A new iPhone Pro lineup often includes a number of extras to justify a higher price point than the entry-level iPhone. These extras typically include a third telephoto camera, which remains exclusive to the Pro lineup, and other newer features that debut on a Pro model and then roll out to the standard iPhone a year later. For example, the Action button debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max last year, but has now made it to the iPhone 16 as well.

But while Apple typically keeps its base-level iPhone on sale for two years after initial launch, the Pro model is typically discontinued after a year. That doesn’t mean you can’t find last year’s iPhone 15 Pro — it’s likely still in stock at brick-and-mortar retailers while supplies last or available as a refurbished model — but the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will otherwise replace last year’s 15 Pro and Pro Max.
iPhone 16 Pre-Roders Are Live: Check out today’s iPhone 16 deals and trade-in details

The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max each offer slightly new designs over last year’s Pro phones, which can make a noticeable difference in how you use the phone. Both of this year’s Pro devices come with larger displays, with the smaller Pro getting a larger 6.3-inch screen (up from 6.1 inches on the 15 Pro) and the Pro Max going even larger with a 6.9-inch display (up from last year’s 6.7-inch display).

The 16 Pro now gets an identical camera setup to its corresponding Pro Max model, while the Pro Max would normally get a more minor upgrade. This includes a 5x optical zoom, which wasn’t available on last year’s 15 Pro but is available on the Pro Max. All iPhone 16 devices, including the base and Plus models, get a new Camera Control button that offers quick access to photo and video modes.

The iPhone 16 Pro gets access to several AI features from Apple Intelligence, including a Visual Intelligence feature, which uses the camera and AI to identify objects and places around you. While the iPhone 15 Pro gets these features, the iPhone 14 Pro and earlier Pro models do not. These features also include note summaries, an improved Siri assistant, and Genmoji, a way to generate new emoji using a prompt.

Beyond AI-enabled hardware, iPhone 16 Pro also shares features with the iPhone 15 Pro that aren’t available on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro. Those premium iPhones have a titanium finish introduced last year, which makes the phones lighter than most previous models despite their larger screen sizes. Both the 15 Pro and 16 Pro have USB-C ports instead of Lightning connectors, and both can record spatial video, a type of 3D video you can view with the Apple Vision Pro headset. An always-on display, the Dynamic Island camera cutout, and satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS are features available on all of those Pro models except the iPhone 13 Pro.

We’ve outlined all the other differences between each of these iPhone Pro models in the specs table below, so you can see how the phone has evolved over the years. In years past, an annual upgrade has typically yielded small differences, but stepping up from an iPhone 13 Pro or earlier to the iPhone 16 Pro would be a drastic change.

Check this out: Hands-On with iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

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