The iPhone 16 Pro has arrived, and with it its share of new features… or almost. While some see it as a revolution, others are left wanting more.
That’s it, the first tests of the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have fallen, and the least we can say is that the opinions are mixed. We’re talking about subtle evolutions and disappointed expectations, Apple’s latest seems to be struggling to fully convince.
Let’s start with the biggest elephant in the room: Apple Intelligence. This highly anticipated feature, which is supposed to revolutionize the user experience through AI, is conspicuously absent.
The Verge did not mince his words on this subject: ” The absolute rule of reviews at The Verge is that we always review what’s in the box, meaning what you can buy right away. We never review products based on potential or the promise of future software updates. » An editorial choice that highlights the main flaw of this launch: the absence of the flagship feature announced by Apple. And in France, the arrival of Apple Intelligence is even more complicated.
The Camera Control button: a mixed innovation
One of the most visible new features of the iPhone 16 Pro is its new button Camera Control. But here again, opinions are divided. The Verge explain : ” The button itself is a hybrid: you can press it all the way down to take a photo, or press it lightly to trigger a haptic click and bring up a setting like zoom or exposure, which you can adjust with a simple swipe.”
While the idea sounds appealing on paper, the reality is a little more complex. I was really hoping I’d find myself using the capacitive controls to adjust things like exposure and focal length, but it’s a little awkward to switch between buttons with light presses and it’s far too easy to end up changing things you didn’t mean to.” explains the journalist from The Verge.
Engadget shares this skepticism: “ While I appreciate the attempt to differentiate the camera control with the touch sensor for more versatility, I’m not yet convinced of its usefulness.. ».
The camera: too much processing kills processing?
The camera has always been one of the strong points of iPhones. But with the 16 Pro, Apple seems to have pushed the envelope a little too far in terms of image processing. The Verge points out this problem: ” The bad news is that by default, the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera is even more aggressive than the iPhone 15 Pro’s at evening out shadows and highlights. It’s subtle, but it’s there: you can see it in basic photos of plants, people, street scenes: everything is just a little brighter, a little flatter.. ».
This over-the-top treatment doesn’t go unnoticed, even by influencers. The Verge reports: “I will never post a review as devastating as Alix Earle asking her 7 million followers why her iPhone 15 camera sucks. If people who built multi-million dollar content businesses with their phone cameras don’t like the cameras on their new phones, there’s something wrong.”
Performance and autonomy: progress, but…
On the performance side, the iPhone 16 Pro features the new A18 Pro chip. But as noted The Verge : ” As with all iPhones, these performance numbers are mostly about headroom and longevity at this point: my iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t feel slow, and the 16 Pro doesn’t feel any faster.. ».
Autonomy, for its part, seems to be a matter of debate. If Forbes speaks of a ” big improvement” , Engadget is more reserved: ” The iPhone 16 Pro’s mediocre battery life keeps it from beating the competition, which is tougher than ever this year, especially from Google. »
The verdict: too timid an update?
As you can see, the iPhone 16 Pro seems to be a pretty timid update. CNBC sums it up nicely: “ The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a solid upgrade, but you’ll likely see the biggest changes if you’re coming from an iPhone 14 Pro Max or earlier. »
TechCrunch goes even further: ” If you own an iPhone 15 Pro, don’t worry too much about FOMO. The camera controls aren’t enough to warrant an upgrade, and your device will have access to Apple Intelligence.”
Numeramathe only French media cited, concludes: “ Without Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 Pro Max lacks new features in France. This is why we decided to give it an 8 out of 10, hoping to be able to raise its score to 9 out of 10 once Apple clarifies its position. »
Ultimately, the iPhone 16 Pro seems like a good smartphone, but it struggles to justify its status as Apple’s new flagship. Between promised but absent features, innovations that aren’t always convincing, and subtle improvements, it leaves a taste of unfinished business.
It remains to be seen whether Apple Intelligence, once rolled out, will be a game changer. In the meantime, older iPhone users might find it useful, but iPhone 15 Pro owners might be better off waiting for the next iteration.
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