iPhone 16 and 16 Pro

Well so far I can say I’m glad phones are much better off being water resistant. I took my 4 year old to her classmates birthday party and kept an eye on kids, even while holding conversations. I noticed a little boy that kept going under, and two adults were right next to him, but didn’t see him. I ran, jumped in, and held him asking him if he’s okay. Luckily he was, but I was in there a good minute before I noticed I still had everything in my pockets. All is well with him is what matters, but also luckily my iPhone 16 pro max and keys made it without issues as far as I know. They made sure to put floaties on him after that.


I never bought Apple Care, but I think I’m going to now out as a precaution.
 
So just heard apple intelligence take over for the first time. Wife sent me a really long text, in my earbuds siri reads them out normally but the size of it she decided to summarize it. "A message expressing love, gratitude and family values. Would you like to hear the message?".

No siri, what you took from it is enough for me. sigh.

Siri reply responses are also pretty funny. Without exact details wife gave me a report on her last doctor check up, some concerns but good, my ai responses were "good to know" and "oh no". I know it is still in a stage of early release, but i am struggling to see its use yet. Especially as being the focus point of this phone release.
 
Darunion said:
So just heard apple intelligence take over for the first time. Wife sent me a really long text, in my earbuds siri reads them out normally but the size of it she decided to summarize it. "A message expressing love, gratitude and family values. Would you like to hear the message?".

No siri, what you took from it is enough for me. sigh.

Siri reply responses are also pretty funny. Without exact details wife gave me a report on her last doctor check up, some concerns but good, my ai responses were "good to know" and "oh no". I know it is still in a stage of early release, but i am struggling to see its use yet. Especially as being the focus point of this phone release.
Click to expand...
TBH as someone who really doesn't like dealing with constant wall of texts from people that could be done in one sentence - That feature is amazing.
 
Mchart said:
TBH as someone who really doesn't like dealing with constant wall of texts from people that could be done in one sentence - That feature is amazing.
Click to expand...
That makes sense. I guess i went at it with a singular text kind of thing but getting tons of those would mean you wouldnt only have to stop what youre doing to hear/read ones that "matter". Good point.
 
Aurelius said:
Yes and no. 5X does force you to step back for some close-ups and portraits, but it also means you can capture photos that simply aren't possible with 3X. I can see 5X being very appealing at concerts.
Click to expand...
But imagine seeing that nice landscape and thinking "yeah this is what I want to capture on camera".

That's where the 3X range comes in and will capture that moment as you see it.
 
Mchart said:
TBH as someone who really doesn't like dealing with constant wall of texts from people that could be done in one sentence - That feature is amazing.
Click to expand...
You don't like gargantuan walls of text?
 
I realize that iOS 18 actually gives us a reason to share our lock and home screens, so…

IMG_0367.png


The image is AI-generated and made to resemble what I have on my Pixel 9.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0366.png
    IMG_0366.png
    2.8 MB · Views: 0
polonyc2 said:
you can get the Flashlight from the Lock screen which is fine...the Camera already has 3- 4 different ways to access it which are all fine...the Camera Control button is overkill...plus it really only seems useful in Landscape Mode
Click to expand...
Maybe they will integrate a fingerprint sensor into that button and get rid of the massive cutout at the top of the screen.
Camera use should be majorly landscape and absolutely 100% landscape when capturing video. Matter of fact, all phones need to force landscape capture regardless of how the phone is held. Vertical videos need to die a horrid death now.
 
stevenlee said:
The iPhone 16 Pro seems like a great upgrade for you, especially with the larger 6.3-inch screen, improved ultrawide camera, better battery life, and the A18 Pro chip. If your phone is now a key work tool and your main camera, these enhancements will make a noticeable difference. Plus, iOS 18's new customization options should help improve your home screen layout and overall experience. If you're ready for an upgrade, the 16 Pro offers plenty of value without waiting for the iPhone 17.
Click to expand...

Bot
 
Some more observations after a few weeks:
  1. They are doing that stupid thing android used to do where the screen transitions are artificially slowed down to make it look more fluid (remember going into Dev Mode to move them to .5x? This thing needs that). So forget zooming around the OS like you could on Android.
  2. If you rely on something like a Roku App to stream audio to your headphones from the box, they still don't allow apps to run in the background natively. So the Roku app specifically is a glitchy mess because of it. Honestly, this is probably my biggest peeve because I want to be able to watch TV and not fight the technology. MAAAAAYBE I'll get an AppleTV because it can stream directly to bluetooth headphones but I really dont want to.
  3. The screen has significantly more glare than any of the S24 phones. If you ever used an S24 you'll notice it immediately.
  4. Screen doesn't get as bright as the Ultra BUT still equally readable in direct sunlight so that's pretty cool.
  5. Surprising I don't miss the finger print scanner. In fact, my fingers have are so jacked up that its an unexpected benefit because the scanner was starting to be a hit or miss for me. Hopefully my face doesn't become jacked up. But its definitely super nice and reminds me of the Nokia Lumia's iris scanner.
  6. Battery life on this 16 Pro is silly. 5+ hours screen on time is impressive for a small (ish) phone.
  7. The way it automatically shares internet with an iPad without being asked (or having to setup a hotspot) is pretty cool.
 
The Lurker said:
Some more observations after a few weeks:
  1. They are doing that stupid thing android used to do where the screen transitions are artificially slowed down to make it look more fluid (remember going into Dev Mode to move them to .5x? This thing needs that). So forget zooming around the OS like you could on Android.
  2. If you rely on something like a Roku App to stream audio to your headphones from the box, they still don't allow apps to run in the background natively. So the Roku app specifically is a glitchy mess because of it. Honestly, this is probably my biggest peeve because I want to be able to watch TV and not fight the technology. MAAAAAYBE I'll get an AppleTV because it can stream directly to bluetooth headphones but I really dont want to.
  3. The screen has significantly more glare than any of the S24 phones. If you ever used an S24 you'll notice it immediately.
  4. Screen doesn't get as bright as the Ultra BUT still equally readable in direct sunlight so that's pretty cool.
  5. Surprising I don't miss the finger print scanner. In fact, my fingers have are so jacked up that its an unexpected benefit because the scanner was starting to be a hit or miss for me. Hopefully my face doesn't become jacked up. But its definitely super nice and reminds me of the Nokia Lumia's iris scanner.
  6. Battery life on this 16 Pro is silly. 5+ hours screen on time is impressive for a small (ish) phone.
  7. The way it automatically shares internet with an iPad without being asked (or having to setup a hotspot) is pretty cool.
Click to expand...
Apple TV is worth it. You won’t look back at a Roku/firestick/whatever. The integration with other Apple products makes it a no brainer to get airplay and get full quality audio versus compressed BT.
 
Mchart said:
Apple TV is worth it. You won’t look back at a Roku/firestick/whatever. The integration with other Apple products makes it a no brainer to get airplay and get full quality audio versus compressed BT.
Click to expand...
I like it but it needs an upgrade. Imagine an AppleTV with an M4 chip! :-D
 
cpufrost said:
I like it but it needs an upgrade. Imagine an AppleTV with an M4 chip! :-D
Click to expand...
There’s no point. The chip it currently has runs 4k HDR just fine. Unless you want to use it as a game console and run games directly on it, but no one actually does that. Even my older one that only does 1080p still runs perfectly fine. I still use it on my garage TV.
 
Mchart said:
Apple TV is worth it. You won’t look back at a Roku/firestick/whatever. The integration with other Apple products makes it a no brainer to get airplay and get full quality audio versus compressed BT.
Click to expand...
Does it pair with non-apple headphones?
 
Mchart said:
There’s no point. The chip it currently has runs 4k HDR just fine. Unless you want to use it as a game console and run games directly on it, but no one actually does that. Even my older one that only does 1080p still runs perfectly fine. I still use it on my garage TV.
Click to expand...

Low bitrate 4k HDR runs fine.
 
Going to pull a Zorachus and show another home screen update... I'm definitely on that "I really like Nothing's aesthetic" wavelength. Wallpaper is once again AI-generated and upscaled.

IMG_0427.PNG
 
Mchart said:
There’s no point. The chip it currently has runs 4k HDR just fine. Unless you want to use it as a game console and run games directly on it, but no one actually does that. Even my older one that only does 1080p still runs perfectly fine. I still use it on my garage TV.
Click to expand...
Maybe playback is OK but mine just feels sluggish compared to my other Apple devices.
Apple arcade with M4 would be amazing! Even though my gaming is quite low energy (bowling, golf, and card games).
 
the two big question marks about the upcoming iPhone 17 launch: 1) will Apple make ProMotion available on the non-Pro models...2) will there be any price increases due to the Trump tariff situation
 
polonyc2 said:
the two big question marks about the upcoming iPhone 17 launch: 1) will Apple make ProMotion available on the non-Pro models...2) will there be any price increases due to the Trump tariff situation
Click to expand...
The rumor goes that the regular 17 will finally have a 120Hz refresh rate. I'm not sure about always-on, but it's supposedly LTPO and would be capable as a result.

Price increases I wouldn't rule out, but I also know Apple has been trying hard to avoid the full tariff slam by stockpiling units, moving more production to India, that sort of thing. And I suspect there will be a huge uproar, both from customers and politically, if Apple raises iPhone prices — this is the modern equivalent to the "price of bread" milestone.
 
Prices listed may not increase however cost to acquire via other means likely will.
In other words, the most common incentive, the trade in, I'd suspect lower values.
With carriers, deals such as $1000 for any phone working or not, amortized over 36 months of bill credits, likely to shrink or come with other restrictions.
They have many ways to reduce the blow of tariffs without making it appear blatantly obvious to the consumer as a simple price hike.
 
Maybe Apple will actually include full USB-C port 3.2 sec speeds across all of the line, not just in the PRO model, moving files over USB 2 speeds is bloody ridiculous this day in age considering how large images and video get.
 
Apple developers need to watch this video, and realize what needed revising and changed in iOS. I don't mean to diss Apple, but this video actually makes some good points on things that just seem outdated or not well thought out that would benefit from fresh approach. I thought iOS would get these kind of revisions for iOS 26, not just a silly transparent theme.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMf95PiwE8I&t=1s
 
Last edited:
polonyc2 said:
Apple Is Finally Bringing Anti-Reflective, Scratch-Resistant Display To iPhone 17 Pro Models

Rivaling Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Stunning Screen with Enhanced Durability and Seamless Outdoor Visibility...

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/16/iphone-17-pro-anti-reflective-display/
Click to expand...
I won't fault Apple for being a bit late to this party. Samsung's first go at an anti-reflective screen was somewhat fragile, and it's only with the S25U that it feels like a no-compromise display. Apple is legendary/notorious for refusing to adopt tech until it meets certain expectations. For instance, it's apparently not doing a foldable phone until there's virtually no crease.
 
Aurelius said:
I won't fault Apple for being a bit late to this party. Samsung's first go at an anti-reflective screen was somewhat fragile, and it's only with the S25U that it feels like a no-compromise display. Apple is legendary/notorious for refusing to adopt tech until it meets certain expectations. For instance, it's apparently not doing a foldable phone until there's virtually no crease.
Click to expand...


I had the S24U for a bit, and I LOVED that anti-reflective glass, but one thing I did not like was how easily it would get greasy and smudgy so fast, where my other phones would not get so yucky nearly as fast or bad. That anti-reflective glass would get nasty in like a couple hours of use, my other phones wouldn't nasty for an entire day.
 
Zorachus said:
I had the S24U for a bit, and I LOVED that anti-reflective glass, but one thing I did not like was how easily it would get greasy and smudgy so fast, where my other phones would not get so yucky nearly as fast or bad. That anti-reflective glass would get nasty in like a couple hours of use, my other phones wouldn't nasty for an entire day.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I got to try the S25U for a while this year and it was much better in my experience. Anti-reflection won't singlehandedly sell you on a device, but it's one of those features that combines with others to tip the balance versus buying a lower-tier model.
 
Aurelius said:
The iPhone 17 Pro is probably the phone for those folks who've been holding on and complaining that the past few years have been mild updates. Not that it's as much of an overhaul as the cosmetics will suggest, but it should be a more meaningful improvement than the 16 Pro was.
Click to expand...
IMO the 16 pro was a big improvement over the 15 pro, because the 15 pro had serious battery life and overheating issues. Personally, I won’t be upgrading because I need a physical redesign that gets the phone more comfortable to use again like the X-11pro design was. I really despise that the air is just going to be a current design phone but just thinner. It doesn’t fix the core design/comfort problems of the current phones. I still don’t know why they moved off the X physical design so quickly. My perfect phone would be a 11 pro but just with the latest SOC and whatever latest screen updates.
 
Apple to Kick Off Three-Year Plan to Reinvent Its Iconic iPhone

When consumers buy new iPhones today, it’s often because they have a cracked screen or worn-out battery, or they want to take better pictures and videos...maybe they’re just glued to the Apple Inc. ecosystem and upgrading by habit...they’re not buying new models because their current iPhone looks old

that’s all about to change...for the first time ever, Apple is planning three straight years of major iPhone redesigns...after playing it safe for a long time, the company is planning to reinvigorate its flagship phone — even as others in the industry pivot toward more AI-centric products...

https://archive.ph/vvFzS
 
polonyc2 said:
Apple to Kick Off Three-Year Plan to Reinvent Its Iconic iPhone

When consumers buy new iPhones today, it’s often because they have a cracked screen or worn-out battery, or they want to take better pictures and videos...maybe they’re just glued to the Apple Inc. ecosystem and upgrading by habit...they’re not buying new models because their current iPhone looks old

that’s all about to change...for the first time ever, Apple is planning three straight years of major iPhone redesigns...after playing it safe for a long time, the company is planning to reinvigorate its flagship phone — even as others in the industry pivot toward more AI-centric products...

https://archive.ph/vvFzS
Click to expand...
When consumers buy new iphones today, it is often because of prestige. They want to own the latest apple phone and not because of any new or unique added features.
They should redesign from a very thought out questionnaire. Customers are unpredictable, you do any strange design and the brand is gone.
 
saintobi said:
When consumers buy new iphones today, it is often because of prestige. They want to own the latest apple phone and not because of any new or unique added features.
They should redesign from a very thought out questionnaire. Customers are unpredictable, you do any strange design and the brand is gone.
Click to expand...

Jony Ive was the most important guy at Apple outside of Steve Jobs...he was the guy who designed everything in those early years...huge loss when he left the company
 
polonyc2 said:
Jony Ive was the most important guy at Apple outside of Steve Jobs...he was the guy who designed everything in those early years...huge loss when he left the company
Click to expand...
Oops! My fear coming to pass. Let's see how it goes.
 
Very boring upgrade year. This feels even less than the 15 to 16. At least the 16 pro fixed most of the issues with the 15 pro. The 17 pro offers almost nothing from the prior gen outside the camera upgrade. This feels like we’re hitting the iPhone 6/7/8 era stagnation, and the air model is pretty useless. Oh, and the downgrade to aluminum for the pro model is very lame. I don’t particularly care if it cools better.

At least iOS 26 brings nice improvements to current phones. Installed the RC and it seems Apple has put a lot of work into iOS to speed it up. The keyboard just seems to work better and transitions are faster. Didn’t think I’d like the new style, but safari in particular looks better now and doesn’t cover up your screen with as much BS while scrolling.
 
outside of the 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling, the base model iPhone 17 (8GB RAM) seems like a great option for those that don't need the best cameras...I'm surprised Apple put the new Ceramic Shield 2 on the front of the base iPhone 17 (the Pro models come with it on the front and back)...all iPhone 17 models also come standard with 256GB of storage
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top