Main Differences Between iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus: A Comprehensive Comparison

Apple continues the tradition of the iPhone Plus lineup with the launch of the iPhone 16 Plus. The most logical question for potential buyers is, how does it differ from its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Plus? This comparison will explore the main differences between the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus, covering everything from design changes to camera performance, battery life, and more.

Design and Size Changes

Camera Design Changes

Both the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus feature a 6.7-inch display with a pill-shaped camera cutout and Dynamic Island capabilities. However, the iPhone 16 Plus introduces a new vertical camera design on the back, resembling the iPhone X, with larger, more prominent camera modules.

On the iPhone 15 Plus, the cameras are arranged in a traditional diagonal layout. While the materials remain the same (glass and aluminum), the iPhone 16 Plus features additional design changes, such as the new Action Button and a capacitive Camera Control button. The iPhone 15 Plus retains the conventional mute switch and standard button layout.

H3: Color Options
The color schemes differ between the two models:

iPhone 16 Plus: Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, Black.
iPhone 15 Plus: Black, Green, Pink, Yellow, Blue.

Display Quality and Brightness

Same Display Size, Improved Brightness

Both the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus feature nearly identical 6.7-inch LTPS OLED displays with a 60Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2796 x 1290 pixels. However, Apple claims that the iPhone 16 Plus can reach a peak HDR brightness of 2000 nits, which is significantly higher than the iPhone 15 Plus’s 1090 nits in real-world brightness testing.

This enhanced brightness on the iPhone 16 Plus improves visibility in direct sunlight, bringing it closer to the Pro models’ performance.

Performance and Software

A18 Chip vs. A16 Chip

The most significant upgrade between these two models lies in the chipset. The iPhone 16 Plus is powered by the new A18 chip, built on 3nm technology, making it more power-efficient and 20% more efficient than the A17. It also features increased RAM to handle more complex tasks and on-device AI.

In contrast, the iPhone 15 Plus comes with the A16 Bionic chip, which is still highly capable but lacks some of the AI advancements and energy efficiency found in the newer A18 chipset.

H3: iOS 18 vs. iOS 17

Both phones run the latest version of iOS, but the iPhone 16 Plus ships with iOS 18, which introduces Apple Intelligence—AI-driven features for advanced photo editing and app privacy features. Other new features include RCS messaging support, an upgraded Control Center, and satellite messaging.

Camera System: Minor Changes

Same Camera Hardware with Small Improvements

The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus both feature a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. However, the iPhone 16 Plus has a slightly faster f/2.2 ultrawide aperture compared to the f/2.4 on the iPhone 15 Plus. While this may result in marginally better low-light performance, the real-world impact is likely minor.

A key difference is the ability of the iPhone 16 Plus to record spatial video for viewing on the Apple Vision Pro, something not available on the iPhone 15 Plus. Additionally, the iPhone 16 Plus includes a dedicated Camera Control button, providing easier access to camera settings and features, which the older model lacks.

Audio and Haptics: Minimal Differences

Similar Audio and Vibration Feedback

Both the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus offer great audio quality and strong haptics, thanks to their large size and the excellent Taptic Engine. No major changes have been made to the speaker or vibration systems, so this is not likely to be a deciding factor between the two models.

Battery Life and Charging Capabilities

Battery Efficiency Gains

The iPhone 15 Plus comes with a 4,383 mAh battery, delivering excellent battery life for day-to-day use. Apple hasn’t disclosed the exact capacity of the iPhone 16 Plus, but the new A18 chip should offer improved battery efficiency.

Both models support 25W fast charging and MagSafe wireless charging, with Apple claiming that both phones can reach 50% charge in 35 minutes. While no major changes are expected in charging speeds, the iPhone 16 Plus may benefit from more efficient power management due to its new chipset.

Conclusion: Should You Upgrade to the iPhone 16 Plus?

In summary, the main differences between the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus come down to a few key upgrades:

• The A18 chip provides better performance and battery efficiency in the iPhone 16 Plus.
• Slight improvements in the camera system, with the addition of spatial video recording and a dedicated Camera Control button.
• A brighter display on the iPhone 16 Plus for enhanced outdoor visibility.
• iOS 18 with new AI-powered features and privacy upgrades.

If you’re using the iPhone 15 Plus, the decision to upgrade largely depends on how much you value these improvements. For those seeking the latest performance and software features, the iPhone 16 Plus is the way to go. However, if you’re satisfied with your current iPhone 15 Plus, the differences may not be significant enough to justify the upgrade.

Network

Technology
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM)
CDMA 800 / 1900
3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
4G bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66 – A3290
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66, 71 – A3082
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66, 71 – A3289
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 – A3291
5G bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3290
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – A3082
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3289
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3291
Speed HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps

Body

Dimensions 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
Weight 199 g (7.02 oz)
Build Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), aluminum frame
SIM Nano-SIM and eSIM – International
Dual eSIM with multiple numbers – USA
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) – China
IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min)
Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)

Display

Type Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
Size 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Protection Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen)

Platform

OS iOS 18
Chipset Apple A18 (3 nm)
CPU Hexa-core
GPU Apple GPU (5-core graphics)

Memory

Card slot No
Internal 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
NVMe

Main Camera

Dual 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF
Features Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Video 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.

Selfie camera

Single 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″, PDAF
SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)

Features

HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec.
Video 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS

Sound

Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack No

Comms

WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, hotspot
Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE
Positioning GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
NFC Yes
Radio No
USB USB Type-C 2.0, DisplayPort

Features

Sensors Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip)
Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite

Battery

Type Li-Ion, non-removable
Charging Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised)
25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only)
15W wireless (Qi2)
4.5W reverse wired

Colors

Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct