iPhone 16 Plus review: Apple’s battery beast
iPhone 16 Plus review: Apple’s battery beast
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Enlarged iPhone gains two new buttons, faster chip and better camera, while lasting a long time on a charge. The best iPhones: Apple smartphones tested, reviewed and ranked. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
![[Samuel Gibbs]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/10/03/Samuel_Gibbs.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Apple’s iPhone 16 Plus takes the regular iPhone and adds two things: a much bigger screen and even longer battery life. The new plus-sized model has the exact same specs, camera and multiple additional buttons as the vanilla 16, offering the big screen Apple phone experience without blowing the budget on the most expensive 16 Pro Max with its massive 6.9in display.
![[The action button of an iPhone 16 Plus.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6704c69a3c07a960910cb70ab930e51ef3deb5ea/332_757_4792_2875/master/4792.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Instead, costing from £899 (€1,099/$899/A$1,599), it sits right between the £799 iPhone 16 and £999 iPhone 16 Pro models. The 16 Plus has a bright and crisp 6.7in display just like its predecessor, and sticks to the slower 60Hz refresh rate, making it less smooth when scrolling Apple’s Pro iPhones and rivals. It still looks good for film and TV shows on the commute, though.
![[The USB-C port of the iPhone 16 Plus.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9370b010c18717a96bb08b5b4f1db58097d97b28/1344_774_2734_1640/master/2734.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
It is an aluminium and glass sandwich with realigned cameras on the back reminiscent of the iPhone 12. While the Plus is quite light for a big phone at 199g, it will still require two-handed use most of the time. A case or phone grip might be advisable.
![[The back camera array of the iPhone 16 Plus in pink and iPhone 16 in blue.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c5a0419dc5e4733663eda473c4b56fb44d6ffc25/592_637_4062_2438/master/4062.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The two new buttons match the other 16 series iPhones this year. The action button replaces the mute switch from previous models and can be used to open apps, perform actions, turn on the torch or activate focus or mute modes. The camera control button quickly opens the camera and can then adjust settings such as zoom or depth and shoot photos all with one finger.
![[The camera control button of an iPhone 16 Plus.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c9e5d8562d3aba87967179a7909d1fc0708bc24d/0_659_4956_2973/master/4956.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
