iPhone 16 Pro 16 Pro - WTF Were They Thinking?

[haruhiko]

I have had a New iPhone every year since they came out with the Pro Max starting with 11 Pro Max, I had a 7 Plus, then skipped X and XS Max. But after watching today's presentation I have decided to skip the 16. I actually found the regular 16 to seem more interesting than the pro, plus liked the colors but over all it is not much different than my 15 pro max. All the new stuff it claimed the 16 pm would do is nothing I would even consider using. Plus the 15pm will have the new updates and do all the new AI stuff. They made it sounds like they were offering more this year for trade in but I looked up my trade of my 14 pm to buy my 15pm it was $650.00 which is the same amount being offered this year and a 2 yr old is being offered $500.00. I will be good with a $500.00 trade in next year. I did order a new Titanium watch and excited about that I am OK not getting a new phone this year.

With all the bells and whistles of the regular 16, it still has the 60Hz screen. If you go from the 120Hz down to 60Hz, it becomes very visible. So like you, for the first time I’m skipping the 16 Pro/Max.

 

[haruhiko]

The battery degrades to the point of unusability by year end. Then the cost to replace the battery ends up being the price to upgrade/trade in.

My 15 Pro Max still has 97% when my 14 Pro was down to 85% in the same period. Weird.

 

[haruhiko]

In my opinion last year 15 pro models were worth the upgrade
- titanium body
- USB C
- impressive A17 chip that can run console level games
-5X Zoom camera on pro max models
- Log video recording
- spatial video recording for Apple Vision

This year feels like an S year really. I am an Apple fan but I just don’t feel excited or the need to upgrade this year. The presentation bored me instead of getting me into the hype train like in previous years lol.

Exactly my feeling. I can’t even give myself a reason to spend my money

 

[kupkakez]

my 15 battery is down to 91% I am also a pretty heavy user so not too bad. Def still usable though and doesn't need replaced

 

[Scarpad]

I’m using a 13 Pro, and guess what my big upgrade is this year? That’s right, the battery! It’s at 86%, so I’ll just replace it.

And what do I get in return? A thrilling 14% more battery life! All for the bargain price of $100 at my local store. It’s practically a steal, right? Thanks!

I have a 14 pro max at 85% guess wireless charging is killing my battery

 

[tostatetheobvious]

I’m using a 13 Pro, and guess what my big upgrade is this year? That’s right, the battery! It’s at 86%, so I’ll just replace it.

And what do I get in return? A thrilling 14% more battery life! All for the bargain price of $100 at my local store. It’s practically a steal, right? Thanks!

86% is great for a 13 pro. I'm already there on my year younger 14 pro and nowhere near being a heavy user.

 

[Rskittles]

Absolutely nothing special about the Pro models this year, and they don't even keep up with the competition. Even last year's Watch Ultra 2 got the new feature tile board - but the 16 Pro is so boring they couldn't fill one. Half of the presentation spent on contrived movie and music video shoots that don't represent anyone's actual usage - I mean, you can't get those images without at least $100k in outboard gear, but who is spending that on a shoot and using an iPhone?

Still limping along on a 12 Pro, and upgrades to the camera are the one feature that will motivate me to spend on a new iPhone. Despite the rumors, I was desperately hoping Apple would come through and deliver a camera that meets my needs and goes toe to toe with the competition. Alas, we suffer once again at the hands of Apple's bean counters. It's one thing for products to plateau as technology development slows - but this is something else.

Google just released their Pixel 9, with 48mp available at each sensor for increased image quality all around. Yet here we are now with Apple's flagship phone still offering only an aging 12mp sensor for the telephoto lens. What gives?

I use the telephoto all the time, so I was hoping for a significant upgrade to finally justify the cost of a new phone. Google can now deliver a real step up in image quality, so why can't Apple?

I would love to get better pictures out of my wide and ultra-wide cameras, along with stabilization, but I can't justify the cost of a new phone that will continue to leave me disappointed with half the pictures I take. If I want the best image quality available to me right now, it looks like I will have to switch to Google. I don't want that, but I also don't want an expensive new phone that barely improves on my old one.

There is no reason Apple couldn't offer something competitive with Google except for their greed and arrogance - assuming that people will continue buying iPhones regardless of what they actually offer, even if that means missing out on features they could have if Apple was not deliberating withholding. Probably they are correct. But not with me. 12 Pro will soldier on for another year - unless I give my money to Google instead.

Am I the only one like freaking excited for the gold 16 pro ?? It’s beautiful like the xs max - I all color and so glad for this one ! I feel it has a retro gold from the 5 !! Apple intelligence I am all in ! I was playing erase feature in the photos app and was giggling so much my hubby was like really …. lol the phone FINALLY has all the buttons it needs … camera button - shortcut button ! Like so so so ready for this phone ! I haven’t preordered anything ever !! This phone I am so ready ! Bring it on !!

 

[Chuckeee]

Until Apple unveils their first folding phone (without any rumors). Servers will be absolutely destroyed with preorders.

Samsung offers several folding phone products but those still account for a minority share of their phone sales. Why would an Apple folding phone be significantly different? Although I will grant you, a certain segment of enthusiast would be very excited

 

[haruhiko]

Samsung offers several folding phone products but those still account for a minority share of their phone sales. Why would an Apple folding phone be significantly different? Although I will grant you, a certain segment of enthusiast would be very excited

Just think about the last days of Nokia - they even made a triangular phone with buttons all around it. This is what happens when there isn’t anymore innovation inside.

 

[tostatetheobvious]

It's obvious. It's time for Apple to switch to a 2-year phone release cycle. The yearly updates are meaningless at this stage.

Agree completely. Maybe it'd breathe some genuine excitement back into the new releases.

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

Until Apple unveils their first folding phone (without any rumors). Servers will be absolutely destroyed with preorders.

That’s not an option that appeals to me. I’ll be sticking with a normal phone, thanks.

 

[Greenmeenie]

The iPhone is at the point where every year is gonna be incremental updates. There’s only so much you can add. Slightly faster, slightly longer battery life, slightly tweak the design(slimmer bezels & a little bigger this year with new camera button)….and slightly improve the camera(this year giving 48mp to the ultra wide). I do wish they’d have given BOTH the ultra wide AND the tele 48mp sensors… but I guess they gotta save something for the 17 pro next year.

 

[TVreporter]

For some reason, people think that a new iPhone should be clearly superior to the previous year iphone.
Guess what? It doesn’t work that way anymore. New iPhones are primarily intended for people with OLDER iPhones, not the previous year model.
Replacing an iPhone every year made sense in the dark days of iPhone 4 when the device was so limited, but not any more.

That’s all fine but the newest iOS rolls out features that make a year old phone useless.

iPhone 15 buyers got royally screwed and I’m one of them.

 

[laffnvegas]

My 15 Pro Max still has 97% when my 14 Pro was down to 85% in the same period. Weird.

my 15 battery is down to 91% I am also a pretty heavy user so not too bad. Def still usable though and doesn't need replaced

My battery health is not quite as good but is at 90% and I want to say last year at this time the 14pm was at about 84% so a little bit better.

 

[NotApplicable]

make a year old phone useless

Sorry, but how does not getting a new feature that you never had (Apple Intelligence) make a phone, that is working fine for your needs as we speak, “useless?”

 

[Marty80]

I hear you, I’am still rocking my 12 pro max from launch day. At 84% battery life, it should do fine until next years 17 pro max.

The 16 pro max has some nice updates like larger screen, who am I kidding it offers bubkiss to my 12 pro max, even more when upgrading from a 15 pro max.

I prefer to wait till next year for the 12GB of ram, smaller Dynamic Island, scratch resistant display.

Also I prefer to have all the camera lenses on the rear updated to 48 megapixel. And the upgraded front camera from 12 to 24 megapixel is another win.

I have been waiting 4 years, another year cannot hurt.

 

[NotApplicable]

I hear you, I’am still rocking my 12 pro max from launch day. At 84% battery life, it should do fine until next years 17 pro max.

The 16 pro max has some nice updates like larger screen, who am I kidding it offers bubkiss to my 12 pro max, even more when upgrading from a 15 pro max.

I prefer to wait till next year for the 12GB of ram, smaller Dynamic Island, scratch resistant display.

Also I prefer to have all the camera lenses on the rear updated to 48 megapixel. And the upgraded front camera from 12 to 24 megapixel is another win.

I have been waiting 4 years, another year cannot hurt.

Highly doubtful everything you’ve listed is coming in the 17. But I upgrade every year, so I’m hopeful either way!

 

[sevoneone]

Still the only thing I am left wanting with my 14 Pro is USB-C/3.1. Maybe ProRes Log recording?
I was hoping there would be something a little more tangible here. I guess they are really going to lean on Apple Inteligence. I don’t think the average person cares about AI as much as Apple and the shareholders think they care about AI.

 

[nibw]

Life at Apple Park in 2024, ‘Hey Craig, we’re going to need those TPS reports with the new cover letter, mhmkay?’ -Tim

 

[seek3r]

The battery degrades to the point of unusability by year end. Then the cost to replace the battery ends up being the price to upgrade/trade in.

If you've lost more than 5%-7% or so battery capacity in one year something’s actually wrong… and if the battery is under 80% applecare will cover the majority of a battery replacement…

 

[Melbourne Park]

I’m coming from a xr. I’m getting the pro max 1 tb. To me it’s a huge change. I’m excited, personally. I’ll be keeping the new phone for 6 yrs. I would rather get a new iPad Pro every three years.

Make sure you set the charging to go no more than 82%, and don't flatten the phone either. The batteries don't like being flattened, or going below 12%. And above some say 85%, the batteries don't like that either. So switch if off if below 15% to be safe and set the maximum charge at 82% to be safe. The battery will then last 6 years. While an iFixit kit and a replacement battery is available, due to Apple's product id mechanisms a 3rd party battery will not provide Apple's battery health data.

 

[Melbourne Park]

Am I the only one like freaking excited for the gold 16 pro ?? It’s beautiful like the xs max - I all color and so glad for this one ! I feel it has a retro gold from the 5 !! ...

An Australian company who made aluminium masts - they started up in 1979 - called themselves Goldspar because their anodized alloy masts were all in a gold colour. So anodizing in gold is not exactly new or innovative. Golspar is still around too. Unsure if they still make spars though. Anodizing used to be a very toxic business for those around the anodizing baths. Nowadays I hope things are different. https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/features/the-ups-and-downs-of-anodized-metals/

 

[jediandrew97]

The new iPhones very much gave me Pixel event vibes and that’s not a good thing. Apple rehashed Apple Intelligence like crazy and many of those features will already be on the 15 Pro.

I felt even the 14 Pro to the 15 Pro was a bigger jump with the addition of Smart HDR 5, the new 5x telephoto, titanium design, action button and other improvements. Meanwhile this year the Pros retained the same smart HDR 5, same main camera and telephoto camera, same capacities and prices which isn’t all bad at least the price part be we also expected 2TB of storage, same max brightness across the 16 series and same 20 watt wired charging speed. The only noticeable improvements we got were the 48MP Ultra wide on the Pros, slightly larger screens and the underwhelming camera controls button. First time ever I’m not upgrading yearly as I usually would and I’ve been on the upgrade program and a pretty big tech nerd but this year just isn’t it.

Looking forward to seeing some real changes to the 17 Pro next year.

 

[d5aqoëp]

I will upgrade my wife's 13 Pro to 16 Pro. Her phone's battery health at 81% bothers her too much. Plus she will join Type-C gang. So for me who owns 15 PM, I might have no need to upgrade. Besides Wifi7 on 6Ghz is not allowed in my country.

 

[jazzzyJeff]

Worst Apple iPhone launch ever and I mean it, no brighter displays no faster wired charging, I’m a pro photographer but I use real pro gear never used iPhone for pro shoots, there’s like nothing new they are so lazy they only updated the max headphones because the eu timing, they just don’t bother anymore

Don’t you have this copy-pasted every year about each new iPhone?