Apple continues its tradition of annual iPhone upgrades with the launch of the iPhone 16 series. While the iPhone 15 introduced notable improvements like the Dynamic Island across all models and a switch to USB-C, the iPhone 16 focuses on refining performance, enhancing camera capabilities, and introducing AI-driven features. At first glance, both phones may look similar, but under the hood, the iPhone 16 offers meaningful upgrades—especially for power users and content creators.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of the new A18 chip in the iPhone 16 lineup, delivering faster processing and improved energy efficiency. Apple has also made subtle tweaks to the display brightness, battery optimization, and rear camera system—especially in the Pro models, which may include a dedicated “Capture Button” for improved photography control. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth upgrading, the table below offers a side-by-side comparison to help you decide.
Comparison iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16
| Feature | iPhone 15 | iPhone 16 |
| Chipset | A16 Bionic | A18 New 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores |
| Design | Aluminum/ Ceramic Shield front/ Color-infused glass back. | Aluminum/ Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front/ Color-infused glass back. |
| Display | 6.1″/6.7″ Super Retina XDR | 6.1″/6.7″ Super Retina XDR |
| Camera (Rear) | Dual 48MP + 12MP (Standard) | Dual 48MP + 12MP (Standard) |
| Camera (Pro) | Triple camera + 5x optical Zoom, Spatial photos and Videos (Pro Max) | Triple camera + 5x optical Zoom, Spatial photos and Videos (Pro Max) |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Sensors | Face ID/ Barometer/High Dynamic range gyro/High-g accelerometer/ Proximity sensor/Dual ambient light sensors | Face ID/ Barometer/High Dynamic range gyro/High-g accelerometer/ Proximity sensor/Dual ambient light sensors |
| Battery Life | Up to 20–26 hours video playback
Up to 80-100 hours Audio playback. |
Up to 22–27 hours video playback
Up to 80-100 hours Audio playback. |
| Charging & Expansion | USB-C, Charging/DisplayPort/ USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s) | USB-C, Charging/DisplayPort/ USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s) |
| OS | iOS 18 | iOS 18 |
| SIM Card | Dual eSIM (two active eSIMs; stores eight or more eSIMs) | Dual eSIM (two active eSIMs; stores eight or more eSIMs) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7, (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Storage Options | 128GB to 512GB | 128GB to 512GB |
| Price (Launch) | Starts at $699 | Start at $799 |
| Ram | 6GB | 8GB |
| Weight | 6.02 ounces (171 grams) | 6.00 ounces (170 grams) |
