iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: How are they different?

This iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15 comparative analysis will help you understand the differences between the two.

The recently dropped iPhone 16 comes with several notable (yet familiar) updates, including a new vertical camera layout. 

Announced at Apple’s September event, the new iPhone 16 delivers a fresh design with Action and Camera Control buttons, improved camera support for fancier pics, bigger battery capacity with faster charging speeds, and an upgraded A18 chip. 

Oh, and the major addition of Apple Intelligence, no less. 

Is the iPhone 16's upgrades enough to justify replacing the still impressive iPhone 15? Perhaps, but a closer look at the key differences will provide a clearer answer. Let's break down the specifics between the two models.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Price and specs

The iPhone 16 starts at $799 and is available at the Apple Store, whereas the iPhone 15 starts at $699.

You can expect the following specs in the iPhone 16:

• A18 Bionic chip

• 6.1‑inch, 60Hz, 2,556 x 1,179-pixel, OLED display

• 128G, 256GB, or 512GB storage

• Up to 22 hours (video playback) battery

• IP68 rating

Now, here are the iPhone 15's specs:

• A16 Bionic chip

• 6.1‑inch, 60Hz, 2,556 x 1,179-pixel, OLED display

• 128G, 256GB, or 512GB storage

• Up to 20 hours (video playback) battery

• IP68 rating

While the differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 may seem minimal at first glance, the iPhone 16 benefits from subtle enhancements in processing power and battery life. Additionally, features previously exclusive to the Pro models are now making their way to the iPhone 16, offering more advanced functionality that the iPhone 15 lacks.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Display

The iPhone 16 retains the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display as the iPhone 15, including the 60Hz refresh rate, which falls behind competitors offering 120Hz displays. Visual smoothness is limited, and those seeking a smoother experience will need to look at the iPhone 16 Pro models. It also maintains the same 2,000 nits of peak brightness and Dynamic Island as the previous generation.

This includes the 60Hz refresh rate, which is a shame to see since its competitors’ base flagship smartphones have now upgraded to a 120Hz display. Onscreen visual appeal isn’t as smooth, so you’ll have to look at the iPhone 16 Pro models for a stutter-free experience. 

There’s also the same 2,000 nits of peak brightness and Dynamic Island as per last-gen models.

The iPhone 16 still lacks an always-on display, meaning Apple's StandBy feature remains largely ineffective unless you're using one of the Pro models.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Design

Apple already pulled off a minor redesign with its iPhone 15, bringing its Dynamic Island over to the “regular” iPhone models. However, we also saw more rounded edges and aerospace aluminum color-infused glass. This time, the iPhone 16 sticks with this motif, but brings other features from its Pro model siblings and an all-new button. 

Instead of the usual Ring/Silent switch, Apple decided to put the Action button in its place. Going forward, we’re likely to see the Action button as a staple on all iPhone models, which is ideal news if you enjoy being able to customize any action with one simple press. 

Apple has introduced a new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16, conveniently placed below the Power button. This addition aims to streamline the photography experience by giving users quick access to key camera features. With the Camera Control button, you can easily trigger the shutter for quick snapshots, zoom in or out with swipe gestures, and focus on subjects with precision. It's a great feature for anyone who enjoys taking photos and videos, offering a more intuitive and efficient way to interact with the iPhone’s camera system.

The iPhone 16 now features a vertical camera alignment on the rear, a design reminiscent of the iPhone 12 but updated with some modern elements. In terms of colors, the iPhone 16 expands the options compared to the iPhone 15, offering Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black. This adds a few new hues to the iPhone 15's palette, which includes Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Pink. These changes reflect Apple's ongoing efforts to refresh the design and expand customization options for users.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Performance

The iPhone lineup gets more powerful with each annual release, and that’s no different with the iPhone 16. Instead of the trickle-down effect of getting last year’s iPhone 15 Pro chipset, the iPhone 16 models will get their very own A18 Bionic chip. 

The iPhone 16's A18 chip represents a significant leap over the iPhone 15's A16 processor. With a 6-core CPU, it delivers 30% better performance while consuming 30% less power. The 5-core GPU further enhances efficiency by 40%, making the iPhone 16 faster and more energy-efficient than its predecessor. Additionally, the iPhone 16's Neural Engine is upgraded with more cores, optimizing it for the advanced capabilities of Apple Intelligence. This combination of power and efficiency ensures that the iPhone 16 remains one of the fastest smartphones on the market.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Cameras

Here's a quick look at the iPhone 16's specs

• Rear camera: 48MP main (fusion with 12MP 2x Telephoto), 12MP ultra-wide

• 12MP TrueDepth front camera

Now take a look at the iPhone 15's specs:

• Rear camera: 48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide

• 12MP TrueDepth front camera

The iPhone 15 models already received a worthwhile camera upgrade, which includes a 48MP with ƒ/1.6 aperture.

The iPhone 16 upgrades its ultra-wide lens with a 12MP sensor, featuring a ƒ/2.2 aperture and autofocus for better low-light performance. This improvement addresses the iPhone 15’s ƒ/2.4 ultra-wide lens, which often struggled with blurry photos in dim conditions. With the new lens, users can expect clearer and more vibrant ultra-wide shots, even in challenging lighting situations.

In addition to other updates, the iPhone 16 introduces macro photography support, allowing for more detailed close-up shots compared to the iPhone 15. While the dual-camera system remains similar, the iPhone 16 offers refinements to enhance overall performance. These changes improve both the clarity and versatility of the camera, building on the iPhone 15’s already solid foundation.

It's also worth noting that the iPhone 16 has the new camera control button (check out our in-depth experience with the camera control button, which can be found on the right side of the chassis). The iPhone 15 lacks a camera control button.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Battery life

We don't have any benchmarks for the iPhone 15, but according to Apple, it lasts up to 20 hours on a charge via video playback (up to 16 hours with video streaming).

We conducted our own benchmarks on the iPhone 16 by running a TikTok video at 50% brightness until the battery drained. The device lasted an impressive 16 hours and 20 minutes, showcasing its strong battery performance.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Software and AI

Arguably the biggest difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 is being able to utilize Apple Intelligence, the tech giant’s very own security-focused generative AI (with the help of ChatGPT). Unfortunately, it’s only reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and later with an iOS 18 update. 

As showcased at WWDC 2024, the iPhone 16 introduces several AI-powered features, including prioritized notifications. This feature ensures that the most important alerts appear at the top of your notification feed, and even provides brief summaries for stacked notifications, making it easier to manage your notifications and stay organized.

The iPhone 16 features AI tools that allow for quick rewriting, summarizing, and proofreading of text, making it ideal for composing emails or messages. It also supports AI-generated images, easy image search through text descriptions, automatic audio transcriptions, and even Genmoji, where you can create custom emojis. For privacy, the device uses Private Cloud Compute, ensuring that your data is never stored when accessing Apple Intelligence.

There’s a lot on offer here, and that’s where the iPhone 15 will struggle to keep up. Until they’ve been used in the wild for a while, though, there’s no telling if these Apple Intelligence features will be a defining reason to upgrade to an iPhone 16. 

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Worth the upgrade?

With the iPhone 16, Apple takes things to the next level by bringing Pro features to its baseline models, alongside the introduction of its own generative AI, Apple Intelligence. While the hardware upgrades — including an Action button, a Camera Control button, a larger battery, and vertical rear cameras — are notable, the real draw of the iPhone 16 lies in the seamless integration of AI into the software.

While you can access AI features through services like ChatGPT in a browser, the fully integrated Apple Intelligence offers new, smarter ways to interact with your iPhone, enhancing the overall experience.

Is Apple Intelligence the future of iPhone? It's too early to say, but with no price increase, the iPhone 16 is certainly one to watch.