The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max got bigger this year, but most people should pick them for camera upgrades and longer battery life.

Behold! I now crown the iPhone 16 Pro Max as our new smartphone battery life king, kicking the Google Pixel 9 out of its short-lived throne. You won't believe how long the top-tier iPhone 16 lasted on a charge.

Good news for those itching to get the iPhone 16 Plus. Apple retains the same $899 starting cost as previous generations. Keeping the price the same means there’s more value in the iPhone 16 Plus given how there’s a narrower gap between this model and Apple's Pro phones.

The iPhone 16's headliner features are Apple Intelligence, which will be rolled out next month, and its camera system.

While there’s no doubt that the pricier Pro models of the iPhone 16 series are better, with improved and larger displays, a third camera, that gorgeous titanium build and more, this year’s iPhone has a lot in common with the Pro. To the extent that for many people, the Pro adds bells and whistles they can manage without.

This year, the iPhone 16 is stepping up the game for the first-tier phone with physical buttons, Apple Intelligence, and a new camera system.