Apple design. With a claimed durability well beyond the standard’s criteria, the phone is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance, capable of submerging it up to 6 meters for 30 minutes (as opposed to the minimum 1.5 meters).

The iPhone 16 Pro is still offered in the following colorways: Desert Titanium, which takes the place of Blue, and Natural, Black, and White Titanium.

The new 6.3-inch LTPO OLED screen with the pill-shaped cutout is amazing; it has incredibly tiny bezels, crisp visuals, good contrast, plenty of brightness, and a superb HDR implementation.

The earpiece, a hybrid device that also functions as a speaker, has a small outlet above the screen. At the bottom, of course, is another fully functional speaker.

Speaking of the frame, the Action Key is located on the left side. This is a really useful feature that can be set to accomplish anything using Siri Shortcuts.

To the right is the newly installed Camera Control. It is a three-in-one key with an actual physical click as part of its operation – this is one of the ways you can shoot images or videos. Next, there are capacitive sensors for swiping through the zoom and other settings, and force-tap sensors for switching between cameras.

Although the iPhone 16 Pro’s larger footprint did not bother us, we are glad of the extra screen real estate. We found the larger display to be enjoyable, and we believe this to be the most significant upgrade in terms of usefulness. Even with one hand, the phone can still be easily operated and is tiny.

Although it is far from flawless, the iPhone 16 Pro offers enough grip for customers to use it without a case. Its design, however, is flawless due to its wonderful assembly, sturdy construction, and amazing build. The phone does feel like an expensive fashion piece in your hand.