iPhone 16 Pro with A18 Pro chip launched: Should you upgrade if you own an iPhone 15 Pro?

• Apple just launched the iPhone 16 lineup
• The iPhone 16 Pro comes with a bigger display
• The phone features an A18 Pro chipset

After months of speculations and excitement, Apple officially launched the iPhone 16 lineup during the It's Glowtime event held last night. The iPhone 16 Pro was also unveiled during the event and the question on everyone's mind is: should you upgrade if you already own the iPhone 15 Pro? Both models are packed with high-end features, but the iPhone 16 Pro brings some notable upgrades, including a larger 6.3-inch display, a powerful A18 Pro chipset, improved battery life, and a new Camera Control button designed for photography enthusiasts.

However, with the iPhone 15 Pro still offering excellent performance and AI-powered features, deciding whether to make the jump can be tricky. Let us take a look at the differences and similarities between the two iPhones so that you can decide if an upgrade is necessary.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: What is different?

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro, launched with the powerful A18 Pro chip, marks an exciting leap in design and performance over the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro has a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, an upgrade from the 6.1-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro. Despite this size increase, Apple has managed to keep the device nearly the same size, thanks to slimmer bezels.

Design and display: The design changes are subtle but impactful. The iPhone 16 Pro sports a more futuristic look with its bigger screen and reduced bezels, without making the device significantly larger. Both phones retain the same titanium frame, "Ceramic Shield" glass, and four colour options: black, white, natural (gray), and desert (gold). A new feature in the iPhone 16 Pro is the Camera Control button, which functions as a dedicated capacitive shutter button, providing new ways to interact with the camera, including zooming and switching filters with a touch.

Camera: One of the standout upgrades in the iPhone 16 Pro is the enhanced camera system. The iPhone 16 Pro introduces a 5X telephoto camera, which appears to be a significant improvement from the 3X telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro. The 16 Pro also upgrades the ultrawide camera to a new 48MP sensor, promising to improve low-light performance and overall image clarity. On the video side, the iPhone 16 Pro introduces 4K120 slow-motion recording, a first for iPhones, enhancing its video-capturing abilities.

Performance and battery: Under the hood, the iPhone 16 Pro is powered by the A18 Pro chip, which brings second-generation 3nm technology. This promises to translate into a faster CPU and GPU, improved power efficiency, and enhanced AI capabilities. Battery life also sees a substantial boost on paper, with the iPhone 16 Pro rated for 27 hours of video playback compared to 23 hours on the iPhone 15 Pro.

Charging: MagSafe charging is faster on the iPhone 16 Pro, now supporting up to 25W, up from 15W on the iPhone 15 Pro. However, wired charging speeds remain unchanged at 20W.

iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: What is the same?

Despite some notable improvements in the iPhone 16 Pro, several key features remain the same between the two models. Both phones share a similar overall design, including the titanium frame and Ceramic Shield glass. The IP68 rating for water and dust resistance remains the same, ensuring both devices are well-protected against the elements.

In terms of display, both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro feature OLED panels with ProMotion technology, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. This ensures vivid colours and smooth scrolling on both devices, with the only notable difference being the slightly larger screen size on the iPhone 16 Pro.

Face ID and the Dynamic Island remain integral parts of the iPhone design, offering a seamless and familiar user experience. The storage options, ranging from 128GB to 1TB, are identical across both models, and neither device includes a charger in the box.

A highlight of Apple’s It’s Glowtime event was the Apple Intelligence features. Even though iPhone 16 Pro is the phone that was made for AI from ground-up, the same features are also coming to the iPhone 15 Pro. Hence, both devices will be equipped with AI features.

Should you upgrade?

If you're already using the iPhone 15 Pro, upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro may feel like adding a couple of perks to your overall experience.

The larger screen, upgraded telephoto camera, and improved battery life are nice to have and promise to elevate your experience on paper.

Moreover, if you're someone who enjoys having the latest hardware, the A18 Pro chip’s performance gains and the improved camera setup could make the upgrade worthwhile.

With that being said, the iPhone 16 Pro is an excellent choice for users who want the best performance, especially for tasks like gaming or content creation, thanks to the faster GPU and AI capabilities. The new Camera Control button also adds functionality that could appeal to photography enthusiasts.

Hence, if you have the budget and the desire for the all-new A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 Pro is a solid upgrade. The phone is priced at a starting price of Rs 1,19,900 in India.

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