It's here. After months of rumours, leaks and speculation, the iPhone 16 range has landed, and once again the two Pro models sit at the top of the tree.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max offer bigger screens than their predecessors, more powerful processors and more advanced cameras. They also have some more sophisticated video recording skills – handy for any budding cinematographers out there.
We've already covered the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus elsewhere – this page is all about the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Read on for everything you need to know.
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iPhone 16 Pro release date
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were announced at the same time as the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus – Monday 9th September 2024. Pre-orders start on 13th September, and the phones will ship from 20th September.
That's in keeping with previous models of iPhone.
- iPhone 11: 10th September, 2019
- iPhone 12: 13th October, 2020
- iPhone 13: 14th September, 2021
- iPhone 14: 7th September, 2022
- iPhone 15: 12th September, 2023
iPhone 16 Pro price
Because they offer more power and features, the Pro models are more expensive than the standard iPhone models, usually by £200-£300 / $200-$300. And the iPhone 16 Pro models are no different. Here how they compare to the non-Pros.
These prices are largely in keeping with the iPhone 15 range. In fact, the Australian prices have actually come down slightly. Good news!
iPhone 16 Pro screen
As rumoured, the Pro models feature bigger screens than both last year's Pros, and this year's non-Pro models.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen, while the Pro Max's screen is 6.9 inches. Both are 0.2 inches bigger than their predecessors. This does mean the handsets have grown a little – both are about 3mm taller than their predecessors, and about 1mm wider, though their depths remains the same. They're also slightly heavier.
The Pro models' screens are equipped for 4K at 120Hz, which is the same as the best gaming TVs. That will mean less blurring and stuttering, especially during fast-moving content.
As with last year's models, brightness goes up to 2000 nits, but now they can go as low as 1 nit. That should make them easy on the eye in any lighting conditions, be it bright sun or cinema-style darkness. Peak HDR brightness is 1600 nits.
Also the same as last year, the Pro models have always-on displays again, but this year the tech has come to the non-Pro models as well. Always-on displays allow you to see useful information at a glance, like the time or notifications without you having to wake the phone – handy if you use yours as a bedside clock.
iPhone 16 Pro design
The iPhone 16 Pro models are again more demure looking than the non-Pros, which look a little cheap by comparison. That's because they're once again made from titanium (making then stronger), and again have more muted colour schemes: this time Desert, Natural, White and Black.
Like the non-Pros, the Pros get a new Camera Control button, which lets you take photos without having to swipe to open the camera app (we'll explain more on how this works in the next section). And while they again have the Action button which can be customised to perform all sorts of functions, it's no longer exclusive to the Pros.
Other than that, it's pretty much business as usual on the design front, which is a little disappointing.
iPhone 16 Pro camera
So, this Camera Control button. It's capacitive, which means it reacts differently depending on how you press it, much like the Magic Trackpad for use with Apple computers.
Click it once and the camera app opens. Click it again and you'll take a photo, while clicking to hold will start recording a video. A light press shows a preview of what you're about to shoot, while a new overlay gives you access to functions like the zoom and switching between lenses.
There's also a new AI feature called Visual Intelligence, which gives you contextual info on whatever you point your camera at – a bit like Google Goggles (which launched in 2009). Point it at the Statue of Liberty and it'll tell you all about it, for example. Point it at a dog and it'll tell you its breed (maybe get permission from the owner first, though – and while you're talking to them, you could just ask).
In terms of actual camera spec improvements, the Pros now feature a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, up from the 12-megapixel one on standard iPhone 16. And the iPhone 16 Pro's telephoto zoom lens has been bumped up to 5x (up from 3x on the iPhone 15 Pro), equalling the iPhone 16 Pro Max's.
The Pro models also get Dolby Vision video recording in 4K at up to 120fps.
iPhone 16 Pro features
The Pro models are more powerful than the non-Pros, featuring the A18 Pro processor (the non-Pros get a standard A18). Both the A18 and A18 Pro contain six-core CPUs with two performance and four efficiency cores, but the Pro variant has a six-core GPU to the non-Pro's five-.
All four models of iPhone 16 are compatible with Apple Intelligence (Apple's AI), though it won't be available at launch. Rather, it will land with iOS 18.1 next month, with more features (like British English) coming further down the line.
The Pros each get four studio-quality mics, and Spatial Audio capture for a more immersive listening experience. There's also a new audio mix feature, powered by AI. This identifies and separates background sound from speech, and lets you choose what to prioritise.
You'll soon be able to layer tracks on Voice Memos as well, so you can sing over a pre-recorded guitar solo, for example. But please, never do this.
Like the non-Pros, the iPhone 16 Pro has the Dynamic Island, a USB-C port and support for 25W MagSafe wireless charging, using a 30W adapter or higher.
iPhone 16 Pro: our take
It's much the same story as the standard iPhone 16: the Pro is better than its predecessor, but the improvements are minor. As ever, it's doubtful anyone with an iPhone 15 Pro will upgrade this year (not unless they really do like Apple products an awful lot), and we're sure plenty of other people will hold onto their cash for the time being.
But let's put this in context. The iPhone 15 Pro is one of the best smartphones for movies and music, and we're sure this generation will be an even more capable performer. It launches at the same price too.
It all depends on how the iPhone 16 Pro performs, of course. We'll have a review ready as soon as possible. Watch this space...
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