Apple announced the new iPhone 16 and larger 16 Plus during its Glow Up event. Both phones can be ordered Friday and will be in stores Sept. 20. And yet Apple is asking for your patience a little longer because the real innovation won't come until later.
A lot of what Apple mentioned when introducing the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus featured the fine print "expected later." Then we are talking about Apple Intelligence that will not be rolled out as an update until later but also the functionality of the new Camera Button. Was the iPhone 16 announced too early we wondered?
When manufacturers release products whose key features won't be added as updates until later, the advice is invariably: wait to buy. Let them deliver it first, only then can you evaluate it and decide whether to buy it. In that regard, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus announcement was a very unusual one for Apple.
Apple A18 processor
At first glance, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus look like a good upgrade. Both are getting the A18 processor baked on a second-generation 3nm process. This means that the entry-level iPhones will look to have two generations of Apple A chips and only slightly different from the iPhone Pro models.
.This upgrade is required to enable Apple Intelligence. This suite of smart functionality includes features such as rewriting text in a different tone, generating custom emoji (genmoji) and expanded Siri capabilities.
Apple Intelligence in Europe
The only drawback is that Apple Intelligence comes later as an update. The first beta is expected in October and will only be available in the English language this year. Europe will have to wait even longer, where Apple is still investigating the implications for the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) law. There is no timetable yet. So it could just be that the major innovation for the iPhone 16 series could be months away.
Camera Button
Back to the iPhone 16. It comes out in five new colors with a 50% stronger screen glass than the first-generation Ceramic Glass. New is the Camera Button that is recessed into the side. It is pressure sensitive and allows you to open the camera and shoot photos. The button also registers swiping movements that allow you to zoom in or select other camera functions. Camera Button features are also coming later as a software update.
Apple promises longer battery life by applying a larger battery. Exactly how big remains to be seen; we are waiting for the first teardowns. Apple will take the first orders starting Friday, Sept. 13, and deliver the first models Friday, Sept. 20. Prices will remain the same.
