Early Verdict
...
Pros
- +
Camera Control and the Action Button are welcome additions that will prove handy, especially on a big iPhone
- +
A18 chip provides zippy-ness now and plenty of headroom for the future
- +
New colors are ultra-vibrant and fun
Cons
- -
Still just a 60Hz display
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Hands-on iPhone 16 Plus review: Two-minute preview
If you were to stumble upon an iPhone 16 Plus from the front, looking directly at the screen, I'd hedge that you might think it's the 15 Plus or even the 14 Plus. It sticks with being the big-screen iPhone that doesn't cost an arm or leg, offers fast performance, and has two excellent cameras.
When you flip it over, though, or examine the left or right sides, the story begins to change. That's what I did when I first saw the iPhone 16 Plus in the hands-on area shortly after Apple's "It's Glowtime." event concluded.
It's still a large 6.7-inch iPhone with a vibrant OLED display and the Dynamic Island at the top for cool Live Activities and unlocking with Face ID. But turning it to see the left-hand side reveals the Action Button, which I like to think is the iPhone's superpower of sorts. You can set it for whatever you like through a Shortcut – albeit with some work – or pick from several presets like a flashlight or setting a timer. You can also change the preset based on the device's orientation.
Even though the arrival is exciting, it's not an entirely new feature. Action Button premiered on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in 2023. However, just like the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and even the iPhone 16, the new "Camera Control" is here.
By definition, it's not really a regular button, though it is recessed and can be pressed in. It's a slightly recessed piece of sapphire glass that you can press in, light press, or even swipe on.
When the iPhone is locked, you can click it in to open the camera, and another press lets you snap a shot. A swipe to the left or right enables you to zoom in or out, and a slight press-in lets you play around with camera options. It takes a little bit to get the hang of, but no doubt it's one of the most exciting parts of the new iPhone 16 Plus, and it's really awesome that Apple is including this on the standards and the Pros from the start.
Thanks to the A18 chip inside, the iPhone 16 Plus will also have plenty of power to handle this new form of input and snap photos with the new 48-megapixel main and 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. It's also plenty powerful to handle the forthcoming Apple Intelligence features – the very first of which should begin to arrive next month – and all of the new iOS 18 features like customizations. If you enjoy gaming on the iPhone, A18 means that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus can tackle AAA titles and even support hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
Apple is still promising all-day battery life for the iPhone 16 Plus, and considering how well the 15 Plus performed, it's safe to say we have high hopes.
I did save the best for the last, though, and that is color. The iPhone 16 Plus, like the iPhone 16, has one of the best color palettes in recent memory. I especially like the 16 Plus in either Ultra Marine (kind of a mix of blues, but don't call it blue) or Pink, though you can also get it in Teal, Black, or White. The colorful ones are, well, colorful, but all of these pop in a way that really delights.
The iPhone 16 Plus is still the big-screen iPhone for the masses, and considering the addition of the Camera Control and Action Button, it's more Pro than ever before – a sentiment I echoed in my iPhone 16 hands-on as well. It also means that if you can live without a 120Hz screen or a telephoto lens, the 16 Plus is set to deliver a big value.
Wondering how much? Well, so am I, and we'll need to test it further to deliver that answer.
Hands-on iPhone 16 Plus review: Price and availability
- Starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599
- Pre-orders open on September 13, and shipping begins on September 20
The iPhone 16 Plus was announced at Apple's 'It's Glowtime.' event on Monday, September 9. iPhone 16 preorders will begin on Friday, September 9, and the new phone will hit store shelves on Friday, September 20.
The iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599 for the model with 128GB of storage, which is the same launch price as the iPhone 15 Plus. Full iPhone 16 Plus pricing can be found below.
| Storage | US price | UK price | AU price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $899 | £899 | AU$1,599 |
| 256GB | $999 | £999 | AU$1,799 |
| 512GB | $1,199 | £1,199 | AU$2,149 |
Hands-on iPhone 16 Plus review: Specs
Below, you'll find a roundup of the iPhone 16 Plus' key specs.
| iPhone 16 Plus | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions: | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm |
| Weight: | 199g |
| Display: | 6.7-inch OLED |
| Resolution: | 2796 x 1290 pixels |
| Refresh rate: | 60Hz |
| Chipset: | A18 |
| Rear cameras: | 48MP main (26 mm, ƒ/1.6), 12MP ultra-wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2) |
| Front camera: | 12MP (ƒ/1.9) |
| Storage: | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
What is a hands on review?
Hands on reviews' are a journalist's first impressions of a piece of kit based on spending some time with it. It may be just a few moments, or a few hours. The important thing is we have been able to play with it ourselves and can give you some sense of what it's like to use, even if it's only an embryonic view. For more information, see TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee.
