Apple introduced 4 new iPhones (amongst different issues) on the “It’s Glowtime” occasion on September ninth. Designed from the “floor up” for Apple’s AI, we have now the bottom mannequin to essentially the most souped-up: the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Professional, and the iPhone 16 Professional Max. There is a deluge of latest options on each the {hardware} and the software program aspect, so we do not blame you in the event you’re struggling to interrupt all of it down.
Additionally: Apple just gave me a compelling reason to buy the smaller iPhone 16 Pro over the Max this year
However which options will even have essentially the most influence on iPhone fanatics? What are the actually novel options of the 16 Professional? Let’s reduce by the noise and have a look at what we have.
1. The 5x zoom involves the Professional
When Apple first launched the iPhone 15 sequence, it solely gave the 5x tetraprism zoom lens to the Max Professional. This time round, each the 16 Professional and the 16 Professional Max are getting the high-end zoom functionality. This selection means the digicam is actually the identical on the 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max, leaving different options to distinguish the 2 fashions.
2. The digicam management
One of many new options getting a variety of consideration is the digicam management button coming to the whole lineup of iPhone 16 fashions. Designed to function equally to the shutter button on a DSLR, it is a bodily button on the underside proper aspect of the telephone with touch-capacitive capabilities that responds to swipes and tender presses.
For instance, a light-weight press on the button focuses on the topic, and a tougher press snaps the photograph. Moreover, swiping on the button switches between photograph and video modes or zoom out and in. Clicking and holding will take a video.
Additionally: Why Apple’s new A18 chipsets make the iPhone 16 models worth upgrading to
The digicam management button is out there on all iPhone 16 fashions, but it surely’s when paired with the superior digicam and the A18 Professional processor on the 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max that Apple goals to offer a extra seamless consumer expertise that units the Professional and Professional Max aside. The upcoming Visual Intelligence function, for instance, paired with the A18 Professional processor, will likely be quicker and extra environment friendly.
Not everyone is a fan of the brand new digicam button, nonetheless, as this shift from software program to {hardware} will probably include usability rising pains and mistakenly-accessed options.
3. Siri’s much-needed makeover
The iOS 18 beta operating on iPhone 15 Professional.
Jason Hiner/ZDNET
No offense to one of many OG voice assistants, however Siri has wanted a makeover for some time now. When Apple’s digital assistant was first launched in 2010, it set the stage for the ecosystem of digital assistant know-how. However fast-forward virtually 15 years later and the market is filled with competing AI fashions with capabilities that, let’s be sincere, blow Siri out of the water.
Properly, the time has lastly come. Apple unveiled a ton of latest performance for Siri, and it is powered by Apple Intelligence. The brand new Siri consists of conversational context so it could take cues from what you simply informed it, in addition to the flexibility to lastly truly make multi-step actions in your behalf like including pictures to particular albums and sharing them.
Additionally: Every iPhone 16 model compared: Which iPhone should you buy today?
Past Siri, we have now Visual Intelligence, which permits multi-modal AI by way of the digicam, much like what we have seen throughout different AI fashions this yr. Apple Intelligence will begin with a stay beta in October within the US, with extra international locations in December, and extra languages subsequent yr.
4. Upgraded chipset for the AI age
After a lot anticipation, Apple’s personal first-party generative AI (gen AI), Apple Intelligence, is coming to the iPhone 16 sequence and is powered by the brand new A18 Professional chip. With 17% extra reminiscence bandwidth, the A18 Professional chip is as much as 15% quicker than the A17 Professional and makes use of 20% much less energy within the course of. Moreover, the superior show engine on the A18 Professional powers distinctive options like ProMotion and the always-on show.
The 3mm know-how has smaller, extra environment friendly transistors, and constitutes an enormous step ahead in {hardware} that is geared to deal with generative AI. The bottom iPhone 16 comes with 8GB of RAM and the Professional with 12GB of RAM.
Additionally: 6 reasons why iOS 18 makes the iPhone 16 a must-upgrade for me
Even with AI’s demanding reminiscence necessities, having this a lot reminiscence on the iPhone is a bonus for total efficiency, notably multitasking and beginning up apps.
5. The largest iPhones but
The iPhone 16 Professional and Professional Max are the most important iPhones ever, with 6.3 and 6.9-inch shows, respectively. Not solely that, however the microscopic bezels make them look even greater. Nonetheless, that is one function that’s positive to elicit a combined response from shoppers. The iPhone has hovered across the identical dimension for fairly a couple of generations now, and this bump-up in dimension might point out a change within the course they are going in.
