The fresh-looking iPhone 16, unveiled during the annual September event this 2024. Photo credit: Apple Inc.  

Apple Inc. has officially unveiled its highly anticipated iPhone 16 lineup, featuring Camera Control and Apple Intelligence (AI) integration on iOS 18, at their Glowtime event on September 9 (US Time).

A "more powerful" A18 chip, created using 3nm technology, will power the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, which Apple promises to deliver improved performance and efficiency along with a significant increase in battery life.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models, on the other hand, will run on a pro version of the A18 chip, making them the "most advanced iPhone models ever made."

The camera placement on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has also been redesigned. Moving away from the inside-the-box arrangement of the previous iPhone 15 model, it now sports a vertically aligned dual-camera setup, which includes a 48-megapixel main sensor and a 2x telephoto option for enhanced zoom capabilities.

The all-new iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Photo courtesy: Apple Inc.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max continue the triple-camera design from the previous generation but introduce a new 48MP Ultra Wide camera for higher-resolution shots.

Users will enjoy using their iPhone 16 camera more with the new feature called Camera Control. This is an added button to the latest iPhone that allows users to conveniently launch the camera, capture photos, and start video recordings. It also provides easy access to adjust settings such as zoom, exposure, and depth of field with just a simple tap.

Apple introduces Camera Control during the annual September event. Screenshot from Apple/YouTube

Meanwhile, the screen size for the new Pro lineup now boasts 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

In addition to hardware changes, Apple has elevated the iPhone 16 with the integration of Apple Intelligence in the upcoming iOS 18. Apple Intelligence is Apple’s own version of artificial intelligence.

One standout development is the enhancement of iOS apps. With AI integration, users can now effortlessly rewrite, proofread, and summarize text across a variety of apps like Mail, Notes, and Pages. It can also record, transcribe, and summarize audio in the Notes and Phone apps.

Siri also receives an upgrade. Beyond becoming more intuitive with advanced AI capabilities, Siri now boasts a sleek new design. A stylish, glowing light encircles the edge of the screen when the digital assistant is activated.

Meet the newly designed Siri. Screenshot from Apple/YouTube

Apple announced that iOS 18 will be released on September 16, while the new iPhone 16 will be available for pre-order in the United States and the United Kingdom on September 13.

There's no official release date yet as of this posting for the iPhone 16 in the Philippines, but the pricing details for Apple's latest products have already been unveiled on their website.

The entry-level iPhone 16 will start at P54,990, while the starting price for the larger iPhone 16 Plus is P62,990. The premium iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will start at P69,990 and P76,990, respectively.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will be available in black, white, pink, teal and aquamarine. A titanium-finish cover dubbed black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium will come for the Pro and Pro Max models.

Aside from the iPhone, Apple also introduces the new Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4. A hearing aid feature will also come to AirPods Pro 2, the tech giant announced.