Apple Camera

I watched the Apple iPhone 16 event this week and knew within 15 minutes of the iPhone 16 Pro Max segment that I’d be upgrading. My phone is the one piece of tech I never go anywhere without; as a full-time digital nomad, I work remotely from around the world, so I rely on a robust smartphone not only to stay connected to family and friends, but also to watch entertainment, read books, manage travel logistics and even run parts of my business.

Apple’s new “Visual Intelligence” feature was one of the most impressive things shown at Monday’s iPhone 16 event. The tool lets users scan the world around them through the iPhone’s camera to identify a dog breed, copy event details off a poster, or look up just about anything around them.

But while the handset became available for preorder on Friday and will be in users’ hands by the end of next week, Apple Intelligence won’t actually roll out until October. Sure, that might be kind of a letdown for some.

The iPhone 16 sports a new security feature that aims to protect you against spyware and similar threats better. Known as “Secure Exclave,” the enhanced privacy technology will visually notify you if your camera or microphone is being used without your permission.

Apple’s new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus officially go on sale today, and I got an early demo of both models, where I surveyed its new hardware features (which there are more than ever), judged the hand feel and new color options, and formed my initial buying advice for when my parents inevitably call me this morning to see whether they should upgrade from their iPhone 15 or not.

I expected to be ordering an iPhone 16 Pro Max, largely due to the functionality of the Camera Control button. This feature turned out to be an even stronger draw than anticipated.

iPhone 17 Air: Rumors So Far About the Name Apple’s rumored slimmer iPhone 17, previously referred to as the iPhone 17 “Slim,” could be positioned as an iPhone “Air” to boost sales, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Starting now, you can preorder all four models of Apple’s new iPhone 16 phones, which go on sale Sept. 20 and come with iOS 18, Apple Intelligence (what Apple calls its AI software) and, remarkably, two physical buttons you can push down – one on either side of the phone.

Michael Calore: Are you excited about the new iPhone? Are you going to get one? Lauren Goode: Am I as excited as you sound about it? Is that what you’re asking?

Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup has arrived, and if you’re looking to upgrade from the iPhone 13 or earlier, there are a lot of new hardware and features that could make it worth considering.