So, I finally got my hands on the new iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. In this article, I’ll tell you what’s new from the hardware’s perspective and the best tips and tricks to set up your new iPhones with the new iOS 18, since the public version is finally out.
Unboxing
Now, let’s start with the unboxing. What’s new for this Plus model is that the visuals of the rear part of the phone are in front of the box, instead of the phone screen as it was last year. The exact color of your choice is shown on the box; I went with the new Teal color for this iPhone 16 Plus model.
At the back, there are the usual pull tabs on the top and bottom. Speaking of the bottom, this is where you’ll find the storage variant, which I chose the 512GB option.
After removing the box cover, you’ll immediately see the phone inside. Then, there’s the SIM ejector pin together with the USB-C to USB-C braided cable.
For the first time ever for an iPhone, there’s no Apple stickers in the box, just the usual paperwork, but in an oval shape instead.
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As for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the visuals of the screen are in front of the box. Other than the pull tabs at the back for the top and bottom, it also shows the variant down there, which I chose in the new Desert Titanium color with 1TB of storage, since I’ll be shooting lots of Apple ProRes videos on this phone.
After removing the box cover, you’ll immediately see the phone inside. There’s the SIM ejector pin together with the USB-C to USB-C braided cable. And yes, no Apple stickers in this Pro variant too.
Hardware – iPhone 16 Plus
So, this Teal color is one of the new colors announced this year. There’s also Ultramarine, Pink, and the usual Black and White make a comeback as well.
It has a matte finish at the back, and not only does it feel amazing in the hands because of the curved edges, but since the sides are also in a matte finish, it doesn’t attract fingerprints at all. That was indeed a huge plus (pun intended).
Last year’s Action Button, which was exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, has been brought to all the regular non-Pro variants, which is great.
There’s also the new Camera Control for easy access. You can load the camera app by pressing it once, and if you press it again, it will take a picture.
A light double press opens a further menu where you can slide up and down for different options like exposure, depth, zoom, changing cameras, photographic styles, and picture tones.
Press it once, and you’ll be in one of those menu options, where you can slide to adjust the values accordingly. Finally, by pressing and holding this camera control, it records a video, which stops once you let go.
This camera control works in any orientation, whether vertical or horizontal. Coming soon will be the ability to use Apple’s Visual Intelligence with this Camera Control, which I’ll dive deeper into as soon as that feature comes out.
In my first impressions video, when I was at Steve Jobs Theater, I mentioned that the camera arrays are in a vertical orientation instead of the diagonal arrangement from last year. This is to allow for spatial video recording, which unfortunately I don’t have the Apple Vision Pro to test. But yes, I did try it at Apple Park, and the experience was amazing.
The chipset that powers the iPhone 16 Plus has seen a huge upgrade from the A16 Bionic to the A18 Bionic chipset, which jumps from a 4nm processed chip to a 3nm chip.
The battery is also bigger, though I don’t have the exact specs. No worries—stay tuned for my in-depth review, as last year’s iPhone 15 Plus gave me almost 9 hours of screen-on time. Let’s see how much more we’ll get from the new iPhone 16 Plus.
Hardware – iPhone 16 Pro Max
Now, let’s move on to the “Big Daddy,” the iPhone 16 Pro Max. While I love white, I went with the new Desert Titanium color instead, as it’s the new hero color this year.
It still feels very nice in the hands, especially the sides, which are similar to last year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. This time, it weighs about 6 grams more, though I couldn’t really feel a difference.
The screen is larger, bumping up from 6.7 inches to a massive 6.9 inches—the biggest iPhone screen ever. The bezels are thinner, making it the best 6.9-inch smartphone I’ve ever seen.
A huge upgrade is on the rear ultra-wide lenses, which have jumped from 12MP to a massive 48MP. Stay tuned for my in-depth camera test to see how well these new lenses perform.
Battery life is also said to be improved once again, and I’ll test that too in my review to see how it compares to last year’s 7 hours-plus of screen-on time. There’s also faster wireless charging with a new MagSafe charger and Qi2 compatibility.
The Camera Control, as mentioned earlier, is available for all iPhone 16 series models, including the Pro Max, with the same features and upcoming Apple Visual Intelligence integration. Another obvious upgrade is the A18 Pro Bionic chipset, which gets updated every year.
iOS 18 Tips
Alright, next, let’s talk about the best iOS 18 tip you must know since it’s finally out publicly.
Home Screen
The first thing you can and should do is change your home screen look. For the first time, you can now move icons wherever you want.
Yes, you can drag icons to any part of your screen, and you can also customize the colors for every icon on the iPhone. Unlike some phones, where it changes only some icons or apps (looking at you, Nothing), you can customize everything here. There’s even a color picker to match your icons to your wallpaper.
You can switch to a dark mode set of icons, and if you want your apps to have no labels for a clean, minimal aesthetic, just select large icons, and you’re all set.
Hide / Lock Apps
You can now hide apps, too. Just touch and hold the app, select “Hide and require Face ID”. There will be a hidden folder where you can’t see how many apps are stored. You can also lock an app using Face ID with the same process.
Control Center
The Control Center has been upgraded as well. It includes different pages that you can swipe through or use a one-hand gesture to navigate. You can resize and move icons in the Control Center, just like on the home screen.
There’s also a new flashlight control where you can adjust the brightness, width, and focus of the light.
Speaking of customization, the lock screen icons at the bottom are customizable too.
Photos App
Other updates include the redesigned Photos app, which now has a single scrolling page with categories, making everything easily accessible.
Messages App
The Messages app has added text animations, more reactions, and new emojis. You can even schedule messages, so if you think of something at 3 a.m., you can schedule it to avoid sending at odd hours.
There’s also RCS text messaging, which means if you’re sending photos or videos to an Android device, the files won’t be compressed.
Passwords App
The new Passwords app stores your passwords more securely across all your Apple devices.
Notes App
If you use the Notes app often, you’ll appreciate that it can now solve equations and transcribe audio notes in real time.
Calculator App
The Calculator app has a massive change, allowing you to switch between regular and scientific modes, do conversions, and view calculator history.
Game Mode
Finally, there’s a dedicated game mode, which reduces distractions and boosts performance while gaming.
Conclusion
As of the timing of this review, pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series have already started, and it will be out this Friday—the first time ever that it launches at the same time as in the U.S. I’ll leave links below for more info. I’ll also be at Apple The Exchange TRX store in person to give you extra moral support.
🛒 Pre-order the iPhones at the link below:-
iPhone 16/16 Plus – https://www.apple.com/my/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-16
iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max – https://www.apple.com/my/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-16-pro
Stay tuned for my in-depth reviews of these two phones, coming soon. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t!
