The iPhone 16 is here! Admittedly it's not exactly a revelation given that it happens ever year, and while this generation of Apple's super phone is, once more, on the evolutionary rather than revolutionary side, there's a crucial new feature that we believe will change the game. Though their bigger screens and a super-fast A18 processor are welcome upgrades, the feature in question isn't more screen real estate or power, it's that nifty camera button now found on the side of all models. It's an unfortunate reality of the tech industry that the digital camera is going through a bit of an 'iPod' moment - apt given the reason is the iPhone, which was originally responsible for the music player's demise. Apple's own, along with the many high-end Android handsets out there, take such great photos that there isn't a compelling reason to carry a digital camera, let alone own one. So, the new camera button: Camera Control, as it's been named, is a timely
addition to the iPhone's feature set. I, for one, never have enough time to capture the moment with the time it takes to get my iPhone out and scrabble for the on- creen shortcut. This issue's hands-on highlights all the major iPhone updates, though be sure to look out for a full review in the next issue.
HANDS-ON
iPHONE 16
PRO / PRO MAX
· From RM3999, apple.com
This is a big release, even if the changes might be rather small. At first it's big in
terms of size: as soon as we held the new Pro Max, which is something of a doppelganger for the previous generation, the screen struck us. At 6.9 inches, it's Apple's largest display ever, and while the device is microscopically larger than the last gen, that extra space has mostly come from the bezel rather than an embiggened case. The same trick has been pulled off on the 6.3-inch screen of the Pro model. Apple's reps tell us they've rerouted screen traces from the edge to underneath the display; we have to assume the bezel's days will be numbered soon enough. The entire range, including the non-Pro version, gets a new button, Apple's Camera Control, which sits just below the power button. It's a recessed technology-stuffed tactile/haptic combo button similar to the shutter button you'll find on an SLR - but one which you can press lightly, hard, or swipe to quickly gain access to different photography features. It might just change how you use your iPhone, and it took us all of 20 seconds to figure out. Apple wasn't quite ready for us to test the full extent of the new Apple Intelligence Al features which are on the way, but those we did try - photo Clean Up in particular - worked smoothly, and Siri's new glowing look is a treat.
GOING WITHOUT PRO
So what of the standard iPhone, which starts at RM3999? Well, it gets a couple of extra side buttons this time around, with the new Camera Control joined by the classic action button which trickles down from the Pro models. Otherwise, everything's pretty much as we're used to. It's a powerful, familiar phone which looks and feels like an iPhone. That's no bad thing, and we found it snappy enough despite being stuck with a 60hz screen. There are outward updates, with some colourful new colour schemes and a redesigned camera bump, and this also gets the A18 chipset to help it fly; while the big changes seem to have come to the Pro models, the regular iPhone definitely hasn't been left out. How it fares head- to-head with last year's model, though, remains to be seen.
iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro 128GB – RM4,999
- iPhone 16 Pro 256GB – RM5,499
- iPhone 16 Pro 512GB – RM6,499
- iPhone 16 Pro 1TB – RM7,499
iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB – RM5,999
- iPhone 16 Pro Max 512GB – RM6,999
- iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB – RM7,999
Across the board, the iPhone 16 Pro series is RM500 cheaper than the iPhone 15 Pro series at the time of launch in Malaysia. As a reference, the 6.1″ iPhone 15 Pro was priced from RM5,499 while the larger 6.7″ iPhone 15 Pro Max was priced from RM6,499.
The iPhone 16 Pro series is available in four colours – black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium.
NEW PROCESSOR
Our limited preview time wasn't enough to go all-in on AAA
games, but the brand new A18 Pro chipset tore through the
Apple Intelligence tasks we tried, and the phone generally
felt snappy. Its new heat management system apparently
makes things more efficient, too - we think it'll be a
challenge to push this too far.
CAMERA BUMP
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max carry the Apple's new 5x
tetra prism zoom, along with a new 48MP ultra-wide sensor. We
were able to take some sample shots which looked good on
screen, and the 48MP main camera's faster shutter speed was
evident, though we'll have to wait for our full review to really
analyze the photographic results.
