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For the past two years, Apple’s standard iPhones have felt like awkward compromises, doing little more than bringing over features from their pro-level predecessors without adding anything significantly new to the mix. This year, everything changes.
With the release of the Apple iPhone 16, Apple’s 2024 iPhone lineup is back in unity for the first time since at least 2021. Unlike the Dynamic Island and Action button in previous years, Apple isn’t artificially limiting features like the new Camera Control to the iPhone 16 Pro. The balance between the standard and pro lineups has been restored, with the higher-end models differentiated only by truly Pro-level features and not mere design and user interface aspects. Mix in some unique new design changes, and the iPhone 16 feels like an iPhone that can stand on its own rather than being an also-ran.
With so many fun improvements in this year’s model, you may wonder where that leaves the iPhone 15. Last year’s model lacked an Action button and has a processor that’s now two generations behind, so is it still a good choice in today’s iPhone landscape? Perhaps more significantly, is the iPhone 16 worth the upgrade if you’re holding an iPhone 15 in your hand right now? Let’s dive in and find out.
iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: specs
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches) | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches) |
| Weight | 170 grams (6 ounces) | 171 grams (6.03 ounces) |
iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: design
It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the iPhone 16 retains most of the same design elements of the past few generations as Apple has seemingly settled on the flat-edged style that began with the 2020 iPhone 12. Nevertheless, the iPhone 16 changes things up in at least one interesting way.
Specifically, while the dimensions of the iPhone 16 are identical to those of the iPhone 15 down to the millimeter, and the weight is essentially the same, the camera layout is a whole new ballgame — although perhaps it’s more accurate to say it’s a return to an older one. The cameras moved back to a tandem vertical arrangement from the iPhone 12 era, but the camera bump is an even bigger throwback that’s more reminiscent of what we saw on the iPhone XS. A pill-shaped cutout encloses the two cameras, while the LED flash sits off to one side.
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