At this point you’ve probably read a lot about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. You don’t need me to summarize new features like camera controls, larger screens, an improved ultra-wide-angle camera, or better battery life. I’ll offer at least some of those thoughts, but I mainly looked at the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro through the lens of their broader place in the smartphone ecosystem.
Take a listen: I think the combination of iOS 18 and the current iPhone lineup could be the most attractive package ever for those considering switching from Android.
During an earnings call several years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that one of the company’s main focuses was convincing Android users to switch to the iPhone. I came across a thread on Reddit where Android users laid out a number of things Apple should do before they would even consider switching to the iPhone. Some of the most common requests at the time were USB-C, new customization and widget options, larger screens, better messaging, and more options at more price points.
It turns out that Apple has been gradually checking these boxes over the past few years. With iPhone 16 and iOS 18 this year, Apple has checked a few more – and it could be enough to push a new wave of Android switchers over the edge.
The impact of iOS 18
As I wrote in my review last month, iOS 18 marks what I think is Apple’s most personal update yet for iPhone users.
- New home screen personalization options: hide icon shades, app and widget names, place app icons and widgets anywhere
- A new Photos app that’s fully customizable, allowing you to browse different sections, reminders and more.
- A fully customizable Control Center design, including integration with third-party apps and controls.
All these changes make iOS 18 more customizable and personal than ever before. You can create an iPhone experience that is truly unique and unlike anything you would see on anyone else’s iPhone. The changes in iOS 18 also build on years of previous changes Apple made to improve iPhone personalization. This includes widgets with iOS 14 and the customizable lock screen introduced with iOS 16.
However, Apple hasn’t just mirrored the options previously available on Android. These changes have been implemented in such a way that the standard iPhone experience is pleasant for people who don’t feel like customizing things. Likewise, you can choose to stick to the same iOS handrails as always.
In addition to customization, iOS 18 also adds RCS support. I firmly believe that the lack of RCS support on the iPhone was one of the biggest reasons why some Android users refused to even consider switching to the iPhone. Whatever Apple’s motives were for finally adopting RCS, I’m glad it’s finally happening. Should Apple have done this years ago? Probably. But at least the wait is finally over.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some areas where the iPhone still lags behind Android in terms of openness, at least in the eyes of some users. Android is much more open to things like sideloading and installing apps from alternative sources, even though Google has cracked down on that over the years. Android also has a more robust system-wide theme and better support for setting defaults.
Apple clearly, and in most cases rightly, views these things as risks to iPhone privacy and security. For some people, that’s a trade-off they’re willing to make, and for those people the iPhone is probably not the right choice.
Another crucial factor here is that Apple has made significant improvements to the Android to iPhone switching experience in recent years. Apple’s ‘Move to iOS’ app makes it easy to transfer a surprising amount of data from Android to iPhone, including contacts, message history, camera photos and videos, photo albums, files and folders, accessibility settings, display settings, web bookmarks, email accounts, WhatsApp messages and media, and calendars.
With iOS 18 this year, Apple says the transfer process will be faster than before and voice memos will now be migrated. There are also improvements to WiFi migration, dual SIM labels and more.
All of this is in addition to the already existing things that make the Apple ecosystem so strong, including iMessage, Apple Watch, Emergency SOS and satellite messaging, the App Store’s robust third-party app library, AirPods and their health features. and more. Some of these features could end up saving your life.
The main point I’m trying to make is that all of these changes are not only good for iPhone users, but also for the broader smartphone ecosystem. It’s hard to look at the changes and not see at least some of them as a concerted effort to broaden the iPhone’s potential market.
iPhone 16 hardware
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro feel like the culmination of five years of design perfection.
- iPhone 12: The introduction of the flat form factor in four different models, along with MagSafe.
- iPhone 13 Pro: The first iPhone with ProMotion, which I think is one of the most dramatic iPhone upgrades ever for everyday life.
- iPhone 14 Pro: The evolution from the notch to the dynamic island. The iPhone 13 mini is being replaced by the iPhone 14 Plus.
- iPhone 15Pro: The switch from stainless steel to titanium, making the phones significantly lighter. Also: the introduction of the Action button to replace the mute switch, thinner display bezels and USB-C.
- iPhone 16: Larger displays, thinner bezels, significant improvements in heat dissipation and battery life, and camera controls. Additionally, the action button extends to the entire setup.
With rumors of a dramatic ‘iPhone 17 Slim’ redesign next year, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro could be the final iteration of the design era that started with the iPhone 12. Some might see that as a reason to skip this year and wait to see what’s new with the so-called “iPhone 17 Slim.” The more logical argument for most people is that the iPhone 16 is the result of five years of perfection and response to user feedback.
Remember how I said earlier that Android users wanted one thing: more options at more price points? Today, the iPhone lineup is stronger than ever before, across multiple price points. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are the strongest non-Pro models iPhones have ever been, with the action button, camera controls and A18 chip.
The camera controls are interesting. The general feeling among many iPhone 16 users is that the camera controls are trying to do the trick at a lot of. I think I largely agree with that, but camera controls are only as complicated as you make them. You can disable the swipe gestures and light press gestures in the Settings app, making it nothing more than a simple button.
One change I’d like to see is the option to lock the Camera Control interface into one menu. I like to use it to switch between different lenses, but too often I accidentally end up in other menus. My preference would be to “lock” the camera controls in the “Cameras” menu and use them to swipe through those options, take photos and nothing more.
Still, I think it’s great that Apple has added not one but two new buttons to the iPhone in the past two years. Adding the camera controls also frees up the action button so users can assign it to a different setting. With iOS 18, the Action button can be linked to a bunch of new options, going back to the personalization I highlighted earlier.
If there’s one thing holding the iPhone 16 models back, it’s their displays. Three years after ProMotion was brought to the iPhone 13 Pro and seven years after it was brought to the iPad, the feature is still exclusive to the Pro model iPhones. I’d even settle for a compromise at 90Hz. In today’s ultra-competitive smartphone world, I don’t think 60Hz is enough these days for a phone that starts at $799.
In addition to the four iPhone 16 models, Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15. It’s hard for me to recommend the iPhone 14 these days because it still uses Lightning, but the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are. unbelievable solid phones at fantastic prices.
9to5Mac’s take
iPhone reviews focus a lot (too much) on changes that happen year after year. The vast majority of people don’t update their iPhone every year. And when most people update their iPhones, they lock themselves into two- or three-year financing and installment agreements with their carriers.
That’s not to say the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro don’t offer several year-over-year improvements. There’s the all-new camera controls, larger screens, the action button expansion, the new A18 and A18 Pro chips, the dramatically better Ultra Wide camera and much more.
But to see the iPhone 16 only as an evolution to the iPhone 15 is shortsighted. To see the iPhone 16 solely as an evolution of the iPhone in general is shortsighted. The smartphone industry is broader and more competitive than ever, especially outside the United States. With iPhone 16 and iOS 18, Apple is continuously responding to the changing smartphone industry.
In general, I’ve come to despise the word “iterative” when used in the context of an iPhone review. Some years are bigger than others, of course, but every year there are people considering a new iPhone for whom an upgrade wouldn’t be iterative. This also applies to people upgrading from an iPhone that is several years old And people switching to the iPhone for the first time.
If the iPhone 16 is someone’s very first iPhone, they clearly made the decision to move from Android because they knew the change would be anything but iterative.
There are many factors that play a role in which smartphone people decide to buy, and even more factors that play a role in someone considering a switch from Android to iPhone (or vice versa). There are societal and social implications, financial reasons, app ecosystems, business considerations, vibes and much more.
These platform changes aren’t made on a whim, and convincing someone to even consider switching is a tall order. This year, however, I think Apple may have done it.
More than ever, the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 feel like the culmination of years of work broadening and expanding the ecosystem to entice new iPhone users. I think this year, more than any year before, Apple has put together an attractive package for Android users looking to make the jump to the iPhone.
My favorite iPhone 16 accessories:
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