2024 will be remembered as one of Apple’s most unique iPhone launches. The much-anticipated iPhone 16 series arrived with one glaring absence: Apple Intelligence. The flagship feature, which is set to integrate generative AI into the iPhone experience, didn’t ship at launch. It’s expected to be introduced in a phased manner in different languages and regions later this year.
Without Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 series is an iterative update across the board; after spending the past week with the iPhone 16 Plus, I’ve found that even though it doesn’t ship the groundbreaking features we currently expect, it delivers a dependable experience with meaningful, albeit minor, improvements.
Pricing and availability The iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 with 128GB and can be configured up to 512GB. The device comes in five finishes: white, black, teal, ultramarine, and pink. You can buy it from most major retailers and carriers, including Amazon and Best Buy, and directly through the Apple Store.
A colorful new design
Like its little brother, the iPhone 16 Plus follows the now-familiar formula in Apple’s design language. The most visible update is the camera layout and new color options. The vertically aligned lenses on the back are a welcome change from the diagonal placement of the last few years, and honestly, I think this is one of the best-looking iPhones since the iPhone X.
The new arrangement gives the device a sleeker profile, which really complements the color-infused glass, especially in the new shades of ultramarine and teal. My unit was white, so it’s less obvious, but when I tried my hand at the bolder color variants, the deep saturation of the side frames and camera module offered a great contrast with the matte glass back.
This year’s iPhone also features an improved second-generation Ceramic Shield, which Apple says is 50% stronger than any smartphone glass. Although I didn’t intentionally drop-test my device, I think this new glass formulation should be at par, if not better, than the glass available in the market.
There wasn’t any mention of improved scratch resistance, and even after a week of using the phone case-less, you’ll see micro scratches just like any other glass phone.
The overall design feels familiar, almost too familiar. The iPhone 16 Plus retains much of the chassis and dimensions of the iPhone 15 Plus—the bezels aren’t thinner, nor is the chassis slimmer. Apple has done what works by playing it safe here.
Apart from the camera, the main visual difference for the 16 series is the addition of the action button and new camera controls. The action button is what you’ll find on the 15 Pro series, but it’s now available in the new iPhone lineup.
On a phone this big, it’s more convenient to reach for the top of the volume buttons; I have fairly large hands, so this wasn’t a big deal, but coming from the smaller 15 Pro, it’s not as comfortable.
The same applies to the new camera control, which is ergonomically in exactly the right place when you hold the phone in landscape, but feels awkward to press when the device is in portrait. I used the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro simultaneously, and the placement on the smaller phone felt more comfortable to operate with one hand in portrait than on the 16 Plus, where you’re more inclined to use both hands to use the camera control in portrait.
While this seems like a minor detail, it’s important to note that Apple plans to roll out visual intelligence, its version of Google Lens or Google’s Circle to Search feature. This is a big part of how the camera control is ultimately used, and the most natural way to trigger it will be in portrait, so I’d expect that if Apple keeps it, they’ll make the camera control larger or shift it to a more comfortable spot on the larger phone.
Having said that, after using the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the iPhone 16 Plus is surprisingly comfortable for a large phone. The phone’s lightweight body and rounded aluminium edges make it easier to hold than some of its heavier competitors.
A great but stifled display
The iPhone 16 Plus is equipped with a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, which boasts a peak brightness of 2000 nits for outdoor viewing. Aside from the new Ceramic Shield, it’s the same as last year’s 15 Plus. This means two things.
First, colour accuracy remains a strong point, as is expected from Apple’s calibrated panel. Whether you’re scrolling through photos or streaming HDR content, colours are vibrant without feeling overly saturated, and you’re able to play Dolby Vision and HDR10.