In recent times, Apple has actively distinguished between its common and Professional iPhone fashions. Past the superior digital camera system with a telephoto lens, Apple has routinely launched thrilling perks as Professional iPhone exclusives—the Dynamic Island, 48MP foremost digital camera, Motion button, even Apple Intelligence—all of which remained unique to the Professional variants for a yr. In a means, this each provides the Professional fashions exclusivity and makes its non-Professional flagships really feel like mid-range telephones attributable to their extra restricted function set.
Issues are totally different this time round, nonetheless. With the iPhone 16 collection, the common fashions haven’t solely adopted some earlier Professional perks. As an alternative, in addition they launched important modifications that might’ve simply been unique to the Professional line. So, for the primary time in ages, most clients received’t really feel like they’re lacking out on a lot in the event that they go for the common iPhone 16.
Additionally learn: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Professional.
Digital camera Management is the brand new cool
Essentially the most radical change within the 2024 iPhone is the all-new Digital camera Management button. This addition isn’t a mere shortcut to the Digital camera app. Because of its touch- and pressure-sensitivity, you may depend on it to zoom, take pictures or movies, regulate the publicity, swap between totally different Photographic Types, and rather more. The button additionally provides a devoted API, permitting third-party builders to combine its performance into their digital camera apps.
The Digital camera Management button might simply be a Professional function—but it surely’s not.
Apple
Apple might’ve realistically gotten away with making the Digital camera Management button a Professional unique this yr. The button is superior sufficient to fall throughout the Professional class. By doing so, the iPhone maker might entice extra undecided clients to purchase the higher-end variants to make the most of the shiny new button. It didn’t, although. All iPhone 16 fashions supply Digital camera Management, which, given the corporate’s current historical past of constructing new options unique to the Professional fashions, I discover a bit stunning.
The common iPhone 16’s digital camera upgrades don’t strictly revolve across the new button. Apple has additionally added assist for Macro mode, permitting non-Professional customers to shoot pictures and movies of very shut topics, in addition to unlocking spatial photograph and video taking pictures assist on the common fashions by rearranging the rear lenses.
Different superior digital camera options embody the latest-generation Photographic Types, which allow iPhone 16 customers to simply regulate the colours and tones of their pictures. They moreover get entry to the brand new audio mixing function that alters recorded movies’ sounds. That’s one Professional digital camera system if you happen to ask me, and it’s all supplied by the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus.
Powered by the identical chip (kinda)
Apple lately began offering extra superior processors on its Professional iPhones starting with the A16 in 2023 and persevering with with the A17 Professional final yr. Whereas that’s nonetheless the case this yr, the hole is now smaller. As an alternative of equipping non-Professional iPhone 16 fashions with year-old chipsets because it has carried out the previous two generations, Apple launched a barely extra restricted model of its newest A18 Professional chip. So, the A18-powered iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get the identical 8GB of RAM, 6-core CPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. Maybe the one notable distinction between the A18 and A18 Professional is the usual fashions getting 5 GPU cores whereas the Professionals get 6.
The A18 and A18 Professional chips are mainly the identical apart from one GPU core.
Apple
Consequently, each the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional fashions ought to carry out equally when executing on a regular basis duties. The 2 additionally supply the complete Apple Intelligence suite, together with the brand new Visible Intelligence function triggered through the Digital camera Management button. On the graphics facet, you’ll get the entire options unique to the A17 Professional final yr, together with hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
With largely an identical software program function units and processors, there’s little purpose to assume the Professional iPhones will carry out any higher than their customary counterparts this yr.
As vibrant as a (non-plastic) iPhone will get
Past the technical specs and capabilities, there are some perks for selecting the common iPhone 16 over the Professional one. In 2023, the iPhone 15’s colours have been objectively washed out, they usually missed out on the liveliness non-Professional iPhones usually supply. Apple has addressed this with the iPhone 16.
This yr, non-Professional customers can choose between a wide range of vibrant colours: ultramarine, teal, and pink, in addition to the standard white and black. In comparison with the iPhone 16 Professional’s uninteresting, muted shade choices, you get a tool with a outstanding character. Even the BACK is nicer this yr, with a smaller iPhone X-style array to accommodate the 2 digital camera. In brief, the non-Professional iPhone 16 truly appears higher than the Professional fashions this yr.
The iPhone 16 has a particular digital camera array and shade scheme.
Apple
Negligible drawbacks, for some
It goes with out saying that the iPhone 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max proceed to uniquely assist extra superior options. For instance, the always-on show function first launched with the iPhone 14 Professional stays lacking on the common iPhone 16 variants. (Although, these utilizing an Apple Watch could not care about it as a lot, because the time, notifications, and different related info dwell on their wrist.) Equally, the ProMotion know-how continues to be unique to the highest-end fashions. Whereas some customers can inform the distinction between 120Hz and 60Hz refresh charges, many others both can’t or just aren’t involved about it.
Lastly, there’s essentially the most protruding perk: the Professional digital camera system. iPhone 16 customers miss out on the telephoto lens that unlocks an extended 5X optical zoom vary, 120FPS 4K video recording, nighttime portraits, taking pictures in RAW, LOG video recording, and so forth. Whereas all of those are nice-to-have options, most informal customers will probably by no means miss them—other than perhaps the telephoto lens.
As demonstrated earlier, the common iPhone 16’s cameras are extremely succesful and can carry out exceptionally effectively for immortalizing every day life moments. Most unique Professional iPhone digital camera bonuses are designed for severe content material creators and professionals quite than Instagram Tales.
The iPhone 16 Professional has a greater digital camera system with a telephoto lens, however few iPhone 16 customers will discover.
Apple
It’s essentially the most Professional non-Professional iPhone but
Evaluating the hole between the iPhone 16 and 16 Professional to that separating the 15 and 15 Professional reveals how far the common iPhone 16 has come. The usual iPhone 16 fashions didn’t simply meet up with a few of final yr’s iPhone 15 Professional options, similar to including the Motion button and the A17 Professional chip’s graphics options, it gained a number of of the latest 2024 options, together with the Digital camera Management button and, in fact, Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 16 will get the complete Apple Intelligence suite.
Apple
Additionally they launched a few of Apple’s newest applied sciences, such because the Digital camera Management button, 25W MagSafe charging, the most recent iteration of Photographic Types, Visible Intelligence, and extra. Their shows even share the identical pixel density and most brightness because the 16 Professional fashions, although they’re ever-so-slightly smaller (6.3 and 6.9 inches versus 6.1 and 6.7 inches).
For the primary time in years, I can wholeheartedly suggest the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus to family and friends without having to interrupt down an extended record of noteworthy limitations. Selecting the correct iPhone for you has develop into less complicated than ever. And, for most individuals, it’s probably the cheaper one—which has by no means felt so premium.