Apple has finally launched the new iPhone 16 series in India and other global markets. The standard iPhone 16 models have received several upgrades, which is likely to make people buy the new version. The iPhone 16 Pro version has also arrived with big changes in comparison to the previous models. The iPhone 16 series will soon go on pre-order and will be on sale via Flipkart, Amazon, Apple store and other platforms. Here are the details.
iPhone 16, Plus, Pro and Pro Max: India prices, sale
The iPhone 16 comes with a starting price tag of $799 (around Rs 67,000), whereas the iPhone 16 Plus is priced at $899 (around Rs 75,500). The iPhone 16 Pro price starts at $999 (around Rs 83,870) for 128GB, and $1199 (around Rs 1 lakh) for iPhone 16 Pro Max for 256GB. These prices are for the US market.
In India, the iPhone 16 is priced at Rs 79,900 and the iPhone 16 Plus will be available at Rs 89,900. The iPhone 16 Pro, on the other hand, comes with a starting price tag of Rs 1,19,900 in India. The most premium, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, will cost you Rs 1,44900 in the Indian market.
The pre-order for the iPhone 16 series starts on September 13, at 5:30PM in India. The first sale will take place on September 20.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: Full specifications
Design, display
Apple has unveiled the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, made with “aerospace-grade aluminum” and featuring a new colour-infused backglass. The devices come in ultramarine, teal, pink, white, and black colours. The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Plus offers a larger 6.7-inch screen. Both models boast 2000nits of peak brightness and can dim to as low as 1nit in dark environments.
Apple has introduced the Action Button to the standard models as well, which allows users to quickly access features such as recording voice memos, identifying songs, or translating phrases. It can also be customised with shortcuts or used for in-app functionality, such as locking or unlocking a car via the FordPass app.
Additionally, the iPhone 16 comes with a new camera control feature that enables users to adjust settings by sliding a finger on the screen, located on the right side below the on/off switch.
The new camera control button has been added, flush to the surface and protected by sapphire glass. A single click opens the camera, a second click captures a photo, and holding it will start recording a video. There is also support for advanced touch gestures in the camera control, distinguishing between a full click and a lighter press. A lighter press offers a clean preview, aiding in framing the shot more accurately. Additionally, a new overlay provides quick access to essential camera functions like Zoom.
Chipset
The iPhone 16 and its Plus model are powered by Apple’s latest A18 chipset, which uses second-generation 3nm technology. The A18 chip comes with a 6-core CPU, featuring 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. According to Apple, the iPhone 16 offers up to 30 per cent faster performance compared to the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 15, and the chip also provides 17 per cent more system memory bandwidth.
Camera specs
The iPhone 16 now comes with a powerful 48-megapixel main camera, which combines 48MP and 12MP photos into a clearer 24MP image. It also has a 2x telephoto zoom option using the middle 12MP of the sensor, along with a faster f/1.6 aperture for better low-light shots.
You can shoot 4K60 video with Dolby Vision HDR, and the new 12MP ultra-wide camera has a larger aperture and bigger pixels, letting in 2.6x more light for brighter, sharper photos.
Apple says the iPhone 16 offers the equivalent of four camera lenses in one phone, and it can capture special Spatial Video and Photos using both its lenses.
All iPhone 16 models get Apple Intelligence
One of the key highlights is the inclusion of Apple Intelligence in the standard iPhone 16 models. This AI-powered feature can understand and generate languages, images, and more, with Apple promising that data is never stored or shared, thanks to its private cloud computing and verifiable privacy promises.
With the iPhone 16 series, Apple is also improving productivity by summarising emails and prioritising notifications. Users can search Photos using descriptions like “Shani dancing in a red dress” or specific moments in videos. Siri will now offer step-by-step guidance, even if users fumble over words, and can be typed directly.
A new feature, Visual Intelligence, allows users to point their camera at objects like menus or event flyers to get details or add events to calendars. It can also identify dog breeds and more, keeping data private. Both Intelligence features will launch in US English initially, with more languages arriving next year.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max: Full Specifications
Design and Display
The iPhone 16 Pro models come in a new gold colour and feature the Camera Control button. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a 6.9-inch screen, the largest ever on an iPhone. Both models have thinner borders and always-on 120Hz ProMotion displays. The Pro models are available in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium colour.
Chipset
Both models are powered by the advanced A18 Pro chipset, built on 2nd-gen 3nm transistors. Apple claims the new chip features a 6-core GPU, running 20% faster than the A17 Pro. It has 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, delivering up to 15% faster performance while using 20% less power. The A18 Pro also includes next-gen machine learning accelerators, faster USB 3 speeds, and ProRes video recording support.
Camera upgrades
The triple rear camera system has been upgraded. The iPhone 16 Pro models feature a new 48MP fusion camera with a second-gen quad-pixel sensor, allowing for 0 shutter lag in 48MP ProRAW and HEIF photos. The cameras also support 4K120 video capture. A new 48MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus has been added. Both Pro models also come with a 12MP sensor featuring a 5x telephoto lens with a 120mm focal length.
Audio upgrades
The iPhone 16 Pro series introduces new audio features like Spatial Audio capture during video recording. Audio Mix uses machine learning to separate background sounds from speech, and “In-frame mix” isolates the voice of the person on camera, creating a studio-like recording effect.
Battery
The company hasn’t revealed the battery size but it is boasting about the performance. Apple says that it has optimised the battery with a larger capacity and better power management. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is said to have the best battery life ever on an iPhone, promising longer usage times thanks to these improvements.