iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16: what’s the real difference?

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16: what’s the real difference?

On September 9, 2024, Apple held its traditional fall event. It was called “It’s Glowtime” and revolved around iPhones, the biggest moneymakers in the company’s product portfolio (the devices shovel in almost half of Apple’s entire revenue). Yes, the Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 also had their time on the stage, but the limelight was given to the iPhone 16 and its versions. How do they compare to the iPhone 15 series? Does it make sense to hurry up and buy the latest model? 

Let’s see what’s different between the previous line and the latest so far. We’ll consider the cameras – they are what, arguably, has made iPhones this much of a hit, although they weren’t the first phones to have them (google Samsung SCH-V200 and Sharp J-SH04, both made in 2000), the chipsets, and other upgrades, if any. The prices given below are regular, non-discounted, for entry-level models.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15 comparison

iPhone 16 color options. Snapped at Apple website

1. Camera. Both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 have a 48MP main camera with an ƒ/1.6 aperture, but the latter’s got an anti-reflective coating on its lens. As for the ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16’s was upgraded to an ƒ/2.2 aperture for improved low-light performance, but remained 12MP, the same as in the iPhone 15. The new features of the camera of the latest model include macro photography and macro video recording, spatial video recording, 60 fps for 4K videos, and a bunch of other improvements.

All in all, it looks like the iPhone 16 can make better pictures and videos, including their spatial variety (only the Pro and Pro Max of the 15th series can do it), but seeing the difference is a matter of coincidence of a number of conditions.

2. Hardware. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 differ significantly in their chipsets, with the expected effect on their performance and capabilities. Simply put, the 15’s A16 Bionic, with its 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, is a previous generation to the 16’s A18, which, while having quite the same number of cores in each PU and the Engine, works up to 40% faster than the predecessor. Moreover, the enhancements of the last gen chipset make it optimized for generative models (machine learning tasks solved twice as fast) and introduce hardware-accelerated ray tracing, making games and some visual content look much more vivid.

Thus, the iPhone 16 should operate smoother in most high-load situations, but outside of those, in the context of daily grind (minus the games), you may find it hard to spot the points of excellence of the latest model. However, the innate optimization of the A18 for AI-related processes can make the difference, since Apple plans to heavily rely on this tech.

iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro comparison

iPhone 16 Pro color options. Snapped at Apple website

1. Camera. While the resolution of the main camera did not change between the models – it’s 48MP in both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro – the latest model is a significantly more advanced device that can deliver better results even in routine situations, or open new opportunities and angles to bump your skill a level up. The improvements enabling such creative growth are:

• the new Fusion camera with a second-generation quad-pixel sensor (faster readout speeds and zero shutter lag);
• ultrawide camera upgraded to 48MP (compared to 12MP in the iPhone 15 Pro), which means very detailed macro shots and much better low-light performance;
• 5x optical zoom for telephoto camera (reserved to the 15 Pro Max in the previous line);
• 4K recording at up to 120 fps (up to 60 fps in the iPhone 15 Pro), letting you make fantastic slow-mo videos, just watch that storage space.

Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro relies on the next-generation photographic styles and improved image processing on the software side, and records audio with a 4-mic array, much like in a studio setting. So, if you’re considering moving up to the Pro tier, and the camera is what you use often, this year’s model looks a winner.

2. Hardware. The iPhone 15 Pro has the A17 Pro chipset under the hood, while the iPhone 16 Pro relies on the A18 Pro model. Both silicons are mighty enough to easily cover up to 90% of the tasks a common user may have for them. The latter, however, is believed to offer significant improvements that become obvious when you really put strain on your phone: play intensive games, edit videos, or do something advanced and related to machine learning. The said improvements, all in all, are enabled by 

• better power efficiency of the A18 Pro chipset,
• improved memory bandwidth by 17%, enhancing system performance overall;
• hardware-accelerated ray tracing, providing more realistic lighting effects in games and applications;
• upgraded Neural Engine, which makes Apple Intelligence and other AI-related jobs more efficient;
• a new thermal design that improves sustained performance during intensive tasks.

The conclusion here is quite similar to that for the comparison of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16: if you make your device work up a sweat, i.e., heat up noticeably, it makes sense to consider upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to tell the difference, barring the slightly larger 6.3-inch display.

iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max comparison

iPhone 16 Pro showcased against its lower level sibling. Snapped at Apple website

1. Camera. The camera setup of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is similar to that of the iPhone 16 Pro. Thus, the advantages thereof over the previous model of the same tier are the same: a lot is new, and a lot is better. On the other hand, if the camera is the crucial factor for you, and other aspects like battery life and display matter little, go for the Pro version and save yourself some money.

2. Hardware. The iPhone Pro and Pro Max differ mainly in size, battery capacity, and price. Thus, in terms of chipsets, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers the same advantages as the iPhone 16 Pro, but the former, as claimed by the maker, can play video ceaselessly for 33 hours, which is 5 hours longer than the latter. If you’re ready to pony up extra dollars for more power, the Pro Max is your choice.

There you have it, the comparison of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 lines! We aimed to focus on the specs, features, and use cases that matter to most users, but if something is missing from this piece, and you’d like to learn something more specific about the differences between the previous and the last phone models by Apple, let us know in the comments!