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iPhone 16 Plus Review: The One Worth Buying This Year

DA Gadgets October 21, 2024 mobiles

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2024
is
the
year
when
I
can
finally
say
that
the
iPhone
16
is
the
perfect
choice
in
the
latest
iPhone
line-up.
Of
course,
it
misses
out
on
many
Pro
features
like
a
ProMotion
display,
a
telephoto
camera,
and
better
camera
sensors,
which
are
limited
to
expensive
Pro
models.
But
still,
the
iPhone
16s
(iPhone
16
and
iPhone
16
Plus)
are
far
bigger
upgrades
in
terms
of
features
set
and
overall
capability
this
year.

Starting
with
the
A18
chip
under
the
hood,
which
is
a
two-generation
jump
this
time
around.
And,
not
to
forget,
there
is
8GB
of
RAM,
the
same
as
the
Pro
models.
The
dual
cameras
have
also
been
realigned,
and
I
will
talk
in
detail
about
why
Apple
returned
to
the
iPhone
11
setup
in
a
bit.
Of
course,
there
are
some
misses,
too.

This
year,
Apple
sent
us
the
iPhone
16
Plus,
so
I
will
add
references
that
should
make
it
easier
for
you
to
understand
which
one
suits
you
better:
the
vanilla

iPhone
16
or
the

16
Plus,
which
primarily
offers
a
bigger
display
and
battery.
Let’s
dive
into
the
review.

Oh,
my

iPhone
16
Pro
Max

review
is
already
live,
so
you
can
read
it
here
to
know
why
it
is
Apple’s
crown
jewel.

iPhone
16
Plus
price
in
India

The
iPhone
16
Plus
starts
at
Rs.
89,900
for
the
128GB
storage
option,
while
the
256GB
comes
at
Rs.
99,900.
The
512GB
model,
on
the
other
hand,
is
priced
at
Rs.
119,900.
I
got
the
512GB
model
for
this
review.
To
compare,
the
iPhone
16
starts
at
Rs.
79,900
for
the
128GB
model.
The
256GB
and
512GB
come
at
Rs.
89,900
and
109,900,
respectively.

iPhone
16
Plus
packs
a
dual
camera
setup
aligned
vertically

iPhone
16
Plus
Design:
Sticking
to
basics
but
keeping
it
elegant

• Dimensions
  –
  160.9
  (H)
  x
  77.8mm
  (W)
  x
  7.8mm
  (D)
• Weight
  –
  199
  grams
• Colours
  –
  Ultramarine,
  Teal,
  Pink,
  Black
  and
  White

The
iPhone
16
Plus
is
the
third-generation
Plus
device
from
Apple.
The

iPhone
14
Plus
was
launched
in
2022,
followed
by
the

iPhone
15
Plus
last
year
and
now
16
Plus.
The
smartphone
doesn’t
bring
a
ground-breaking
overhaul
to
design
except
for
one
important
aspect
–
camera
housing.
From
a
glass
back
(14
Plus)
to
a
matte
finish
rear,
the
16
Plus
gets
aluminium
frames
that
offer
a
solid
feel
and
a
ceramic
shield
front
for
protection.

The
phone
features
aluminium
with
colour-infused
glass
back

Compared
to
the
Pro
models,
the
iPhone
16s
(16
+
16
Plus)
receives
two
new
physical
buttons
this
year
–
Action
and
Camera
Control.
As
I
mentioned
in
my
16
Pro
Max
review,
Apple
has
gone
the
opposite
route
by
offering
more
physical
buttons
when
some
companies
are
trying
to
push
for
gesture-based
interactions.
Action
button
debuted
last
year
on
the
15
Pro
models
and
is
finally
reaching
the
16
and
16
Plus.
The
Action
button
is
a
suitable
replacement
for
ring/
silent
switch,
and
it
can
be
customised
to
enable
any
other
function.
Camera
Control,
on
the
other
hand,
changes
how
you
use
the
cameras
on
the
latest
generation
iPhones.
It’s
always
better
to
have
a
dedicated
button
for
launching
something
than
unlocking
or
waking
the
screen
and
then
launching.
Apple
has
reduced
one
step
to
launch
the
camera
app,
and
the
button
is
the
way
to
launch
the
camera.
However,
one
thing
that
repeatedly
happened
to
me
while
reviewing
was
accidentally
launching
the
camera
app
with
a
single
click
on
the
Camera
Control.
I
had
to
set
it
then
as
a
double
click
to
stop
launching
the
camera
app.

The
iPhone
16
Plus
features
the
Camera
Control
on
the
right
side

The
iPhone
16
Plus
comes
in
amazing
colour
choices,
including
Ultramarine,
Teal,
Pink,
Black,
and
White,
compared
to
the
slightly
muted
colours
we
saw
on
the
15
and
15
Plus.
Interestingly,
the
16
Plus
(199
grams)
weighs
marginally
less,
with
the
same
dimensions
as
the
15
Plus
(201
grams).
The
difference
in
weight
might
not
be
too
huge,
but
16
Plus
is
a
better
device
for
one-hand
operations.
Of
course,
the
6.7-inch
screen
size
isn’t
for
everyone;
hence,
a
smaller
6.1-inch
model
is
also
available.

The
16s
get
an
IP68
rating
for
water
and
dust
resistance,
which
is
the
same
as
the
15
series,
so
there
is
no
change
in
water
ingress
protection.

The
phone
also
features
an
Action
button
that
was
introduced
on
the
Pro
models
last
year

The
camera
placement
is
vertical,
reminding
of
the

iPhone
11,
and
it
is
much
more
subtle
than
the
housing
we
saw
on
the
15
and
14
series.
Apple
says
that
the
vertical
camera
housing
allows
the
phone
to
shoot
spatial
photos
and
videos,
offering
a
sense
of
depth
or,
in
layperson’s
terms,
multimedia
with
a
3D
effect.

The
front
panel
houses
the
6.7-inch
Super
Retina
XDR
display
with
bezels
that
are
not
as
thin
as
the

iPhone
16
Pro
models.
There’s
the
Dynamic
Island,
the
pill-shaped
notch
which
has
been
there
since
the
iPhone
14
Pro.

The
phone
also
features
Dynamic
Island,
the
pill-shaped
notch
that
was
first
introduced
on
the
14
Pro
models

Overall,
the
iPhone
16
has
a
vibrant
look,
and
aerospace-grade
aluminium
offers
a
premium
in-hand
feel.
The
colour-infused
back
glass
feels
rich
with
a
matte
finish
and
provides
an
unparalleled
smudge-free
experience
compared
to
the
Android
landscape.
Like
other
iPhones,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
is
built
to
last
and
offers
solid
durability.
The
addition
of
an
Action
button
allows
users
to
perform
various
functions
with
just
a
press
–
from
recording
a
voice
memo
to
identifying
a
song
or
translating
a
sentence.
There
are
enough
customisation
options.
The
much-talked-about
Camera
Control
is
covered
with
sapphire
crystal
and
has
a
smooth
texture.
A
colour-matched
stainless
steel
trim
surrounds
it.

iPhone
16
Plus
Display:
Top-notch
display
quality
but
limited
to
60Hz

• Display
  –
  6.7-inch
  Super
  Retina
  XDR
  display
• Refresh
  rate
  –
  60Hz
• Brightness
  –
  2,000nits
  (peak)
  and
  1nit
  (minimum)

The
iPhone
16s
(16
+
16
Plus)
gets
the
familiar
Super
Retina
XDR
OLED
display.
The
refresh
rate
is
still
locked
at
60Hz,
which
is
a
bummer,
yet
again.
The
iPhone
16
Plus
is
the
costliest
phone
with
a
60Hz
refresh
rate
in
2024,
and
I
hope
that
Apple
tries
to
change
this
next
year
with
its
next-generation
models.
The
16
Plus
offers
1290×2796
pixels
screen
resolution
with
460PPI
pixel
density.
The
peak
brightness
is
2000nits
while
the
minimum
brightness
can
drop
to
1nit,
which
wasn’t
the
case
with
the
15
series.
The
display
is
bright
and
offers
rich
colours.
The
text
appears
crisp,
and
16
Plus
offers
a
stunning
display
minus
a
higher
refresh
rate.

iPhone
16
Plus
features
a
6.7-inch
OLED
display
with
60Hz
refresh
rate

In
my
time
with
the
iPhone
16
Plus,
I
enjoyed
watching
multimedia
on
the
phone
alongside
gaming.
If
your
multimedia
consumption
is
going
to
be
high,
then
the
16
Plus
could
be
a
better
choice
than
the
16
–
basis
on
both
screen
real
estate
and
battery.

The
iPhone
16
Plus
can
offer
a
peak
brightness
of
2000nits

iPhone
16
Plus
Performance:
Massive
leap

• Processor
  –
  A18
  chip
• RAM
  –
  8GB
  RAM
• Biometric
  –
  Face
  ID

For
the
vanilla
iPhone
16s,
the
biggest
leap
is
under
the
hood.
The
iPhone
16
Plus
(and
16)
are
powered
by
Apple’s
latest
A18
chip,
jumping
two
generations
ahead
from
the
A16
Bionic
in
iPhone
15.
It
features
a
6-core
CPU,
5-core
GPU,
and
16-core
Neural
Engine,
which
Apple
says
is
optimised
for
running
large
generative
models.
During
the
launch
last
month,
the
company
claimed
that
the
A18
is
30
percent
faster
than
the
A16
Bionic
seen
on
the
15
series
in
CPU
performance.
It
is
built
on
second-generation
3-nanometer
tech.
Long
thing
short,
Apple
has
made
these
changes
to
ensure
that
Apple
Intelligence
runs
buttery
smooth
on
the
16s.

Side-by-side
comparison:
iPhone
14
Plus,
iPhone
15
Plus
and
iPhone
16
Plus
(left
to
right)

While
you
don’t
get
Apple
Intelligence
out-of-the-box,
I
tried
a
beta
update
that
gave
me
a
sneak
peek
into
these
features.
Starting
with
the
Writing
tools,
Apple
has
integrated
these
within
iOS,
making
them
accessible
wherever
you
type.
Be
it
for
rewriting
notes,
adjusting
tone
or
proofreading
written
mail.
Next
are
the
latest
emojis
you
can
create
by
simply
typing
a
description
or
creating
images
with
Image
Playground.
All
of
this
is
integrated
into
apps
like
Messages.
In
the
Photos
app,
you
can
now
find
whatever
image
you’re
looking
for
by
typing
keywords,
thus
making
it
easy
to
find
photos
from
your
entire
collection.
There
are
more
AI
features,
but
most
of
them
are
being
polished
for
the
final
rollout.
Most
importantly,
Apple
Intelligence
marks
the
start
of
a
new
era
for
Siri.
Apple
is
expected
to
release
the
latest
iOS
update
with
a
full
suite
of
Apple
Intelligence
features
by
the
end
of
October,
so
stay
tuned.

Apple’s
latest
A18
chip
powers
the
phone

The
iPhone
16
Plus
packs
more
RAM
than
the
15
series
and
offers
better
thermal
performance.
Apple
updated
the
main
logic
board
this
year,
keeping
the
chip
placement
at
the
centre
and
optimising
the
surrounding
architecture.
The
company
added
a
sub-structure
to
dissipate
heat
made
from
100
percent
recycled
aluminium
to
improve
thermal
performance.
I
experienced
this
while
trying
out
AAA
titles
like
Assassin’s
Creed:
Mirage,
Resident
Evil
4,
and
GTA:
San
Andreas
on
the
16
Plus.
Jumping
to
synthetic
benchmarks,
the
A18
chip
brings
a
leap
compared
to
the
15
series,
and
you
can
notice
that
below
in
the
comparison
table.

The
iPhone
16
Plus
packs
a
fantastic
display,
and
stereo
speakers
complement
it.
The
speakers
sound
well
and
offer
balanced
output.
The
clarity
doesn’t
get
hit
when
raising
the
volume.
Next,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
packs
incredible
haptic
feedback
that’s
precise
to
the
core
and
offers
a
decent
experience
while
typing
long
emails
or
gaming.

Connectivity-wise,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
is
impressive
and
can
latch
onto
networks,
offering
a
consistent
5G
connection.
Of
course,
you
can
experience
this
currently
only
on
Jio
and
Airtel
networks.

iPhone
16
Plus
runs
iOS
18
out-of-the-box

iOS
18
brings
new
customisation
options
like
rearranging
apps
and
widgets
alongside
personalising
the
home
screen
layout.
With
the
latest
iOS
update,
you
can
opt
for
dark
and
tint
themes
alongside
choosing
to
increase
the
app
icon
size.
Users
can
lock
or
hide
an
app,
which
is
a
great
addition.
The
Control
Centre
gets
a
complete
makeover
alongside
the
option
to
rearrange
and
resize
controls
–
a
much-demanded
feature
finally
makes
it
to
iOS
18.
You
can
now
also
swap
controls
on
the
lock
screen
for
quick
access.
The
Photos
app
gets
a
full-blown
redesign;
however,
getting
used
to
the
new
refresh
will
take
some
time.
There
are
a
bunch
of
more
additions
in
the
iOS
18.
The
theme
of
the
latest
iOS
update
is
customisations,
as
it
offers
plenty
of
ways
to
play
around
with
existing
things.

iPhone
16
Plus
sports
a
48-megapixel
primary
camera
and
a
12-megapixel
ultrawide
camera

iPhone
16
Plus
Camera:
Capable
with
some
new
tricks

• Cameras
  –
  48MP
  wide
  and
  12MP
  ultra-wide
• Zoom
  options
  –
  0.5x,
  1x,
  2x
  (optical)
• Selfie
  –
  12MP

The
iPhone
16
Plus
ships
with
the
same
primary
sensor
as
the
15
Plus
–
the
48-megapixel
camera
is
retained
from
last
year.
The
upgrade
is
with
the
ultrawide
camera,
which
remains
a
12-megapixel
sensor,
though
it
now
packs
f/2.2
aperture
and
supports
autofocus.
The
selfie
camera
is
yet
again
12-megapixel,
the
same
as
the
15
series.

The
Camera
Control
offers
an
easier
way
to
capture
photos

Before
diving
into
the
performance
of
the
16
Plus
cameras,
I
want
to
briefly
talk
about
the
Camera
Control.
It
has
been
an
excellent
addition
and
the
easiest
way
to
access
the
cameras
on
the
new
16
series.
Yes,
it
has
a
learning
curve
because
the
muscle
memory
will
keep
taking
you
to
the
home
screen
to
launch
the
camera
via
its
app.

iPhone
16
Plus
Primary
Sensor
Daylight
Shots

Compared
to
the
16
Pro
Max,
the
16
Plus
is
easier
to
handle
with
Camera
Control
thanks
to
the
6.7-inch
screen
size,
which
is
convenient
–
if
you
have
big
hands.
For
people
who
prefer
a
smaller
form
factor,
there’s
the
iPhone
16
with
a
6.1-inch
screen.

Portrait
mode
in
action

Jumping
back
to
the
cameras,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
can
capture
some
fantastic
daylight
shots
with
fine
details
in
the
scene.
Images
are
sharp
and
offer
excellent
dynamic
range.
The
colours
are
pleasant
and
remain
as
natural
as
possible.
Portraits
come
out
well
with
accurate
depth
estimation.
Apple
has
also
introduced
new
Photographic
Styles,
which
offer
more
custom
options
to
let
you
personalise
how
you
or
your
subject
appears
in
photos.
The
new
control
pad
provides
more
flexibility
when
clicking
photos.
The
optical
zoom
also
works
flawlessly
and
offers
a
solid
option
for
shutterbugs.
The
zooming
capability
is
limited
because
of
the
lack
of
a
telephoto
camera.

Ultrawide
samples
from
the
iPhone
16
Plus

The
ultrawide
sensor
is
liked
because
of
its
versatility
in
capturing
more
of
the
scene,
and
this
time,
Apple
has
made
it
more
capable.
It
is
claimed
to
capture
up
to
2.6
times
more
light.
The
good
news
is
that
the
ultrawide
camera
allows
macro
photography
this
time
around.

Ultrawide
shots
come
out
really
well
with
more
details
and
solid
colours.
Autofocus
is
a
big
addition
that
makes
your
life
easier
by
automatically
autofocusing.
Macro
shots
made
possible
with
the
new
ultrawide
setup
also
come
out
well.

Low-light
samples
from
the
iPhone
16
Plus

Even
low-light
photos
come
out
well
with
the
iPhone
16
Plus.
The
primary
sensor
is
solid
for
night
shots,
and
the
details
are
intact.
Ultrawide
shots
at
night
are
decent,
though
not
as
great
as
daytime
shots.
Selfies
come
out
well,
and
there
is
no
complaint
in
this
regard,
including
the
skin
tones,
which
are
as
natural
as
they
can
be.

Video
upgrades
are
fantastic
and
one
of
the
reasons
that
makes
the
iPhones
the
go-to
devices
for
video
needs.
Overall,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
packs
capable
cameras
that
can
shoot
wonderful
shots
in
day
and
night.

iPhone
16
Plus
gets
the
latest-generation
Photographic
Styles

iPhone
16
Plus
Battery:
Will
blow
you
away

• Video
  Playback
  –
  Up
  to
  27
  hours
  (Claimed)
• Charging
  –
  Up
  to
  50%
  in
  35
  minutes
• Supports
  USB
  2

iPhone
16
Plus
is
a
dark
horse
when
it
comes
to
battery
performance.
In
my
tests,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
beat
the
16
Pro
Max
multiple
times
in
terms
of
screen
time.

iPhone
16
Plus
offers
better
battery
performance
compared
to
15
Plus
and
14
Plus

Compared
to
the
16
Pro
Max’s
best
battery
performance
(8
hours
and
30
minutes),
the
16
Plus
offered
me
9
hours
and
37
minutes
of
screen
time
with
heavy
usage
that
included
a
couple
of
hours
of
gaming
as
well
as
streaming
a
two-hour
movie
on
Netflix
apart
from
apps
like
Outlook,
Gmail,
WhatsApp,
Telegram,
Instagram,
clicking
photos
and
videos
using
the
Camera
app
and
also
including
regular
calls
of
about
50
minutes
in
a
full
day.
Technically,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
lasted
1.5
days
easily
with
heavy
usage
which
is
way
more
than
what
Android
flagships
guarantee.
In
our
HD
video
loop
test,
the
iPhone
16
Plus
managed
27
hours
and
20
minutes
of
playback
time.

iPhone
16
Plus
can
charge
up
to
50%
in
35
minutes

Charging
remains
the
biggest
Achilles
heel
of
the
new
iPhone
16
Plus.
It
can
charge
up
to
50
percent
in
35
minutes,
but
a
full
charge
takes
around
120
minutes,
which
isn’t
ideal
compared
to
the
competition.
The
16
Plus
packs
USB
2,
which
is
slightly
disappointing.

The
iPhone
16
Plus
weighs
under
200
grams

iPhone
16
Plus
Verdict

The
iPhone
16
raises
the
bar
for
what
vanilla
iPhone
models
could
do.
The
iPhone
16
(and
16
Plus)
gets
an
A18
chip,
which
promises
superior
performance
compared
to
Android
flagships
in
the
market.
The
cameras
are
solid,
and
you
get
two
new
buttons
–
Action
and
Camera
Control.
The
battery
backup
is
impressive,
and
the
build
quality
is
top-notch.
It
also
gets
an
IP68
rating
for
peace
of
mind
and
is
a
fantastic
device
for
high-graphics
gaming
in
its
latest
avatar.
The
display
quality
is
superb.
Of
course,
a
few
things
could
be
improved,
like
slow
charging
and
60Hz
refresh
rate
at
this
price
point,
making
this
look
slightly
out
of
place
compared
to
Android
flagships.

The
iPhone
16
series
is
available
in
5
attractive
colours

So,
who
should
buy
it?
If
you
purchased
an
iPhone
15
(Review)
or
15
Plus
last
year,
you
can
give
this
a
miss.
However,
for
people
still
using
the
iPhone
14
or
older
models,
the
iPhone
16
promises
much
bigger
upgrades.
Thanks
to
festive
sales,
the
iPhone
15
is
selling
at
lower
price
points,
making
it
a
viable
competitor
to
the
iPhone
16.

If
you
want
the
absolute
best
performance
and
do
not
want
to
compromise
on
any
aspect,
then
the
iPhone
16
Pro
Max
sits
at
the
top,
and
you
can
read
our

review
here.