iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: What are the expected differences?
Intro
In the past two years, if you wanted a compact Pro series iPhone, you had to go with a 6.1-inch size, but in 2024, Apple is changing that formula.
The new iPhone 16 Pro, which is expected to make its debut at an Apple event on September 10th, will arrive with a bigger, 6.3-inch screen size.
However, thanks to even smaller bezels around the screen, its actual physical size will not change much from the iPhone 15 Pro. This slight change will allow Apple to include a bigger battery, a new telephoto camera with 5X zoom (up from 3X zoom previously), as well as a few other changes. It all seems like a big upgrade with a very slight impact to the size of the device.
So let's dive deeper and explore all the expected differences between the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and the current iPhone 15 Pro.
Keep in mind that this is a preview of what is to come with information coming from vetted leaks and the trust-worthy rumors, but for all the official information, we would need to wait a bit longer until the official reveal.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro differences:
| iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro |
|---|---|
| Larger, 6.3-inch screen size | 6.1-inch screen |
| 1.2mm screen bezel size | 1.71mm bezel size |
| Slightly heavier at 194 grams | 187 grams weight |
| Faster A18 Pro chipset | Apple A17 Pro |
| New modem for improved connectivity | Older modem model |
| New 5X telephoto camera | 3X telephoto camera |
| New 48MP ultra-wide camera | 12MP ultra-wide camera |
| New physical Capture Button | No physical Capture button |
| Larger battery size | 3,274 mAh battery |
| Possibly faster charging | 25W wired charge |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
- iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16: expected differences
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: what's new
- iPhone 16 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: Expectations
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro: will there be that much of a difference?
Design and Size
Slightly bigger size and a cool new Capture Button
The big design change in the iPhone 16 Pro will be the larger 6.3-inch screen size and the reduced bezel around that screen. All of that will make for an even more futuristic look for the new model, while staying in line with the mostly compact dimensions these iPhones are known for. However, in terms of overall styling, the 16 Pro will resemble the previous 15 Pro model closely.
Here are the expected sizes of the new model vs the old one:
| iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 149.6 mm | 146.6 mm |
| Width | 71.4 mm | 70.6 mm |
| Thickness | 8.25 mm | 8.25 mm |
| Weight | 194 g | 187 g |
| Bezel size | 1.2 mm | 1.71 mm |
In summary, if you really value a smaller phone, you might notice the slightly smaller size of the iPhone 15 Pro, but for most people it won't be a big difference.
Materials are not expected to change: both models are likely to have that fancy titanium frame with the "Ceramic Shield" glass cover and a matte finish on the back.
Apple, however, will likely bring some new and livelier colors with the iPhone 16 Pro. One of the bigger complaints about the iPhone 15 Pro model were just the muted, bland colors.
Read more: iPhone 16 colors: all the rumored shades
New Camera Capture button will be below the power button (Image by 91Mobiles)
The other exciting design change is the new camera Capture Button. Leaks agree that all four iPhone 16 models will get this new button.
It will be a capacitive key, so that you don't trigger it accidentally in your pocket. And it will be tied exclusively to camera features, but not just to the Apple-made camera app – you should also be able to start a third-party camera app with it.
Once in the camera app, you will have a half-press functionality (say, to lock focus or exposure), and then a full press for capturing a photo or recording a video.
And since it's a capacitive button, it will act like a trackpad, so sliding your finger across it could be used to zoom in and out, or to quickly cycle through photo filters.
As for the rest of the design details, they remain the same. This means you get an IP68 water and dust protection, USB-C port for charging, and the Dynamic Island with Face ID in it. The unboxing experience will not change either as you get just a cable in the box and no charger.
Display Differences
A 6.3-inch screen size is probably the sweet middle ground for many people, and we are glad that Apple has recognized that and is moving to a slightly larger form factor.
We also mentioned the slimmer screen borders, and we also expect the screen on the 16 Pro to be up to 20% brighter than before for SDR content, as per rumors.
One feature that is NOT expected, but we think Apple should seriously consider for the future is a type of coating that would reduce the reflectivity of the screen outdoors. Samsung uses this in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it's been a revelation, but so far there are no rumors about it, so it's probably not happening. You could achieve a similar effect with a screen protector, though.
Don't expect any major changes to Face ID either. Apple is said to be working on an invisible front camera and that might arrive one day in the distant future, but it also may not, and all evidence says it will NOT come to the iPhone 16 Pro.
Performance and Software
New chipset might be a bigger deal than expected
Apple has done remarkable things with its A series iPhone processors and M series chips in MacBooks, but it has competition breathing down its neck (cough, Qualcomm Snapdragon).
Expert analysis has shown that the Apple A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro achieves industry-leading performance, but at the cost of power use and in some areas like gaming, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip actually has the edge.
So the new Apple A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro (not an official name yet) will have something to prove. Luckily, Apple is said to have been on a transitional node with the last generation chipset, and it will make the jump to a new 3nm process with the A18 Pro, so we have reasons to be optimistic.
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are expected to have 8GB of RAM, so no changes on that front.
Apple has already unveiled its plans for Apple Intelligence, and the iPhone 16 Pro will naturally benefit from all the new AI features. Just keep in mind that few of them will be available at launch, as Apple still lags behind companies like Google and Samsung in its AI implementation.
There is one more upgrade that might go a bit under the radar, and that is a new modem (the Qualcomm Snapdragon X75), which should help with connectivity and ensuring you have better signal in more places.
Along with this modem, the iPhone 16 Pro might also support Wi-Fi 7 compared to Wi-Fi 6 on the iPhone 15 Pro. The benefits are theoretically 2.4X faster speeds and lower latency, if you have an ideal connection.
Camera
A new zoom camera is both a blessing and a curse
The iPhone 16 Pro will have three cameras on the back, similar to the iPhone 15 Pro. However, new is the switch to a longer, 5X telephoto camera, a change from the 3X zoom camera on the 15 Pro.
Is that an upgrade?
We are not so sure. The obvious benefit of a longer zoom is you will get improved detail at 5X, 10X and further.
However, you are losing a very useful 3X optical zoom option that is very commonly used by many people. 3X zoom is also arguably perfect for portrait mode shots, while a 5X portrait is essentially a face shot and not quite as versatile or useful in real life.
So we have mixed feelings about this change.
We don't expect big changes to the 48MP main camera.
However, we do expect to see a new 48MP ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro, and that change is absolutely welcome. Expect more better low-light performance and improved detail for ultra-wide shots at 0.5X.
On the video front, we are finally getting high quality slow motion. Previous iPhone models could only record 120fps at 1080p quality, while the iPhone 16 Pro is said to get 3K video at 120fps. This should provide a lot more detail.
Also read: iPhone 16 camera: All the upgrades we expect
Battery Life and Charging
The perfect moment for Apple to improve battery life
A physically larger iPhone such as the iPhone 16 Pro sounds like the perfect opportunity to make a leap in battery life, and we might get that indeed.
Rumors are conflicted about this, but latest talk on the grapevine is encouraging. The iPhone 16 Pro might have a 3,577mAh battery, nearly 10% bigger than the previous model (which had a 3,274mAh battery).
Rumors provide far less clarity about the charging speed on the new iPhone 16 Pro. Some sources claim the new iPhone will get faster, 40W charging speeds, up from 25 watts on the 15 Pro, but we have been hearing such talk for years. Let's hope that this finally becomes a reality.
The iPhone 16 Pro will have MagSafe like previous models, and again it's possible we get slightly faster 20W speeds (up from 15W on the 15 Pro).
Specs Comparison
And here is an overview of the iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro specs in a table:
| Specs | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25mm | 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25mm |
| Weight | 194 g | 187 g |
| Screen | 6.3-inch OLED 120Hz | 6.1-inch OLED 120Hz |
| Processor | Apple A18 Pro New 3nm tech | Apple A17 Pro 3nm |
| RAM, Storage *Price expectations | Similar configs Prices unknown yet *likely to be similar | 8/128GB for $1,000 8/256GB for $1,100 8/512GB for $1,300 8/1TB for $1,500 |
| Cameras | 48MP main 48MP ultra-wide 12MP 5X zoom 12MP front | 48MP main 12MP ultra-wide 12MP 3X zoom 12MP front |
| Battery Size | 3,355 mAh +2.5% | 3,274 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 40W wired 20W MagSafe *possible | 20W wired 15W MagSafe |
Summary
So, let's summarize! The iPhone 16 Pro will have a slightly larger screen, but it will remain quite compact. You get a new 5X zoom camera and a new Camera capture button, plus a new and faster chipset. The battery size might also be bigger and faster charging is a possibility. And of course, it will support all the new Apple Intelligence features.
Essentially, the iPhone 16 Pro is shaping up to be yet another slightly nicer iPhone. It will tickle just the right places for those eager to get the latest and greatest, but if you own the iPhone 15 Pro, you probably won't feel obliged to upgrade.
Remember that the iPhone 16 Pro should make its debut very soon, on September 10th, and we will update this article with all the final details then.
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