iPhone 16 Pro review: only one reason to upgrade
18 Sep 2024 (1 day ago)
Apple’s most unfinished iPhone
- The iPhone 16 Pro is being released with many of its advertised features, such as the Apple Intelligence AI features, unavailable until future software updates.
- Reviews from this source are conducted on products as they are available at launch and do not consider the potential of future software updates.
- The most notable changes in the iPhone 16 Pro are related to the camera.
The new updates to the camera
- The iPhone 16 Pro camera system features two significant updates.
- A new camera button has been added to the side of the phone.
- New software and controls for image processing are included.
How does camera control work
- The camera button can be used to take a photo with a single press or to bring up settings like zoom and exposure with a light press.
- The button can be pressed rapidly to take multiple photos, but it can be outpaced when shooting in RAW mode, which is limited to around four frames per second.
- A future software update will allow the button to function as a two-stage shutter, with a half-press for focusing and a full press to capture the image.
camera control placement
- The placement of the new camera control button on the iPhone 16 Pro makes it prone to accidental touches, especially for left-handed users.
- The issue of accidental touches can be resolved by adjusting the settings to require a double click to open the camera.
- The camera control button can be configured to open third-party camera apps, and this functionality has been tested and confirmed to work well.
iPhone 15 camera complaints
- Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with the cameras on the iPhone 15 series, citing issues with Apple's computational photography and its aggressive approach to image processing.
- Complaints about the iPhone 15 camera have surfaced on various online platforms, including social media and forums, with users sharing their negative experiences and seeking solutions.
- The primary concern revolves around Apple's image processing, particularly its tendency to excessively brighten shadows and reduce highlights, resulting in images that appear flat and lacking in contrast.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max camera comparison
- The iPhone 16 Pro's camera smooths out shadows and highlights more aggressively than the iPhone 15 Pro, resulting in slightly brighter and flatter images.
- The iPhone 16 Pro generally performs better in low light compared to the regular iPhone 16, capturing more light and utilizing it to reduce shadows.
- The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro introduce a significantly improved Photographic Styles feature, enabling users to customize color processing, skin tones, and shadows even after taking a picture.
Creating better photos with “Tone Mapping”
- Tone mapping allows users to adjust the intensity of the iPhone's HDR processing, potentially creating images that appear more like those from a traditional camera.
- The tone mapping setting can be adjusted using a slider or the new camera control button, providing a live preview of the changes.
- Apple modified the order of operations in its image processing pipeline, moving the tone mapping step to the end, allowing for edits to photographic styles after a photo is taken.
Skin tone editing with “Undertones”
- Apple's approach to skin tone capture differs from Google's Real Tone project, opting to give users control over skin tone rendering.
- The "Undertones" feature allows users to select from various skin tone styles, impacting the overall image and potentially affecting more than just skin tones.
- When applied to images with multiple people, the "Undertones" effect impacts everyone uniformly, regardless of their individual skin tones.
lol nothing matters
- The ease of use of camera controls on modern devices can lead to questions about the nature of creative expression and the pursuit of capturing reality.
- The subjectivity of individual experiences brings up the question of whether two people can perceive the same event identically and simultaneously.
- The technical aspects of photography, such as adjusting skin tones, raise questions about the ability of cameras to accurately represent physical properties and complex aspects of reality.
Vjeran and photo moods
- Mood styles are similar to Fujifilm film recipes and are divided into undertones and moods.
- Moods are edits that provide a variety of looks, such as a washed-out gold look, deep indigo blues, greenish-blue, or simply adding back shadows.
- These edits are perceptually non-destructive, meaning they maintain image quality even with adjustments.
iPhone 16 Pro Max video 4k, 120fps
- The iPhone 16 Pro allows users to film videos in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second.
- Recording in ProRes Log format requires an external drive with a Thunderbolt 4 cable due to the large file sizes.
- The 4K 120fps video mode is only functional with the main 24mm lens and in 2x mode, it is not compatible with the ultrawide or 5x telephoto lenses.
Spatial audio test
- The audio processing embedded into video files has been updated and there are three modes: Standard, In-frame, and Studio.
- The Studio mode is intended to focus on the speaker's voice and minimize background noise, similar to a podcast.
- The Cinematic mode aims to create an immersive audio experience by emphasizing surrounding sounds while elevating the speaker's voice.
Where’s the AI?
- The iPhone 16 Pro does not heavily feature AI in its camera technology, unlike some competitors that use AI for features like video enhancement and object addition.
- Apple plans to introduce an AI-powered feature called "cleanup with apple intelligence" to remove unwanted objects from photos, similar to Google's Magic Eraser.
- The "cleanup with apple intelligence" feature is not yet available and represents the extent of Apple's current willingness to incorporate AI into its camera technology.
What is a photo? (According to Jon McCormack)
- Apple defines a photo as "a personal celebration of something that really happened".
- Apple grounds its camera features in the history and traditions of photography.
- Photo styles are a reflection of the 170-year-old history of stylization in photography.
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max Displays
- The iPhone 16 Pro display's brightness can now go as low as one nit.
- The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display.
- The bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are smaller than previous models, and the phones are the same thickness as the iPhone 15 Pro models.
A18 Pro Chip
- The A18 Pro chip, as stated by Apple, offers a performance increase over its predecessor, the A17 Pro.
- The enhanced performance is expected to primarily benefit the iPhone's lifespan rather than provide noticeable speed improvements in day-to-day use.
- There is a possibility that the perceived performance difference might become apparent upon the release of Apple Intelligence.
ios18.0
- iOS 18.0 is significantly different from iOS 17 and includes RCS support for messages.
- iOS 18.0 allows for extensive customization of the home screen, lock screen, and control center, including the ability to theme the home screen and change icon colors.
- The lock screen in iOS 18.0 allows users to customize quick access buttons to include third-party apps, and multiple methods can be used to open different camera apps from the lock screen.
New control center
- The iPhone's new control center features circular buttons instead of square-shaped buttons.
- The new control center is organized into vertically stacked sheets that include favorites, media controls, home controls, and network controls.
- Users can customize the control center by moving controls and groups of controls, resizing them, and creating their own arrangement.
Battery life
- Apple claims the iPhone 16 Pro has a longer battery life than the iPhone 15 Pro, specifically mentioning a 4-hour increase in video playback time.
- While the battery performed well during testing with heavy camera use, the long-term performance remains to be seen, as a previous model's battery capacity decreased to 93% after a year.
- The updated MagSafe charging system allows for charging speeds up to 25 watts when using a compatible MagSafe puck and a 30W charger, with the phone remaining cool during testing at full charging speed.
Price tags
- The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $9.99, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,099.
- The available colors for both phones are desert, natural, white, and black titanium.
- Many people are inquiring whether the iPhone 16 Pro is worth the extra cost over the regular iPhone 16, considering the similarities in specifications.
iPhone 16 review with Allison
- The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus offer significant improvements over older non-pro models, including the addition of the action button and camera control features previously exclusive to Pro models.
- While the iPhone 16 series does not include a telephoto lens or a ProMotion display, the base models offer a good value with features like the new action button and a variety of color options.
- The lack of a telephoto lens and a standard 60Hz refresh rate may be drawbacks for users accustomed to those features in higher-end models.
Where are the rest of the iPhone 16 features
- The iPhone 16 Pro is positioned as having the best camera and display.
- Features like Apple Intelligence, image generation, and ChatGPT integration are not yet available on the iPhone 16 Pro and are expected to be released the following year.
- Releases of these features in the EU and China face potential delays due to regulatory challenges.
So, should you upgrade?
- The iPhone 16 Pro is a minimal update from the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro will be compatible with Apple intelligence.
- The camera controls on the iPhone 16 Pro are good but not significant enough to warrant an upgrade from older Pro models.
- The iPhone 16 Pro is a good phone with interesting photography features, but it seems unfinished, and it might be best to wait and see if Apple intelligence can improve it.