The one who got the iPhone 16 first says to wait for the iPhone 17, if you've got iPhone 14 or 15
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Now that the dust has settled and Apple's "It's Glowtime" event is well behind us, it's time to reflect and see what the iPhone 16 is all about.
Before we get to our own PhoneArena in-depth reviews and comparisons – these are coming soon, so stay tuned! – we talked to Majin Bu, one of the best-known tipsters and leakers on the X platform when it comes to upcoming hit phones.
Thanks to Majin Bu, we got the first iPhone 16 unboxing video! That makes Majin Bu one of the first people with a super early access to the brand-new iPhone 16 that's expected to hit stores on September 20.
According to him, the September 9 "It's Glowtime" event was "very interesting", and then some:
Of course, one of the first things we wanted to know more about with the iPhone 16 is the new Camera Control Button. Majin Bu thinks highly of it and recalls that the concept of using the iPhone’s volume buttons as a camera control dates back to the iPhone 4 era. At that time, while it was a convenient feature, the cameras on smartphones didn’t offer exceptional performance, leaving the potential of this function largely untapped for years.
Majin Bu's predictions are that this button will be replicated on other devices by other companies "and probably also by Apple itself in the iPad series" – something that we're already witnessing:
Of course, no phone is perfect and the iPhone 16 is not an exception. Majin Bu considers the 60 Hz refresh rate of the "vanilla" iPhone 16 and 16 Plus' screens to be a "limitation" for some users.
Furthermore, Majin Bu thinks that while several improvements have certainly been made on the battery front, "we could focus more on long-term optimization" – by "we" he means Apple. In his estimate, another limitation is the data transfer speed on the non-Pro models, which is lower than what the premium flagships are capable of.
Majin Bu also comments on Apple's decision to release the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in a new color, instead of the Watch Ultra 3. According to him, this seems quite reasonable, as introducing new Apple Watch Ultra models annually might be somewhat unnecessary. The Ultra has features that set it apart from the classic models, and it's designed for a different audience, despite its growing popularity.
What do you think? Are you going to wait for the iPhone 17 next year? Or are you going to get the iPhone 16, even if you're an iPhone 15 user?
Before we get to our own PhoneArena in-depth reviews and comparisons – these are coming soon, so stay tuned! – we talked to Majin Bu, one of the best-known tipsters and leakers on the X platform when it comes to upcoming hit phones.
Thanks to Majin Bu, we got the first iPhone 16 unboxing video! That makes Majin Bu one of the first people with a super early access to the brand-new iPhone 16 that's expected to hit stores on September 20.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro in comparison pic.twitter.com/LDnoozOTZF
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) September 17, 2024
The fact that Apple has decided to focus a lot on the introduction of its own AI provides interesting details on what could be not only the future of iPhone but also of all devices in the ecosystem. Personally, I think it was necessary to introduce all this, even though perhaps it is not yet something complete.
Of course, one of the first things we wanted to know more about with the iPhone 16 is the new Camera Control Button. Majin Bu thinks highly of it and recalls that the concept of using the iPhone’s volume buttons as a camera control dates back to the iPhone 4 era. At that time, while it was a convenient feature, the cameras on smartphones didn’t offer exceptional performance, leaving the potential of this function largely untapped for years.
What they have done today is simply give the possibility of using the current iPhone cameras at their best, which are certainly much more performing than the previous ones. It is actually a very useful and convenient function because it partially transforms your device into a camera, this will certainly be very useful for those who use iPhone for their work or simply for those who are passionate about photography and perhaps are looking for a simple way to take photos.
What's not to like?
Of course, no phone is perfect and the iPhone 16 is not an exception. Majin Bu considers the 60 Hz refresh rate of the "vanilla" iPhone 16 and 16 Plus' screens to be a "limitation" for some users.
The 60 Hz screens actually, as I said previously, are a bit of a limitation for many users, however most people will not even notice it or will tend to forget it over time. With the iPhone 16 line I was told that there was a possibility that Apple would introduce screens with a higher refresh rate, however this did not happen, probably because they focused more on other new features. I expect there will be an increase with the 17 line.
Furthermore, Majin Bu thinks that while several improvements have certainly been made on the battery front, "we could focus more on long-term optimization" – by "we" he means Apple. In his estimate, another limitation is the data transfer speed on the non-Pro models, which is lower than what the premium flagships are capable of.
I think that for those who have an iPhone 12 or 13 it is definitely worth moving to the 16, but if you have a 14, or later, I suggest waiting until next year considering all the new features that will be with iPhone 17.
Majin Bu also comments on Apple's decision to release the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in a new color, instead of the Watch Ultra 3. According to him, this seems quite reasonable, as introducing new Apple Watch Ultra models annually might be somewhat unnecessary. The Ultra has features that set it apart from the classic models, and it's designed for a different audience, despite its growing popularity.
I think that a sensible update for this series should happen every 2 years, but with important new features.
What do you think? Are you going to wait for the iPhone 17 next year? Or are you going to get the iPhone 16, even if you're an iPhone 15 user?
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