Is It Worth It to Upgrade to the New iPhone 16? Well, Yes.
Apple's iPhone 16 lineup brings significant changes across every model with dazzling new features and upgrades. Plus, Apple Intelligence will get a boost with the A18 Pro processor.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
The wait is over. Apple officially announced the launch of the iPhone 16 on Monday, September 9, at its annual fall event. Excited? You should be. With a nod to the iPhone 15 series, this year’s lineup also includes four models — iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max — with some big game-changing upgrades.
Even in light of all the excitement, is it worth it to upgrade to the new iPhone?
New iPhone 16 features
The standard iPhone 16 includes the customizable Action button, now found on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And every model of the iPhone 16 will also have a Camera Control button, which will allow you to capture photos without touching or interacting with the screen. Thanks to the new Ceramic Shield material, the iPhone is now 50% tougher.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Chip upgrades also mean that the iPhone 16 is now faster and more energy efficient. And of course, you can choose from an array of shiny new pastel colors.
With reference to the “Its Glowtime” tagline, the September launch includes Apple Intelligence — Apple’s recent take on how AI can help people in their everyday lives, with a big focus on privacy. You can expect the iPhone 16 to feature a smarter Siri, writing help, generative image creation and text summarization.
Camera upgrades
The iPhone 16 features a vertical camera arrangement. So, instead of the diagonal camera arrangement on the iPhone 15, you’ll see a pill-shaped raised surface with two separate camera rings for wide and ultra-wide shots. The 48-megapixel main camera now enables Spatial Video recording, not found on the iPhone 15, as well as macro-photography, allowing you to take detailed close-up shots. It also features better low-light performance, autofocus and a Camera Control button.
iPhone 16's new Camera Control feature, which can be used in both landscape and portrait, makes capturing images easier than ever. Press the Camera Control button to open the camera and click again to take an image or hold to record a video. It can also distinguish between a full click and a lighter press — which can be used to help you focus and frame a shot.
The new Camera Control feature can also help you learn about your surroundings and get information faster. For example, take a picture of a restaurant with Camera Control and Apple Intelligence will look up information for that location.
All iPhone Pro phones feature a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x zoom and can record video in 4K.
New IOS and Pro Chip
All four iPhone 16 models will be equipped with A18-branded chips.
Other noteworthy iPhone 16 features
With each model that Apple debuts, from the first iPhone that Apple introduced in 2007 to the latest iPhone 16 models, the features keep improving. This year is no different. Other iPhone 16 features (depending on the model) include:
- New display sizes (6.1-inch iPhone 16, 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro)
- Enhanced audio performance
- Peak battery life
- New colors
- Macro-lens technology
- Action button upgrade
- Increased memory and expanded storage
- Ultra-thin bezel and Titanium finish
- New Siri features
- Telephoto lens
- Support for AAA games
New iPhone 16 price
The iPhone 16 costs $799 and iPhone 16 Plus is $899.
The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 and iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199.
How to upgrade to a new iPhone 16
One of the easiest ways to upgrade to the new iPhone 16 is through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade program. Benefits include:
- You get a new iPhone every year—once you’ve made 12 payments, you can upgrade to a new phone every year. Just trade in your current iPhone and start a new plan.
- AppleCare+ coverage is included.
- Works with your current carrier.
- Starting from $39.50/month.
Start by checking if you’re eligible to upgrade your current phone, then choose the iPhone you’d like to upgrade to, or stop by an Apple store to see the various models. Choose the level of AppleCare+ coverage you need, provide your carrier preference, provide a credit or debit card for payment, and return your old phone to Apple via a Trade-in kit provided. You can also visit your current carrier for the latest upgrade deals.
Should you upgrade to the iPhone 16?
If you’re still carrying around an iPhone 8 (or older), it may be time to upgrade. Clearly, there are remarkable changes and upgrades to consder, but before you commit, consider other reasons to hold off, at least for now.
- The new iPhone 16 models are larger. So if you want something that fits in your back pocket or a compartment in your purse, you may want to think twice.
- Like most Apple products, new iPhones are expensive. Consider your budget before breaking the bank.
- Do you really need all those extra features? Yes, the new camera may be a significant upgrade, as is the new A18 chip and battery life. But if you text a few friends or call your sister-in-law once a week, do these features really matter?
- And, while the new colors are nice, if you add a new case (add in that extra cost), you won’t really see the color anyway.
- AI upgrades can improve the overall function of Siri and other apps, but isn’t Siri just fine the way it is?
What else is new?
The September 9 event also announced the new Apple Watch 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, along with the new AirPods 4 and updated AirPods Max.
Related Content
-
Quiz: Do You Know How to Avoid the "Medigap Trap?"Quiz Test your basic knowledge of the "Medigap Trap" in our quick quiz.
-
5 Top Tax-Efficient Mutual Funds for Smarter InvestingMutual funds are many things, but "tax-friendly" usually isn't one of them. These are the exceptions.
-
AI Sparks Existential Crisis for Software StocksThe Kiplinger Letter Fears that SaaS subscription software could be rendered obsolete by artificial intelligence make investors jittery.
-
One of the Most Powerful Wealth-Building Moves a Woman Can Make: A Midcareer PivotIf it feels like you can't sustain what you're doing for the next 20 years, it's time for an honest look at what's draining you and what energizes you.
-
I'm a Wealth Adviser Obsessed With Mahjong: Here Are 8 Ways It Can Teach Us How to Manage Our MoneyThis increasingly popular Chinese game can teach us not only how to help manage our money but also how important it is to connect with other people.
-
Looking for a Financial Book That Won't Put Your Young Adult to Sleep? This One Makes 'Cents'"Wealth Your Way" by Cosmo DeStefano offers a highly accessible guide for young adults and their parents on building wealth through simple, consistent habits.
-
My Spouse and I Are Saving Money for a Down Payment on a House. Which Savings Account is the Best Way to Reach Our Goal?Learn how timing matters when it comes to choosing the right account.
-
We're 78 and Want to Use Our 2026 RMD to Treat Our Kids and Grandkids to a Vacation. How Should We Approach This?An extended family vacation can be a fun and bonding experience if planned well. Here are tips from travel experts.
-
My First $1 Million: Retired From Real Estate, 75, San FranciscoEver wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
To Love, Honor and Make Financial Decisions as Equal PartnersEnsuring both partners are engaged in financial decisions isn't just about fairness — it's a risk-management strategy that protects against costly crises.
-
Top 5 Career Lessons From the 2026 Winter Olympics (So Far)Five lessons to learn from the 2026 Winter Olympics for your career and finances.
