5 reasons to pick the iPhone 16 Pro over the iPhone 16

This might surprise some people, even close friends and family, but I’ve never been the sort to snap up a smartphone on day one, much less a top-of-the-line model like the iPhone 16 Pro. I buy phones on my own dime, and typically don’t need that many features. I also loathe to deal with the early wake-up call for online pre-orders or getting in line at an Apple Store. For sanity’s sake, it’s often easier to wait a few weeks for stores to restock.

This year, though, I happened to have both the income to afford an iPhone 16 Pro and the reasons to justify getting one as soon as possible. Most people shouldn’t buy a Pro — it’s overkill if you’re mostly answering messages and posting on Instagram — but in my case, circumstances have aligned.

1 A 5x telephoto lens

Doing photos and videos justice

Apple

My outgoing phone is an iPhone 13, and the absence of a telephoto lens on it has been frustrating. I come from a pro photography background, so I’m used to being able to fill the frame with a subject — even when it’s on the other side of a room. Even if I weren’t worried about perfect composition, I can’t count the number of times I’ve been traveling, at an event, or taking product shots and wished my phone could bring things a little closer.

I have a six-year-old son as well, and I know I’d regret cheaping out if it meant not being able to capture an important memory of him. It’s actually maddening to me that the secondary cameras on most budget and mid-range phones are ultra-wide — I think most people would choose a telephoto any day.

2 Battery life

A busy life demands a big battery

The power capacity on my iPhone 13 is down to 86%, and to be clear, that’s plenty usable for the average person. I’m not average, however — on top of being a tech journalist testing iPhone-connected apps and accessories, I’m an avid weightlifter and make cross-continental flights to see friends and family at least once per year. When I’m racing across an airport terminal to make a connection, I may not have time to plug in, and my MagSafe battery isn’t always enough.

As a frame of reference, my old iPhone is rated for 15 to 19 hours of video at best, whereas the 16 Pro can theoretically handle 27. That’s a meaningful difference. The 16 Pro’s display further supports dynamic refresh rates, so it’s not stuck running apps at 60Hz when it’s unnecessary.

3 StandBy

A smart display anywhere you go

I’ve wanted to use StandBy every day since it was first announced — I have a few dedicated smart displays around my home, and I like the idea of making that ambient info portable, especially for hotel stays. It should turn my iPhone into a Nest Hub I can fit in my pocket.

Technically, my iPhone 13 already has access to StandBy, but not in any practical form. The phone predates Apple’s always-on display tech, which would only be on Pro models anyway, so its screen goes black a few seconds after StandBy starts.

4 Focus and exposure lock

One step closer to a pro camera replacement

Apple

The saying goes that you should only buy a product for the features it has at launch, but something I’m looking forward to is a Camera Control update that will add a two-stage shutter for automatic focus and exposure lock. So far, it’s only been confirmed for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.

Why is it a big deal? Pro and hobbyist shooters know that when you’re tracking a moving subject, it’s cumbersome to manually adjust focus, never mind tweak exposure to keep it consistent. It can be outright impossible to do those things when dealing with sports or moving vehicles, so for some of us, enhanced shutter controls will open up new photo and video possibilities.

5 Always-on notifications and wallpaper

No more blank bricks on my desk

iPhone 15 Pro home screen

I want my iPhone to show some sense of personality, and moving to a Pro will allow me to display wallpaper 24/7. Yes, it’s ultimately trivial — I could slap some stickers on the back of a case — but it’s inherently pleasing to stare at handpicked images I can switch out on the fly.

More practically, as someone who’s perpetually online and receiving daily package and grocery deliveries, I’d like a constant view of my notifications. It’s easy to miss a brief tone or screen flash when you’re neck-deep in writing an article or trying to get your kid ready for bed.