iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: Do you really need to upgrade?

It’s always hard to avoid the news that a new iPhone has arrived, and arrived they have. Apple’s September 9 event showcased four new iPhones: the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Chances are you know what to expect from each of those names, and the basic rule is that “more words in a name” means “bigger or more powerful,” but it’s worth keeping in mind that even the basic iPhone 16 is a mobile powerhouse that’s worthy of going toe-to-toe with the most powerful Android flagships.

But who cares about Android? One of the biggest questions on every Apple aficionado’s lips is always, “How is the new iPhone better than the old one?” After all, it stands to reason the newer iPhone is better — but exactly how much better is it? If you’re currently reading this on last year’s iPhone 15 Plus, should you be rushing to the store to buy your iPhone 16 Plus? Here’s how the Apple iPhone 16 Plus compares to the iPhone 15 Plus, and whether it’s worth the upgrade or not.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: specs

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: design and display

The iPhone 15 Plus was always going to be an awkward middle child in terms of pricing, but it was anything but awkward in terms of the design. Like the rest of the iPhone 15 range, the Plus benefited strongly from a design refresh. In fact, the large frame of the 15 Plus was even more impacted than the smaller phones by the comfortably curved sides and improved weight balance. As a result, it’s a very comfortable phone to hold, and it looks gorgeous.

Has Apple topped it with the iPhone 16 Plus? Apple is keeping a similar design for the iPhone 16 Plus, so you can be confident that the plus points of last year’s model are sticking around. But there are some significant changes afoot. The camera module layout has changed. Rather than the diagonal layout we’ve come to love, Apple has gone back to a dual-stack for the two rear cameras. Additionally, it isn’t extending the module into a squircle as it did with the iPhone 12, which means the iPhone 16 Plus resembles nothing less than the iPhone X when viewed from the rear. It’s an odd throwback, but it’s fun.

But most exciting is the addition of a new button: Camera Control. This joins the Action button and can be used to launch the camera, swipe to zoom, and even differentiate between hard and soft presses, all to streamline your camera experience. It can also be used to kick-start Apple’s Visual Intelligence AI. It could be one of those features you end up forgetting about, but the early impressions say it’s looking more like a sea change in smartphone design.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus don’t have bigger displays like the Pro models, but they do get an overall reduction in bezel size, thanks to new tech. As a result, while the newer iPhone won’t have a much larger display, it will feel as if it encompasses more of the device’s front because, well, it does. Unfortunately, Apple is keeping the 60Hz refresh rate on the cheaper models despite the majority of Android devices from the midrange and up moving on to much higher refresh rates.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: performance, battery life, and charging

It should come as no surprise that Apple’s newest devices have more powerful processors than the year before, but there’s a caveat to explore here. It’s become an unfortunate tradition that the cheaper of Apple’s new devices get last year’s processors — so while the iPhone 15 Pro had new A17 Pro chips, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus made do with the previous year’s A16 chip. This year, things are different. The Pro models get the A18 Pro chip, but at least the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get an A18 chip. In all likelihood, it’s still an A17 chip with a new name, but at least it doesn’t feel like much of a downgrade now.

Will it make a difference in real-life use? Without more time with them, it’s hard to tell — but it’s likely it won’t mean a huge jump in performance. Recent iPhones have all felt slick and superfast, and with how powerful phone hardware is now, it’ll be years until it stops feeling that way.

Battery life may also be a toss-up. While the three other iPhone 16 models are getting larger batteries, the iPhone 16 Plus is an outlier because it’s rumored to be getting a smaller battery. Apple hasn’t confirmed this and doesn’t publicize its battery sizes, so we’ll only know this for sure when teardowns start happening. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the iPhone 16 Plus’ battery life when we perform our review.

The charging speed seems to have increased a bit. While rumors originally said Apple had built a significantly faster 45-watt charging rate into all of its new phones, that doesn’t seem to be the case, as the iPhone 16 Plus seems to be mostly restricted to a 26W charging rate. That outstrips the 20W speed we saw in last year’s Plus model, but it’s not by much. Still, new owners get a big upgrade in MagSafe charging speed, jumping up to 25W.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: cameras

While it initially seems Apple hasn’t done much to change the cameras, that’s not actually the case. Despite looking the same on paper, there have been some big changes that help to bring the basic iPhones closer to the Pro leagues than they ever have been before. The 48-megapixel main lens now has the Fusion branding, meaning it can function as a 48MP lens, a 2x zoom at 24MP, or a 12MP lens with pixel-binning for increased light intake. It can also take spatial photos and videos for the Apple Vision Pro, a feat only previously available to the Pro models. However, you have to wonder how many people are paying for a Vision Pro and then skimping on their iPhone.

Outside of those improvements, you’re going to find the camera experience between these two phones very similar — and that’s no bad thing. The iPhone 15 Plus was another of our favorite camera phones from last year, and there’s merit in Apple sticking with what works.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: software and updates

There are no surprises here: Both iPhones run iOS 18, and you’re going to find the experience similar on both. Yes, the iPhone 16 Plus will have launched with iOS 18, and that puts it sligthly ahead of the iPhone 15 Plus, which will have to use one of its upgrades to get to iOS 18. That’s less of a big deal than on other phones, though, as Apple is quite generous with software updates. While it doesn’t put a limit on the number a device can get, it’s fair to say your phone will have reached a ripe old age (for a phone) before it no longer gets new iOS versions. Apple just updated the iPhone XS, a five-year-old phone, to iOS 18, so you can expect to get at least that level of support.

There is one particular feature you’ll find only on the newer phone, though, and it’s a biggie: AI, specifically Apple Intelligence.

Apple’s foray into AI will introduce a number of new features to the iPhone. Siri will be supercharged, and capable of much more natural conversations. Writing Tools will help you to rewrite your sentences to fit specific tones, or just suggest replies based on context. It can create Memory Movies, as well as create transcripts in your Phone or Notes app. Heck, there’s even ChatGPT integration. It’s a big shake-up in the way iOS functions, but there’s only one snag — it’s, er, not available yet.

Apple Intelligence won’t be hitting iPhones until iOS 18.1 is available, and even then, it’ll lack the ChatGPT functionality. Plus, it will only be available on a very exclusive list of iPhones. The entire new iPhone 16 range is included, but outside of that, you’re only looking at the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max being compatible. That means the iPhone 15 Plus is frozen out.

Of course, whether you care or not will come down to your personal feelings about AI, and the usefulness of those features on the whole. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out in our reviews when Apple Intelligence is finally available.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: special features

Apple’s phones have never exactly been replete with special features. It’s not really Apple’s style to shove out a bunch of features and see what sticks, like, say, Samsung is wont to do. But it would be a lie to say there isn’t anything. Both of these phones have access to Apple’s usual special features, including Face ID, Animojis, and other fun tricks you’ve come to expect. The iPhone 15 Plus also has the mute switch on the side of the phone, a celebrated feature that allows you to mute and unmute your phone with the flick of a switch. It’s one of Apple’s most useful features, and it’s a shame the iPhone 15 Plus will be one of the last iPhones to support it.

While the iPhone 16 Plus doesn’t have a mute switch, it does have something potentially even better. It has the Action button, previously only available on last year’s Pro models. This button can function like a mute switch, or you can use it to toggle Focus modes, turn on the flashlight, open the Camera app, or any one of a number of other options. It’s very customizable, though it’s easy to see why people may miss the mute switch still available on the iPhone 15 Plus.

There’s another new button on the iPhone 16 Plus, though, and it’s a bit more exciting. Called Camera Control, this slightly recessed button opens the camera when you press it, no matter what else you’re doing on your phone. When the app is open, press it again to take a snapshot, or press and hold to start taking a video. Sounds simple? There’s even more to it. Because it has a capacitive sensor, you can lightly press it to open an options menu for your camera, and slide to adjust. It may take a little bit of practice to adjust to it, but when you’ve got it down, it feels amazing.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: price and availability

The iPhone 16 Plus is currently available, with prices starting from $899. As it’s an Apple flagship, the chances are high you’ll be able to find it in pretty much every store that carries smartphones of any kind. The iPhone 15 Plus is in basically the same situation, and is still available from Apple even after the release of the newest model. Happily, it’s had a small drop in price as a result, and can be bought for $799, a $100 discount from its original asking price.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Plus: Is it time for you to upgrade?

So, what’s the verdict? Is the newer iPhone a better phone than the last one? Well, yes. The iPhone 16 Plus is better-looking, more powerful, and has more features than the iPhone 15 Plus. Surpassing previous phones is the basic level of what we expect from a successor, so this doesn’t come as a surprise.

But that’s not really the question we set out to answer anyway — is the iPhone 16 Plus a big enough sea change in Apple hardware to make it a must-upgrade for iPhone 15 Plus owners? No, not really. Unless you’re absolutely desperate to experience Apple Intelligence, then there’s little to really tempt you. Yes, the iPhone 16 Plus is clearly the more powerful and capable of the two, but it’s not worth spending extra money to get what are, most definitely, small incremental updates. Even those new features you can’t get on the older phone, like Camera Control and Apple Intelligence, are worth waiting for.

If you’re deciding between the two phones, and aren’t tempted by the lower price of the iPhone 15 Plus, it’s definitely worth spending the $100 extra. But if you’re thinking about an upgrade? Wait it out. Wait and see what the next few iterations of the iPhone bring to the table.