Apple’s latest generation of smartphones, the iPhone 16 series, debuted last month. The phones are currently available for purchase in India. Over the years, iPhones have become widely popular in the country. With the release of each new model, their predecessors get a price cut making them a lucrative option when clubbed with bank discounts and exchange offers. However, it’s necessary to compare both the new and old generation models carefully, before arriving at a decision.
There’s an obvious price difference between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. However, the latest generation also packs some upgrades with new design, features and specifications. This makes it difficult on which one to opt for when buying whether it's your first iPhone or you’re coming from an older model.
To make things easier, we’ve put a list of all the differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price
We will begin with the most important factor if you’re confused about whether to go for the iPhone 16 or iPhone 15. The latest-generation model retains the same pricing as its predecessor i.e. it starts at Rs 79,900 for the base 128GB variant. The 256GB and 512GB storage configurations are priced at Rs 89,900 and Rs 1,09,900.
As usual, Apple has officially slashed the prices of the iPhone 15. It carries a starting price tag of Rs 69,900 for the base 128GB variant whereas the 256GB and 512GB options can be purchased at Rs 79,900 and Rs 99,900 respectively.
Notably, Apple Authorised Resellers and many third-party retailers sell the iPhone 15 at a further lower price than the company’s official channel. On top of this, there are various bank discounts and exchange offers depending on the value of the trade-in device. This means that the iPhone 15 can be grabbed at a relatively cheaper price.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design
Apple has majorly redesigned the iPhone 16. The Cupertino-based tech giant has gone back to the iPhone X-era with the pill-shaped camera island on the back panel that has two stacked sensors. The device still retains a flat frame. There’s an Action Button on the left side borrowed from last year’s Pro models. This also means that the legacy mute switch is fully phased out.
Perhaps, the key USP of this year’s iPhone 16 is the addition of a dedicated capacitive button called Camera Control on the right edge of the device. It works like a two-stage shutter button found on DSLRs. Light pressing will open up various controls that can be adjusted by sliding a finger on the button. Meanwhile, clicking on the button will open up the camera app as well as instantly capture a photo.
On the other hand, the iPhone 15 lacks both the key features i.e. Action Button and Camera Control. It has a square-shaped camera island with diagonal sensor placement and also the legacy Mute Switch.
Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 feature a frosted glass back panel. The colours on this year’s models look more vibrant compared to the lighter shades on last year’s offerings.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Hardware
The iPhone 15’s A16 processor is now two years old. Although it was launched last year, the chipset was first found on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. The iPhone 15 with A16 is still capable of powerful and smooth performance. But it does lack the ability to support AI features which are gaining mainstream lately.
With the iPhone 16, Apple has jumped two generations ahead to equip the device with A18 chipset. It is said to be built for various Apple Intelligence features on-device. The processor is said to offer 30 per cent and 40 per cent faster CPU and GPU performance respectively. Apple has also bumped up the RAM to 8GB on the newest model from 6GB on the iPhone 15. This year’s iPhone 16 is also capable of playing AAA gaming titles and it also features a new internal design for heat dissipation.
Battery life on the iPhone 16 has been slightly improved as well. It is said to offer 2 additional hours of video playback compared to the iPhone 15. The smartphone is compatible with Qi-certified wireless chargers.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Camera
The iPhone 16 has the same 48MP main camera with 2x zoom paired with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens as the iPhone 15. The latter on the latest generation is now capable of shooting close-up macro images. Furthermore, the iPhone 16 can also shoot spatial photos and videos so they can be viewed in 3D using the Apple Vision Pro.
The iPhone 16 features an anti-reflective lens coating along with 4K Dolby Vision recording, spatial audio, and noise reduction features. The smartphone also packs software-side photographic styles for creative looks.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: What’s similar?
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 sport the same display. This means the 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR screen bearing a resolution of 2,556 x 1,179 pixels and a 2,000 nits peak brightness. There is a Dynamic Island. Both phones feature a 12MP TruDepth front camera. The devices come with Emergency SOS via satellite, crash detection, and roadside assistance.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Which one should you purchase?
If you’re coming from the iPhone 14 or older, the straight answer is the iPhone 16. This is because of the onboard Apple Intelligence features that you would not like to miss out on. The powerful hardware is also capable of running AAA gaming titles. The addition of the Camera Control also makes it ideal for smartphone photographers. Given that the iPhone’s lifecycle is four years and even beyond in certain cases, the iPhone 16 although expensive than the iPhone 15 would be the most prudent choice and investment.
That said, you can also pick up the iPhone 15 if you’re able to bag it at half of its retail price with bank discounts and post-trade-in value. It is still a solid smartphone for first-time iPhone buyers who don’t want to break the bank.
Disclaimer: This is a syndicated feed. The article is not edited by the FPJ editorial team.