It’s the day after Apple launched the iPhone 16, and even though I published my hands-on review of the iPhone 16 Pro right after the event, I haven’t had much time for the base models until today. With that extra time, I’ve been able to learn more about the differences between the standard iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro, and honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised that there aren’t that many.

One of the most obvious differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro is the color choice. The entry-level series offers a pleasant, vibrant color palette this year, with the teal, pink, and blue options particularly catching my eye. These hues are saturated and bold, compared to the light pastels of recent years. I especially like how deep the “ultramarine” blue is – the pictures don’t do any of these finishes justice.

The entire iPhone 16 series features the new camera controls, meaning you can use the hardware switch to launch the camera app and then tweak settings like zoom, depth, and tone. After playing with both, I can confirm that they are equally clicky and satisfying to use. Unlike last year, when only the Pro models had the action button, the iPhone 16 has similar controls, so you won’t miss out on a dedicated button if you opt for a cheaper model.

Plus, thanks to the iPhone 16’s updated cameras, you can capture spatial video and audio. In addition to a new ultra-wide-angle camera with autofocus and macro shot support, the sensors have been re-aligned and are now stacked vertically. Most interestingly, the iPhone 16 also supports the new Audio Mix feature, which gives you more precise control over the voices and sounds in your footage after recording.

It would be easy to assume that the iPhone 16 Pro’s “four new studio-quality microphones” are behind Audio Mix, but it seems that it’s just the ability to record spatial audio that makes the new feature possible. With it, you can go into the iPhone 16’s video editing interface, tap the tab for Audio Mix, and choose between In-Frame, Cinematic, and Studio options. The first isolates sound from subjects in the scene and cuts out background noise, while Studio mimics the acoustic environment of a recording studio, complete with dampening walls. Cinematic, on the other hand, consolidates all sounds front and center in the room.

I was able to get a demo of the Audio Mix feature and was really impressed that the iPhone 16 was able to isolate voices from people it was recording on an echoey outdoor deck in Apple’s new Observatory space. Not only did switching between the different mixes effectively change the volume of the different sound sources, but it was also nice to learn that you can adjust the volume of specific streams in each profile. This is something I’ll want to play around with a lot more to understand it better, but for now I’m very intrigued by the possibility of using an iPhone 16 for future Apple event videos.

One disappointing absence from the iPhone 16 is the multi-track recording feature, which is being introduced on the iPhone 16 Pro. This Voice Memos update will only be available on the Pro models.

In fact, here are the main upgrades if you opt for a Pro: ProMotion screens with higher refresh rates and Always On Display, and superior camera hardware with a 48MP ultra-wide lens and a 5x telephoto option. The premium handsets also support high-quality 4K120p slow-motion recording and professional formats like ProRaw. The Pros also have the A18 Pro chip, compared to the iPhone 16’s A18, and the differences are mostly in GPU performance, so you might have more fun gaming with the premium model.

Other differences are pretty minimal, like the titanium construction and faster USB speeds on the Pros. Overall, though, it feels like there are fewer compromises to save cost with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, and you get more fun colors too. They also seem to be a bigger improvement over their predecessors, which is a welcome change after years of incremental changes.

Find out all the latest news from Apple’s iPhone 16 event!

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