The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models have been announced, alongside the new iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and new AirPods, and the most noteable thing for those watching the event as I did, was how much it concentrated on photography rather than, as anticipated, Apple Intelligence.
You can watch the Glowtime event back here (and enjoy my commentary). Sure, there was a lot about Apple Intelligence – as I spotted Tim Cook didn't waste the opportunity to mention it early, but perhaps not as often as you might imagine, while Craig Federighi – the enthusiastic Apple engineer – did speak with his typical strong stance, he still steered the intelligence onto the photo app for a good chunk of the time.
Perhaps this was, in part, because a good chunk of the intelligence features look like they're going to drip out slowly – even more so to customers outside the United States (even if they do speak English... like (ahem) England...).
iPhone 16 Pro key feature updates:
• Both get largest displays ever for iPhone; 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch
• New Camera Control Button opens the camera app and controls it using swipe and pressure sensitivity
• Apple's 48MP Fusion Camera paired with a new 48MP larger sensor on the wide lens – the 12MP 5x is now on both Pro and Pro Max.
• Can record video at 4K 120fps - Apple call in Cinematic Slow Motion – in ProRes if you want, and frame-rates can be re-assigned afterward.
• New graphite-clad substructure to improve thermal efficiency / battery life
• A18 Pro chip – faster USB-C data transfer.
The new 'Camera Control' button is on both the iPhone 16 and the Pro models, and has been linked to software. It is flush to the surface, and when you 'click' it launches the camera, before becoming a shutter (or click-and-hold for video shutter).
It is also capable of swipe gestures as it has haptic and signal processes, so it can also detect soft and hard presses, and the UI and overlay gives access to controls by sliding along the button. I can't say how it feels in the hand yet, but it looks very natural for camera enthusiasts (and of course the design language of Apple's camera app, with 'ƒ' control, is reassuring too!)
The iPhone 16 Pro series also has the ability to usr the 4 microphones for signal processing, and the best demo in the presentation showed the ability to pick out spoken words in a restaurant while recording video with the option to choose the recording effect – to pick out the voice clearly (Studio) or to create surround with the voice from the center (Cinematic).
The phone will go on sale on 20th September and cost $999 / AU$1,799 for the Pro or $1,199 / AU$2,149 for the Pro Max. The new color is 'Desert Titanium'
