Ever since Apple released its first big iPhone in 2014 (happy anniversary, iPhone 6 Plus), the smaller Pro model has been in its shadow. Most years have seen a spec disparity with the Pro Max model gaining some sort of advantage, like the 5x zoom camera, which was only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This year, on the other hand, the smaller Pro shines next to its larger sibling. Size aside, this is every bit as much of an iPhone Pro as the Pro Max. They even share the same retail box with two accessories: You get a braided USB-C cable and a SIM tool.
So what’s new? The iPhone 16 Pro has a slightly larger 6.3-inch display than its predecessor’s 6.1-inch display. Like the Pro Max, this year’s Pro gets a new 48MP ultrawide camera, but it also ditches the mediocre 3x camera for the same 5x zoom.
Rounding out the cameras on all the new iPhone 16 models is the new camera control button. It’s a very innovative concept. It’s a real button: you press it to open the camera app from any screen (double-press from a locked phone), but it can also recognize the press and open a deeper level of control, and you can swipe on it.
We like the new button for its ability to open the camera app from anywhere, but it will take some getting used to. Our immediate impression is that it is best suited for use in portrait mode and with right-handed people; landscape mode takes some getting used to.
In developed markets, the iPhone 16 Pro will go head-to-head with the Google Pixel 9 Pro (our review is ready!) as the clear choice for flagship compact devices.
The pair are pretty evenly matched: Both have 6.3-inch displays, triple cameras with a 48MP ultrawide, a 48MP wide versus the 50MP wide, and the iPhone 5X’s 12MP versus the Pixel’s 48MP 5X. They also weigh the same 199g.
It will be an interesting head to head in the future!
Google Pixel 9 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro
It’s a pretty busy time of year, so we ask for your patience with our reviews. Stay tuned!
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