Happy iPhone 16 launch day! iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models are now in the hands of customers around the world. We took a look at the iPhone 16 already, and now we’re back with an unboxing and quick review of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, Apple’s higher-end flagship devices.
Unboxing a new iPhone got a little more boring this year, because for the first time, Apple’s removed the stickers from the box. No more stickers and no more charger – there’s just an iPhone and a cable in there.
Early leaks of the new “Desert” titanium shade made it look rather unappealing, but in person, the color is a soft, subtle gold with a darker shade on the casing and a lighter shade at the back. It’s not ugly at all, and there’s even a bit of pink in there so in some light, it’s close to a rose gold. We’ve also got a white titanium iPhone 16 Pro, and it’s fine. It’s like the white titanium from last year, and there’s not much more to say about it. The Pro colors are undeniably boring, especially compared to the lovely teal, pink, and ultramarine shades Apple used for the iPhone 16 models.
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are larger in size and the bezels have been slimmed down. The thinner bezels are noticeable in person, even compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models. If you’ve got an even earlier iPhone, it’s a big difference. The 16 Pro Max definitely feels a little larger in the hand, and the 16 Pro is closer to a Goldilocks size.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have the same feature set this year with the exception of display size and battery life. You’ll get the most battery out of the 16 Pro Max because a bigger casing allows for a bigger battery, but there are improvements to both models.
There’s a new Camera Control button on the right side of all the iPhones, and it’s used for opening the Camera app to take photos and videos. A quick double press takes a photo, and a press and then a press and hold captures video, which is convenient. It’s easier to use in landscape mode than portrait mode, and all those gestures for adjusting settings do take some time to get used to.
We’ve got some demo images in our video, and also, we’ve shot this entire review using the 16 Pro and Pro Max so you can check out the video quality. These models support 4K 120fps recording, and you can adjust frame rate in post. Apple added an Audio Mix feature for customizing sound in video too, and we’ve used that here as well. You can block out sound around the person you’re recording or direct all noise forward like in a movie, and Audio Mix is also customizable with a slider control.
For your photos, there are new Photographic Styles that you can customize to get the perfect look for all of your images. You can use a new dial pad to go dramatic or subtle, and your personalized style can be applied in real time, in editing, to all photos, or just to one.
Apple added a new 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera so you’ll get better lighting in those wide shots or when taking macro photos, and the 5X zoom is now on both models. We’re going to be doing a deep dive into the camera next week, so stay tuned for that.
If you’re coming from a newer iPhone, you’re probably not going to notice much in terms of speed improvements with the new A18 Pro chip, because most of what you do on an iPhone isn’t stressing the processor. It’ll make a difference for Apple Intelligence, but of course unless you install the iOS 18.1 beta, no Apple Intelligence features are available to use yet.
Did you get a new iPhone 16 or 16 Pro? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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