Apple is expected to announce the launch date of its next smartphone series––iPhone 16 series––very soon. We already have a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming iPhones and how they differ from the current iPhone 15 series.
If you’re an iPhone 15 user, should you upgrade to iPhone 16? If you’re planning to buy an iPhone 15 (review) now, is it better to wait for iPhone 16? Here, we have curated all the rumoured differences between the iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16 and this might help you make a decision.
iPhone 16 will be visually different from the iPhone 15
The iPhone 16 will most likely be powered by Apple A18 series chipset. (Image Source: MacRumors)
The iPhone 16, according to leaks, will have a new design with a vertical camera setup, an action button, and a capture button, making it visually and functionally distinct from the iPhone 15.
Differences will be minimal on the front side of the phone as iPhone 16 is expected to retain the 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED screen with Dynamic Island––rumoured to be slightly brighter––similar to the iPhone 15. Unfortunately, the high-refresh-rate display will still be exclusive to the Pro models.
A18 chip will probably make all the difference
iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15. (Image: Weibo)
The key difference between the iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16 lies in their chipsets. While the iPhone 15 uses the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 16 is expected to feature the A18 chip, making it nearly two generations ahead. This new chip will enable on-device AI processing, introducing Apple Intelligence, and considerably improving overall performance, including gaming and multitasking.
To enable Apple Intelligence, Apple is also said to be increasing the RAM from 6 GB to 8 GB, which will further boost the performance of the iPhone 16. Not just performance, the new A18 chip, which is said to be fabbed using TSMC’s cutting edge 3nm process, will be a lot more power efficient than the 4nm A16 Bionic that powers the iPhone 15.
Similar camera hardware
Apple iPhone 16 series (Image credit: Sonny Dickson)
The iPhone 16 is expected to have the same 48 MP primary, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 12 MP selfie cameras as the iPhone 15. However, due to the improved image sensing processing (ISP) on the A18, the iPhone 16 should offer better photo and video quality.
It is also said that the vertically aligned cameras on the iPhone 16 might enable users to capture 3D/Spatial video recording, which is currently limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Both iPhones will support iOS 18
Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 will run iOS 18 smoothly, but the iPhone 16 will deliver an elevated experience with Apple Intelligence, including an improved Siri with ChatGPT integration. Additional AI features exclusive to the iPhone 16 series are also anticipated at launch.
The price difference
Apple is expected to reduce the iPhone 15’s price by at least Rs 20,000 after the launch of iPhone 16, making the former an attractive option for around Rs 60,000. The iPhone 16 is expected to start at Rs 79,900.
Despite the iPhone 16 being more expensive than iPhone 15, it makes sense for tech-savvy users to wait for the new model as it will offer more features and capabilities, also making it more future-proof.
For regular users, the iPhone 15 should be more than enough and should handle day-to-day tasks without any issues.
