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In brief: Apple has remained more hesitant regarding AI than competitors like Google, which has gone full-bore with the technology in their software, services, and smartphones. As Cupertino pulls the curtain back on Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 is the company's first phone with AI as a central feature, driving numerous new camera functions.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro open on Friday, and the device will hit stores on September 20. While the new model's focus on AI features is unsurprising, Apple also introduced various hardware-based camera controls.
The new camera control button is the first physical button the company has added to the iPhone in some time. Fast or sustained clicks can operate different functions, and the button recognizes multiple gestures with haptic feedback. Apple's presentation showed how the new button can summon preview, zoom, and other camera controls in the iPhone's main camera app.
Clicking and holding the button brings up a new AI feature Apple revealed this week called Visual Intelligence, which debuts later this year. When a user points the camera at things like restaurants, billboards, or animals, the phone can instantly look up information about them. Apps like ChatGPT or Snapchat can also provide varying Visual Intelligence functionality.
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 16 is the first non-Pro model to support the Apple Intelligence features revealed at WWDC in June. Users can generate emojis, use Siri's new ChatGPT-like functionality, automatically edit written material, and quickly organize files. The new A18 processor operates these functions around 30 percent faster than the iPhone 15, and users upgrading from older models will see a more dramatic performance uplift.
A public beta for Apple Intelligence begins in October for American English users, and support for other English varieties comes in December. Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish betas will start in 2025.
The iPhone 15 Pro lept into gaming big time last year. The iPhone 16 ups the ante by running AAA titles without shelling out for the Pro model. Users can enjoy top-rated games like Assassin's Creed Mirage or Resident Evil Village on the go or cast to their TV via AirPlay. Apple claims the iPhone 16 improves gaming performance by around 30 percent over the iPhone 15 Pro.
The customizable action button is another previously pro-only feature that the standard iPhone 16 includes. Other additions include a larger battery, Wi-Fi 7, macro photography, satellite text messaging, and more.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max gain numerous performance and content creation improvements over the 15 Pro. The A18 Pro SoC, with added cache, gains a roughly 15 percent performance uplift but handles data processing and ray tracing twice as fast as its predecessor.
One of the main additions of the Pro model is the ability to record 4K video at 120fps in Dolby Vision. Half-rate, quarter-rate, and one-fifth-rate playback allow for cool slow-motion effects. Furthermore, video and audio recordings can selectively cancel out background noise to make voices more audible.
Starting prices are $799 for the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, $899 for the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, $999 for the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro, and $1,199 for the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. A free software update coming September 16 will bring iOS 18 to the iPhone XR and later models. It adds new control center options, RCS messaging, and enhanced password management functions.