Now that Apple’s big reveal of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro is behind us, what are your key takeaways?

Yes, we know: there was a lot introduced. Some gadgets we were expecting, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, didn’t arrive. There was a lot of talk about Apple Intelligence features, which won’t be available at launch. And Apple’s top phones, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, were shown off at the very end (the iPhone 16 was revealed first), with the focus on advanced videography features that I suspect most buyers will rarely use.

In short, it was easy to get lost in this event. But after carefully reviewing the spec sheets of the new phones, I see two very big reasons to upgrade to the new iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.

More display, more pixels, less bezel

One of those is screen size. The screens on the new Pro models have each grown by 0.2 inches, while the bezels have shrunk. Now, the iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max really “maxes out” with a 6.9-inch display.

The screen bezels are noticeably thinner than before, and we’re happy about that.
Credit: Apple

The smaller bezels make a visual difference, and the extra screen real estate is always welcome. Even the resolution on these displays has jumped up a bit; the iPhone 16 Pro has a resolution of 2,622 x 1,206 pixels (up from 2,556 x 1,179 pixels), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a resolution of 2,868 x 1,320 pixels (up from 2,796 x 1,290 pixels).

It’s worth noting that the new models are slightly larger and heavier than before, but the difference is so small that most people won’t notice it.

Big battery boost

The other important property is still partly unknown, but the numbers on paper look good.

Do you stream a lot of video on your phone? The new iPhone 16 Pro Max has a battery life of up to 29 hours when streaming video.
Credit: Apple

Yes, I’m talking about the battery life, which has improved dramatically in these new models.

Here are Apple’s exact numbers:

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro: Up to 27 hours of video playback, up to 22 hours of streamed video playback, and up to 85 hours of audio playback

• Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Up to 23 hours of video playback, up to 20 hours of streamed video playback, and up to 75 hours of audio playback

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to 33 hours of video playback, up to 29 hours of streamed video playback, and up to 105 hours of audio playback

• Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to 29 hours of video playback, up to 25 hours of streamed video playback, and up to 95 hours of audio playback

This is an increase of about 15 percent across the board, which is huge considering the new models have larger screens.

Apple says it achieved this thanks to an optimized internal design, which allows for larger batteries, and works with the A18 Pro chip, which uses less power than its predecessor.

Official specs are one thing, of course, and actual, real-life usage is another. But if these numbers are anywhere near accurate, this is a battery boost worthy of the “Pro” moniker.

What else?

The new Pro models come with a number of other improvements, such as the new A18 Pro chip, the new 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 4K, 120 fps, Dolby Vision video recording (including slow-motion), the new Desert Titanium color, and a bunch of Apple Intelligence features that will be rolling out gradually over the coming months (unless you live in Europe, where they’ve been delayed until an unspecified point in 2025).

But I think most buyers, when deciding whether they need a new phone, focus on just a few major upgrades to justify their purchase. Call me old-fashioned, but for me, it’s all about the bigger screen and the bigger battery.

Mashable has a complete guide to everything Apple announced on September 9.