The top 5 iPhone 16 Pro features power users will love

Apple announced four new iPhones (among other things) at the “It’s Glowtime” event last month. Designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence — Apple’s bespoke AI, set to roll out via iOS 18.1 on Oct. 28 — the series ranges from the base model to the most souped-up. The four models are the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. 

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There’s a deluge of new features on both the hardware and the software side, so we don’t blame you if you’re struggling to break it all down. But which features will have the most impact on iPhone enthusiasts? What are the truly novel features of the 16 Pro? 

Let’s cut through the noise and look at what we’ve got. 

1. 5x zoom comes to the Pro

When Apple first released the iPhone 15 series, it only gave the 5x tetraprism zoom lens to the Max Pro. This time around, both the 16 Pro and the 16 Pro Max are getting the high-end zoom capability. This choice means the camera is essentially the same on the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, leaving other features to differentiate the two models. 

2. Camera control 

One feature getting a lot of attention is the camera control button, which is new across the entire lineup of iPhone 16 models. Designed to operate similarly to the shutter button on a DSLR, it’s a physical button on the bottom right side of the phone with touch-capacitive capability that responds to swipes and soft presses. 

For example, a light press on the button focuses on the subject, and a harder press snaps the photo. Additionally, swiping on the button switches between photo and video modes or zoom in and out. Clicking and holding will take a video. 

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The camera control button is available on all iPhone 16 models, but it’s when paired with the advanced camera and the A18 Pro processor on the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max that Apple aims to provide a more seamless user experience that sets the Pro and Pro Max apart. The upcoming Visual Intelligence feature, for example, paired with the A18 Pro processor, will be faster and more efficient. 

Not everyone is a fan of the new camera button, however, since this shift from software to hardware will likely come with usability growing pains and mistakenly-accessed features.

3. Siri’s much-needed makeover

No offense to one of the OG voice assistants, but Siri has needed a makeover for a while now. When Apple’s virtual assistant was first released in 2010, it set the stage for an entire ecosystem of virtual assistant technology. Fast-forward almost 15 years later, and the market is full of competing AI models with capabilities that — let’s be honest — blow Siri out of the water. 

Well, the time has finally come. Apple unveiled a ton of new functionality for Siri, and it’s powered by Apple Intelligence. Expected to be fully deployed by January, the new Siri includes conversational context so it can take cues from what you just said, as well as the ability to take multi-step actions on your behalf, like adding photos to specific albums and then sharing them. 

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Beyond Siri, we have Visual Intelligence, which allows multi-modal AI via the camera, similar to what we’ve seen across other AI models this year. The iOS 18.1 live beta with (some) Apple Intelligence is available now in the US, with additional countries coming in December, and additional languages slated for next year. 

4. Upgraded chipset for the AI age 

After much anticipation, Apple Intelligence is built into the iPhone 16 series and powered by the new A18 Pro chip. With 17% more memory bandwidth, the A18 Pro chip is up to 15% faster than the A17 Pro and uses 20% less power in the process. Additionally, the advanced display engine on the A18 Pro powers unique features like ProMotion and the always-on display.

The 3mm technology has smaller, more efficient transistors and constitutes a big step forward in hardware that’s made to handle generative AI. The base iPhone 16 comes with 8GB of RAM, while the Pro comes with 12GB of RAM.

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Even with AI’s demanding memory requirements, having this much memory on the iPhone is a bonus for overall performance, particularly multitasking and starting up apps. 

5. The biggest iPhones yet

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are the largest iPhones ever, with 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays, respectively. Not only that, but the microscopic bezels make them look even bigger. 

However, this is one feature that is sure to elicit a mixed response from consumers. The iPhone has hovered around the same size for quite a few generations now, and this bump in size could indicate a change in the direction the devices are going.