Apple iPhone 16 impresses reviewers despite lack of Apple Intelligence at launch

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 16 reviewers found a lot to like about the latest iteration of the flagship product, including longer battery life, larger screens (on the Pro models) and an upgraded camera, even though Apple Intelligence is not yet available.

The phones hit the shelves on Friday.

The iPhone 16 features a new Camera Control button and more battery life. But CNET’s Patrick Holland was most impressed with the 4K slo-mo video feature.

“The iPhone 16 Pro’s ability to record high-resolution slow-motion video is the best new iPhone feature I’ve seen in years,” Holland wrote. “I used the 16 Pro to record footage of a lion dance rehearsal and was surprised by how the slow motion made the dancers’ fast acrobatic movements look graceful, sustained and powerful — something that’s difficult to appreciate in real time.”

Despite being impressed, Holland said consumers should probably only upgrade if they have an iPhone Pro 12 or older. Also, the generative AI features through Apple Intelligence are not yet available.

The iPhone 16 Pro goes for $999, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $1,199. The Apple Intelligence beta version will be available when iOS 18.1 is released in October. Some of the new AI features include upgrades to Siri, more photo editing options and AI support for texting. The image and emoji generator and Siri’s integration with ChatGPT will arrive at a later date.

Battery lives matters

The battery life of the iPhone 16 lasts about 15% longer than the iPhone 15.

“The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the best battery life of any iPhone yet,” said CNBC’s Todd Haselton. “Apple’s new A18 Pro processor paired with a larger battery offers up to 33 hours of video playback, up from 29 hours on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.”

Apple also increased battery charging speed with MagSafe. You can charge 50% of the battery’s life in half-an-hour with a 30-watt charger. Haselton noted the charger is not included.

Gap narrows between standard and pro

Allison Johnson, a consumer tech reviewer for The Verge, said the iPhone 16 line-up features less of a gap between the standard iPhone and the Pro models.

“That matters a lot, especially on the more basic models,” Johnson said. “If you’ve been holding on to an older iPhone for the past couple of generations wondering whether this is the year to upgrade, then I think there’s an easy answer this time around: go for it. It’s a good year for the basic iPhone, and it’s a good year to upgrade.”

The standard iPhone 16 starts at $799, and the iPhone 16 Plus is $899.

The Pro and regular models all come with the new Camera Control button, which allows users to easily launch the camera app, snap photos and adjust settings. However, Johnson notes only the Pro models have the 120Hz screen while the standard models have a 60 Hz refresh rate screen.

Apple shares edged up 2% by late morning trading on Wednesday.