iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: What’s different?

September is here, and right on cue, Apple unveiled its latest iPhone 16 series. Similar to the previous series, the new lineup too consists of four devices – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

As is the case every year, Apple will continue to sell the previous generation of the iPhones alongside the latest launches. And if you’re grappling with the question of what’s new on the new iPhones when compared with the iPhone 15, fret not. Here’s a detailed comparison between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 15.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and display

Let’s get the most obvious differences (or similarities) out of the way first. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 both get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, with the same 2556 x 1179 pixels resolution, and 2,000 nits of peak brightness outdoors. Both of them also get the Dynamic Island notch at the top.

Come to the sides and the back, however, and you begin to notice the differences. For starters, the iPhone 16 loses the physical mute switch, and instead gets the customisable Action button – first seen on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models.

There’s also a new Camera Control feature, which is essentially a capacitive touch key on the right side near the bottom. This button can be used to quickly open the camera app, as well as zoom in and out of pictures, and pull up settings like exposure, and more.

On the back, while one does see the same Aluminium with colour-infused glass back, you will notice that the cameras are now vertically stacked – reminiscent of the iPhone 10, 11, and 12.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Processor and battery

The processor is perhaps where the iPhone 16 receives its biggest upgrade over its predecessor. The A18 processor is a two-generation leap from the A16 Bionic chipset on the iPhone 15. While both of them get a six-core CPU, a five-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine, the new chip is more capable of handling the upcoming suite of Apple Intelligence features.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 16 series launched with more power and camera control button

Battery life on the iPhone 16 is slightly better as well, with the device providing for up to 22 hours of video playback and 80 hours of audio playback, versus the iPhone 15’s 20 hours of video playback.

Both of the devices pack lithium-ion batteries which are MagSafe, Qi2, and Qi wireless charging compatible. However, while both devices can charge up to 50 per cent in 30 minutes, the iPhone 16 can charge a little faster as well, when paired with a 30W adapter.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Cameras

Cameras again, are where you see significant upgrades. While both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 get a 48MP primary sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, the iPhone 16 supports macro photography as well as spatial photos and videos, which the iPhone 15 misses out on.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 also gets an anti-reflective lens coating and supports 4K Dolby Vision recording and 1080p Dolby Vision recording. It also gets a wind noise reduction technology for videos and spatial audio support as well, features that were absent on its predecessors.

The front camera on both devices, however, sees no software or hardware changes. Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 get a 12MP front camera.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Connectivity

Connectivity options on both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 remain largely the same, with a USB Type-C 2.0 port, Bluetooth 5.3 support, a second-generation Ultra-Wideband chip, NFC support, GPS, 5G LTE, and GPS. However, the iPhone 16 does get Wi-Fi 7 support instead of Wi-Fi 6 on the iPhone 15, providing for more stable, faster connections.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Pricing and availability

The iPhone 16 will be up for pre-orders starting September 13 and will go on sale from September 20. It will be available in Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black colourways.

The iPhone 15, on the other hand, is currently available in lighter shades of Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black.

ALSO READ: iPhone 16 prices in India: Here’s how much Apple’s new phones cost

Prices for the iPhone 16 series start from Rs 79,900 and go up to Rs 1,09,900. In comparison, the iPhone 15 is currently available at prices ranging between Rs 69,900 and Rs 99,900.