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Apple just dropped the iPhone 16 at the Sept. 9 “Glowtime” event on Monday — and curious consumers are asking, “Should I upgrade?”
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. It depends. While the iPhone 16 lineup — which includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max — got unveiled with a handful of new features, the question is, do they benefit you?
I’m going to break down five categories of consumers who will gain the most advantage from upgrading for both the entry-level iPhone 16 variants and iPhone 16 Pro models.
This way, you can determine if you should make the purchase plunge — or wait until the iPhone 17.
I’m an iPhone expert: why you should skip iPhone 16 Pro Max for the cheapest iPhone 16
iPhone owners with XS and older
Before I dive into the niches that will benefit from an iPhone 16 upgrade, it’s important to note that the new iOS 18 update will officially roll out to iPhone users on Sept. 16.
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
Credit: Mashable
However, this new update isn’t rolling out to everyone. That said, if you have anything older than iPhone XR, including iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, iPhone X, and iPhone 8, and more, you’d be better off upgrading — Apple’s new updates will no longer support your phone moving forward.
If you have the original iPhone SE, you should consider upgrading, too. It will not be supported by iOS 18.
Credit: Mashable
Having a phone that supports regular iOS updates means that your device remains protected from security vulnerabilities — and you’ll get the latest-and-greatest software features Apple has to offer. Plus, if you have an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max or newer, you can benefit from Apple Intelligence, the company’s new suite of AI features.
Want to know what you’d be missing with the next major update? Check out some of the wildest features coming out of iOS 18.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: Should you upgrade?
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s dive into which consumers will benefit from upgrading the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
You love the idea of an intuitive button that gives you easy access to camera features
The entry-level models in the new iPhone 16 lineup are arguably the most attractive they’ve ever been in years. Apple typically reserves a lot of the fun new features for the upper-tier models.
Zoom in with the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control feature
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
For example, last year, with the iPhone 15 series, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models got the cool new “Action Button,” a customizable side button that lets you assign apps and other features to it so you can conveniently launch them.
Credit: Apple
For the iPhone 16, Apple debuted the new Camera Control button. But this time, Apple didn’t make this cool new perk exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models. You can find it across all iPhone 16 models.
The new Camera Control not only provides instant access to picture taking and video capture, but it lets you quickly do things like zooming in, swapping to the ultrawide lens, changing Photographic Styles, and more, with simple gestures. (To learn more about Camera Control, check out our hands-on experience with it.)
You want that ‘Action Button’
As mentioned, only 2023’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max had the Action Button, but now you can find it on the iPhone 16.
iPhone 16 Action Button
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
You can assign one of your favorite apps, whether its Gmail, Calendar, Slack, Instagram, or TikTok, to the Action Button, allowing you to access it with just a press of a button.
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You want a more durable display
The updated Ceramic Shield on the new iPhone 16 models is, according to Apple, 50% tougher than the original variant that debuted on the iPhone 12. Plus, the company claims that the new-generation Ceramic Shield has twice the durability of other smartphone glass displays.
iPhone 16 in Teal
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
So if you have a cracked screen, and you tend to have butterfingers, consider upgrading to the iPhone 16. You’ll get a brand new, uncracked screen — and it should be more resistant to your clumsiness (within reason, of course.)
You’re getting ‘FOMO’ on AI features
Apple announced Apple Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but the entire iPhone 16 lineup is getting Apple Intelligence, too.
Credit: Apple
Enjoy perks like creating your own AI-created emoji with a text prompt, a new-and-improved Siri, summarized notifications, the Clean Up tool, and more.
You love bold, vivid colors
It looks like Apple finally heard our feedback to quit all the pastel-esque, subtle colorways for the iPhone. (Mashable’s Elizabeth de Luna begged Apple to roll out a deep pink color, and it looks like she got her wish.)
iPhone 16 in Pink colorway
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
The iPhone 16 comes in Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink, and as someone who has seen these colors in person, they’re as gorgeous as they sound.
iPhone 16 in Ultramarine colorway
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
The iPhone 16 also comes in White and Black; perfect for those who like their phone colors as exciting as a tax form. (And yes, that was sarcasm.)
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?
With the iPhone 16 Pro models, you get all the aforementioned features, as well as some updated camera features (i.e., new 48MP ultrawide sensor), improved studio-quality mics, and more.
In my opinion, the iPhone 16 Pro models are a tougher sell for Apple. Why? The audiences that will benefit from the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are more niche.
You want a mega display
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a whopping 6.9-inch display. For reference, I know of tablets that have 7-inch screens. (Hence why I jokingly called the iPhone 16 Pro Max a phablet in my hands-on).
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
You may be thinking, “If the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s display is nearly 7 inches big, will it feel awkward in my hands?” The answer is no. I clutched the iPhone 16 Pro Max around my fingers and it felt natural and ergonomic, settling into the contours of my hand with ease.
It also has ultra-thin bezels, giving you more screen real estate than ever.
You want super long battery life
If a long battery runtime is one of the biggest selling points for you, you’ll likely get some satisfaction with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
According to Apple, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the longest battery life ever seen on an iPhone. (But of course, we’ll have to test these claims to know for sure.)
For reference, the iPhone 15 Pro Max lasted nearly 15 hours when we tested it in-house. This phone was the battery life champ for months — until the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL knocked it off its throne.
You’re an on-the-go content creator
The content creator space (e.g., YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram) is competitive. If your videos aren’t sharp, it’ll be difficult to build an audience. As such, you’ll benefit from the fact that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max can now shoot 4K videos at 120Hz.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
This means that you’ll get higher-quality videos that appear smoother and zippier to your followers. Plus, editing your videos to get that cool slow-mo effect is easier than ever on the Pro models.
You record videos in loud environments
Let’s say you record a video and there’s too much going on in the background: wind, side conversations, and the rustling of leaves.
Audio Mix on iPhone 16 Pro models
Credit: Apple
The iPhone 16 Pro models are capable of reducing unwanted noise, thanks to an easy-to-use slider lets you turn down the background cacophony to your liking.
You love to play around with music
In the Voice Memos app, if you have an existing recording, you can layer another track on top of it.
New Voice Memos feature on iPhone 16 Pro models
Credit: Apple
For example, if you want to sing on top of a previously recorded beat, you can do that by simply adding another layer and hitting record.
The iPhone 16 entry-level models start at $799. The iPhone 16 Pro variants start at $999.
