Apple has introduced a new feature called Visual Intelligence with the iPhone 16, which seems to be the company’s answer to Google Lens. Unveiled during the September 2024 event, Visual Intelligence aims to help users better interact with the world around them.
This new feature is activated by a new touch-sensitive button called Camera Control on the right side of the device. With a single click, Visual Intelligence can identify objects, provide information, and offer actions based on what you point it at. For example, aiming it at a restaurant will bring up the menu, hours, or ratings, while clicking a flyer for an event can add it directly to your calendar. Point it at a dog to quickly identify the breed, or click on a product to find where you can buy it online.
Later this year, Camera Control will also serve as a gateway into third-party tools with specific domain expertise, according to Apple’s press release. For example, users will be able to leverage Google for product searches or use ChatGPT for problem-solving, while retaining control over when and how these tools are used and what information is shared. Apple emphasized that the feature is designed with privacy in mind, meaning the company doesn’t have access to what users are identifying or searching for.
Apple claims that Visual Intelligence maintains user privacy by processing data on the device itself, ensuring the company doesn’t know what you clicked on.
Before we move on, note that we based our guide on the MSRP of a new, unlocked iPhone on Apple.com. If you can find a steep discount from another trusted retailer or a good deal on a refurbished model, that can always change the value equation. With that disclaimer, here are the best iPhones you can buy until early 2025.
The iPhone 16 Pro is the iPhone we’d recommend to most people. Yes, it may have a starting price of $999, but a smartphone is a long-term investment. If the question is “which iPhone will keep you happy for the next three to five years,” we think the iPhone 16 Pro’s advantages over the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are still meaningful enough to justify spending the extra $100-200 — even if the difference isn’t as big as it has been in years past.
For one thing, the iPhone 16 Pro’s blasted titanium frame base feels better than the iPhone 16’s aluminum frame. It’s a little heavier than the standard 16 and last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, but it’s far from anchored, and its slightly curved edges are pleasant to hold. It runs on a slightly faster A18 Pro chip, which doesn’t make a huge difference in everyday tasks, but is still more future-proof, especially if you have any interest in gaming or content creation. And while every iPhone 16 has a USB-C charging port, the Pro models support faster data transfer speeds (provided you have the right cable).
The most prominent upgrade is the display. While the OLED panels on the iPhone 16 Pro and standard iPhone 16 are equally sharp and bright, the former’s display is more spacious at 6.3 inches (instead of 6.1 inches), while the phone itself is just 0.08 inches taller and 0.02 inches thicker. This is mainly due to the Pro’s thinner bezels, which give you more room for streaming video and reading web pages in a device that isn’t too cumbersome to hold.