Apple’s new iPhone 16 series brings the expected upgrades in silicon and camera performance, but the big selling point this year is “Apple Intelligence”, the Cupertino tech giant’s take on generative AI features that are already available on Samsung and Google devices.
However, Apple Intelligence will not quite be ready when these new iPhones hit store shelves this week. Instead, consumers will have to wait until October for the 18.1 software update.
Still, I’ve been testing an iPhone 16 Pro Max (the highest-tier model) with beta software featuring Apple Intelligence, and while the AI features are genuinely helpful, I am impressed by the new iPhone’s video recording capabilities the most.
Design and hardware
The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch (175mm) screen is the largest display in an iPhone yet, but thanks to bezels being shaved even more, it does not feel much bigger than last year’s 15 Pro Max. The titanium finish introduced last year returns.