I blame myself. I reviewed the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max and then, as I usually do, went on social media and said people could ask me anything. Usually, I get five or six questions. This year, I got hundreds, and they reveal a lot about how long people hold onto their iPhones and what they do and don’t consider when considering upgrading to Apple‘s latest flagships.
First, let’s offer a quick primer on what these new phones offer. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are essentially the same smartphone in two different sizes. Both offer slightly larger screens than the last models, A18 Pro chips, iOS 18, no Artificial Intelligence out of the gate, updated cameras, and the new Camera Control.
While many of the questions related to those details, I did notice some trends that indicate what you care about most:
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Will I get better battery life?
I got so many questions about Battery Life. Apparently, quite a few people have found that the iPhone 15 Pro got too hot and that the battery drained fast. Some iPhone 14 Pro owners reported the same thing. They wanted to know about battery performance on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, if battery life is better, and if I experienced any overheating issues. I explained that while the phones sometimes felt a bit warm (during gaming, for instance), I did not see any overheating.
iPhone owners are also hyper-aware of their battery’s overall charge potential. I saw numerous reports of iPhone 15 Pro’s with 85% charge capacity and iPhone 14 Pros with charge capacities between 82% and 75%. They seemed eager to return to full capacity with phones that might offer better battery life than ever before. In our tests, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max both offered better battery life than we’ve ever seen on an iPhone (between 14 and 16 hours on average).
They also asked about how these phone batteries performed during peak tasks. I think many are concerned that these batteries might drain more quickly when playing AAA games or editing videos. I was happy to explain that had not been my experience.
Don’t these look just like the last model?
A fair number of people argued that I was, in fact, just holding the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, meaning that these models looked exactly like the last iPhones. This matters to consumers because they are looking for a fresh design and new features.
I explained multiple times that while, yes, these phones look similar, we can point to some obvious differences. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is 6.9 inches compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (6.7 inches), and the iPhone 16 Pro is 6.3 inches compared to the iPhone 15 Pro (6.1). I also pointed out the other new physical feature: the Camera Control button, but I will discuss that later.
Is it time to upgrade?
I was shocked at how many people still have iPhone 12 Pro models. There were even some with the iPhone 11, which has a very different design, and the iPhone Xs, which was only the second model with Face ID and is also now six years old (iPhones really do hold up).
I explained that, in these cases, the upgrades would be significant. There’d be noticeable leaps in performance and camera quality. Batteries are larger and chips are more efficient. The screens are now bigger and offer higher resolution.
Many potential upgraders own iPhone 13 Pros and iPhone 14 Pros, though. Here, obviously, I explained that the differences will be less noticeable. There’s higher zoom, now 5X on both the Pro and Pro Max, faster chips, Camera Control, and the potential to support Apple Intelligence, which only the 15 Pro line and above will support.
Is it big and heavy?
We carry our iPhones in our pockets and hold them in our hands, so naturally, a major concern among potential upgraders is weight and feel. Most are aware that these phones are a little bigger.
Even though the two Pro models are slightly heavier than their predecessors, the iPhone 16 Pro Max (227g), for instance, is significantly lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (240 grams). They repeatedly asked me if the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max fits in pockets and is comfortable to hold.
I struggled to answer this because while it feels fine in my big hands, it might not for someone with smaller pockets and hands.
Are they durable?
I got asked about the glass, which makes sense since so many of us are scratching and cracking our screens. I reported that Apple claims the Ceramic Shield glass is stronger, but I have not tried to scratch the screen purposely.
In other words, these screens should be more resilient, but I still wouldn’t put them in your pocket with your keys.
Bigger screens, for real?
Most seemed aware that these Pro models bring slightly larger screens with them, but they wanted to know if they would appear that much larger than, for instance, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models they owned.
It’s a tough question because, at a glance, I don’t think you notice, but if you hold them side-by-side, you do, and the difference in bezel size is especially noticeable.
Which colors are best?
I felt similarly about all the color questions I got. People kept asking me for my preference across the four Pro color choices, Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and Desert Titanium. My test units are Desert and Natural.
I was asked if the Desert is more Rose gold or Brown. I’m a tiny bit color blind but to me, it looks more brown. They also wanted to know my color preference or, as they put it, “the best color for Pro.” I said the Black Titanium, and when they pressed for my color recommendation, I said Black again.
Of course, color is really a matter of taste. I don’t know if the color I like will also appeal to you. For what it’s worth, I really want some of the excellent iPhone 16 colors on the Pro models. Maybe next year.
Is the camera quality better?
Buying decisions were not just between older phones and the new models. In some cases, I was asked about the image quality difference between the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This was an easy one because the camera arrays are exactly the same, and the photo quality matched across the two phones.
For those considering upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro, I was able to explain that both Pro models now have 5X zoom and that the 48MP main camera is faster than previous models, which means a better chance of catching that moment. I also reminded people that even the iPhone 15 Pro models’ ultrawide photography got a major upgrade, going from 12MP to 48MP.
Naturally, an upgrade from older phones, like the iPhone 12, will mean untold new camera capabilities and vastly better image quality. Interestingly, not many asked about video quality, though there are upgrades (4K 120fps) to be found there, too.
Is the Camera Control any good?
People are fascinated by Camera Control but don’t entirely understand it. Some confused it with the Action Button, which was introduced last year and replaced the sleep switch (not the action button). They asked how it works and if it would still function with a case on. I explained that there are special cases from Apple and third-party cases with huge cutouts to support it.
Others asked about using the new control, concerned it might be hard to master and use. I explained my experience: it took a bit to understand the differences between a hard press, light presses (haptic response), and gestures, but it can quickly become second nature.
Some worried the Camera Control placement might not work for them, and I had a few questions about left-hand usage I noted that I’m a righty but I do think using the Camera Control with the phone in portrait mode is a bit awkward.
Wait for iPhone 17?
As I mentioned, the questions I got most often related to whether it makes sense to upgrade now from models ranging from iPhone Xs to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. I usually pointed to the amount and level of upgrades you’d experience coming from each of these phones.
Trading in an iPhone 12 Pro for an iPhone 16 Pro will feel like a major leap, whereas if you trade in an iPhone 14 Pro or the barely one-year-old 15 Pro, it might feel incremental at best.
I tried to impart the notion that it’s time to upgrade when you’re no longer satisfied with your current phone or when you find the features in the new phone so compelling that you must upgrade now.
Some people are already looking to next year’s anticipated iPhone 17. It’s clear they’d chance waiting because many believe that phone will bring the sea change they desire.
The iPhone 16 line presents a conundrum because while the screen sizes, cameras, and Control Button are all new, one of the biggest new features, Apple Intelligence, is not yet live. It might be an upgrade driver, but not yet, and maybe not fully until next year.
Most people didn’t even ask about Apple’s brand of AI. I did get one, though, about the experience of using it on the iPhone 16. I answered honestly, “Interesting and somewhat useful but still limited. Looking forward to seeing more.”
I’m still answering upgrade questions, but I’ll say the same thing I’ve said to some of them: Read my reviews!
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lance.ulanoff@futurenet.com (Lance Ulanoff)
