It was not even two weeks ago when I said I wouldn’t upgrade to the iPhone 16 series but instead settle for the iPhone 15. Why spend ₹25,000/$299 more? However, Apple has changed my mind. I have upgraded to iPhone 16 from my old and beat-down iPhone 12 Mini. Yeah, I know! Here’s why I recommend iPhone 16 over iPhone 15 to those who are looking to upgrade.
Let’s take a look at similarities before we dive into the differences.
Table of Contents
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Similarities
There are a lot of similarities between the two iPhones thanks to Apple’s incremental changes policies where every year, the iPhone becomes slightly better but over time, the difference is significant. However, this year, things are different.
Body
Both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 have the same aluminum body with ceramic shield glass on the front and an IP68 rating.
Display
You get the same super retina display featuring a 6.1″ screen. And yes, you still get the same 60Hz refresh which is just bonkers at this point. The least Apple could have done is to provide 90Hz. A small difference is that iPhone 16 can go as low as 1nits in the dark which should improve the battery but we will wait for our in-depth battery test to arrive. However, the display is equally bright under direct sunlight so no difference there either. Can you tell which is which below?
Speakers
iPhone 15 and 16 also share the same speakers so they sound the same. We tried that on a YouTube video. But most people these days carry headphones or TWS/AirPods so not a deal breaker.
Dynamic Island
The dynamic island remains the same with no change in size or functionality. The same goes for the USBC port which is 2.0 as was the case with iPhone 15. The Pro models get USBC 3.2 which supports faster data transfer speeds.
Camera
The primary sensor on both iPhone 15 and iPhone are again the same. You get 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS. Nothing to see here.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: Differences
The iPhone 16 base variant gets several new features over the iPhone 15 as I have broken down below.
Display
Yes, display again.
An important distinction between the iPhone 15 and iPhone base models is display brightness. The iPhone 16 can reach as low as 1nits of brightness which means better power efficiency and longer battery life.
Color
Both the iPhone models have the same material and glass protection, however, there is a marked difference in the color. Notice how both iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 come in blue color but the latter has Mother Nature’s blessings it seems. iPhone 16 colors are punchy and bright compared to iPhone 15. I know we all end up using cases but I do like sharp colors.
Camera
The camera alignment has been reverted to what you saw on the iPhone 12 series. That means my iPhone 12 Mini could pass off as an iPhone 16 Mini! Jokes apart, the camera alignment has been made vertical so it can capture spatial video that you can then view on your Vision Pro which would cost you an arm and a leg.
An important upgrade is the anti-reflective coating Apple has finally added to the iPhone 16 cameras so taking pictures with a light source behind the subject is much, much better. Here is how it looks when a flashlight is on.
The ultra-wide camera doubles as a macro lens now. Two minor and important differences in the camera department are wind noise reduction and anti-reflective lens coating.
Batter and Charging
In typical Apple fashion, they revealed that the iPhone 16 has a bigger battery than the iPhone 15, however, didn’t reveal the specs like mAh. Reports suggest you get 3561 mAh in iPhone 16.
While using the iPhone 15 (office unit) for over a year, I found it lasts for a day with regular use but not when I use it heavily. Whereas in my short usage of iPhone 16, I found it by the end of the day, I had around 20-25% battery left. So, yeah, the battery is slightly better.
Reports were circulating that the new iPhone 16 series supports 45W charging but those rumors are false. We tested iPhone 16’s battery charging speed multiple times and it supports the same old 17-20W charging. However, note that the Pro models charge at around 30W but sometimes even touch 37W.
What’s even more interesting is that the iPhone 16 base model supports only 20W wired charging however it supports a faster 25W wireless charging. It’s funny because, in my decade of covering technology, this is the first smartphone I’ve encountered that achieves faster wireless charging speeds than wired charging.
Action and Camera Buttons
iPhone 15 Pro models introduced the Action button but the base models missed all the action. With the iPhone 16, Apple not only added the Action button but also introduced a new Camera Control button. Note that the Action button replaces the iconic physical mute switch button.
- Action button – you can customize this button to perform any action from the Control Center or any Siri shortcut. Earlier, you could only select from a few presets. Examples include flashlight, voice, memo, Shazam, focus modes, and more.
- Camera Control button – a dedicated camera button to launch the camera app, take a photo, record a video, change camera settings, zoom in and out, and more.
The Camera Control button supports gestures like swipes and can recognize the difference between light and hard presses as well as single and double presses. Using these, you can navigate the menu, select a setting, take photos, and record videos – all without touching your smartphone screen.
The only problem is the location of the Camera Control button. It is placed on the side such that you can’t use it with a single hand whether in portrait or landscape mode. It may take some getting used to though.
Performance and Software
The iPhone 15 comes with the A16 bionic processor, whereas the iPhone 16 comes with the A18 processor. There is a two-generation gap here leading to a significant jump in performance. How significant you ask? Well, you can now play AAA titles on the base mode of iPhone 16 with ray tracing. Earlier, AAA titles were exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models.
We have run several benchmark tests comparing the A18 and A18 Pro chipsets. Check it out and then come right back here. I got more stuff to offload.
AI (Apple Intelligence)
This is probably the best reason to get iPhone 16 over iPhone 15. The base variants of the iPhone 15 series will never get AI because they lack the hardware to support it. You need at least 8GB of RAM. Yes, the iPhone 15 Pro models will get AI with iOS 18.1 update but I would still recommend getting your hands on the iPhone 16 model for reasons I cover in the next sections.
Some of you may argue that AI is all but good for creating fancy images and not-so-perfect videos and you are right. But you don’t buy an iPhone every year. It’s an investment that you will use for a couple of years. So, buy the iPhone 16 not for what AI is today but for what AI will become tomorrow.
Buy iPhone 16 for not what AI is today but what AI will be tomorrow.
AI is getting better at an exponential rate and within 6-12 months, you can expect AI to reach new heights.
Another reason is ChatGPT. Apple announced in its keynote that it will be integrating ChatGPT within iOS. OpenAI is currently leading the AI scenario and recently their newest model, 4o built to solve high-level scientific and mathematical problems.
Hell, I may consider upgrading to the ChatGPT Plus plan if Apple does a good job of integrating ChatGPT across its ecosystem in iPhone, Mac, and Watch.
So what are these AI features and how will they help me? Here are some examples but you will have to wait till October to receive the full update.
- You can use Writeup tool to compose a professional leave letter to your boss before going on a backpacking trip. It can write emails, messages, and more.
- You can use Image Playground to edit existing images to add AI-generated elements or create new images from scratch.
- Notification Summary will summarize your notifications from a single app while the Priority notifications feature will surface important notifications like OTP messages or due bill dates at the top.
- Find your selfie photo or video from that Goa trip you went on 5 years ago using natural language. No need to scroll and hunt for it.
- Clean Up tool that will remove unwanted objects or people from images with a tap.
Note: There are ways to mimic Apple Intelligence features on an older model that doesn’t support it.
Should I Buy iPhone 15 or iPhone 16?
Well, I have changed my mind or rather, Apple has changed it. I was set on getting an iPhone 15 but Apple Intelligence with ChatGPT integration, two new buttons (Action and Camera Control), support for AAA gaming titles, better camera, Wi-Fi 7 over Wi-Fi 6, and improved performance and display make it a good buy.
First-time buyers:
You guys should get the iPhone 15 base model because you will need to test the waters first. iPhones work slightly differently than their Android counterparts and you don’t want to spend too much money only to realize it is not for you. Get the iPhone 15 in sale for under ₹50k or $699.
Good for streaming content, playing light games, browsing, and regular activities.
Looking to upgrade:
If you already own an iPhone looking to upgrade then iPhone 16 makes sense. You will get OS and security updates for the next 5 years and AI is only going to get better from here.
I getting one for myself this sale, are you?
