I switched from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Pro here are 5 things I
love and 3 disappointments

Date:
Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
The iPhone 16 Pro is a huge upgrade over my old iPhone 12 Pro heres everything I love (and some things I dont).

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This Black Friday, I snagged a killer deal on a new iPhone 16 Pro . Its the first new phone Ive had in years, and it replaced my old iPhone 12 Pro that was starting to show its age.

After holding out for so long, Ive got to say that it feels good to have joined the modern era blazing fast performance, Apple Intelligence goodness, silky smooth animations, you name it. But there are also a few things Im not so happy about things I never had to deal with on the iPhone 12 Pro. Because while I absolutely love the iPhone 16 Pro, its by no means perfect. Using it is buttery smooth (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Not everyone talks about it, but using the iPhone 16 Pro is smooth . Im not talking about how fast everything is to load I mean its animations. My
iPhone 12 Pro was limited to a 60Hz display, but the iPhone 16 Pro ups that
to 120Hz, and it feels amazing.

Swiping between app screens and scrolling through web pages feels so smooth compared to my old phone. And while the 60Hz screen on my old phone was never a problem, now that Im using a faster refresh rate every day, theres no way
Id ever go back (and I know Im not alone ).

Its not something I can ever adequately explain in text, and youve got to
just experience it in person to understand how lovely it feels. Once you do, youll love it just like I do. The Dynamic Island (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The Dynamic Island has received a lot of stick since it launched for never really living up to its potential . And I agree that it could probably do a little more than it already does. But compared to what I had on the iPhone 12 Pro, its an excellent addition.

On my old phone, the notch was a big, bulky bar that really did nothing for me. Sure, I know its needed to hide all the cameras and Face ID sensors, but it takes away a large chunk of your screen that cant be used in any other
way.

With the iPhone 16 Pro, the notch (now a cutout) is put to good use, as it
can display information from various apps in an easy-to-see way. Even something as simple as checking how long is left on my timer (no matter what app Im using) is a really useful touch. I also love that I can quickly interact with whatever information is hidden in there without having to open the associated app. It might not be a ground-breaking feature, but its a much better use of the notch than the iPhone 12 Pro offered me. More screen real estate (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I never really thought that my old iPhone 12 Pro had thick, chunky bezels,
but the iPhone 16 Pro has slimmed them down even further, helping to expand the devices display as a result. It doesnt sound like much, but the extra screen space combined with the smooth 120Hz scrolling makes consuming content just that much better.

Part of the reason is that, right now at least, Im using my new phone without a case (more on that later), meaning theres no extra bulk crowding in on the screen. But I cant ignore the difference that the slimmer bezels and
increased screen size have made to my enjoyment of the new phone, even if its a subtle difference. Macro photography is brilliant (Image credit: DXOMARK)

Im someone who takes a lot of photos on my iPhone, and I mean a lot my
Photos library contains 39,201 items at the time of writing. Yet despite my iPhone long since replacing my DSLR in my day-to-day usage, its always bugged me that the iPhone 12 Pro was only average at taking macro shots.

Now, though, thats all changed. With the addition of macro photography to recent iPhones, you can get closer than ever to your subject. Thats something Ive really noticed with the iPhone 16 Pro, and its helped me capture shots that just werent possible on my old device. Combined with the 5x optical zoom , its the best phone camera Ive ever used.

I feel like Im even less likely to need one of the best DSLR cameras in my life now that I can turn my phone into a proper photography tool . They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and thats just become even more true in my case. Genmoji are often exactly what I need (Image credit: Future
/ Apple)

Whatever you think of it, Apple Intelligence is a part of our world now, and it was a big addition to my new iPhone (my iPhone 12 Pro wasnt powerful
enough to run it). And now that Ive got a taste of it, theres one element in particular that Ive grown very fond of.

That aspect is Genmoji, Apples AI-powered emoji. In any app that contains a text field, you just type in what you want and Apple Intelligence will whip
up a brand-new emoji for you to use. Ive had some great use out of it so far, and I love that I can create any emoji I want to perfectly fit the moment at hand. Its especially fun to whip up new emoji based on photos of people I know.

Sure, I wish it worked a little faster, and sometimes it takes a couple of attempts to get exactly the result I want. But overall, its a great new feature thats left me thoroughly impressed with my new phone. I instantly disabled the always-on display (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Its not all good, though. As soon as I got my new iPhone, the first thing I turned off was the always-on display. Ive heard the horror stories about it draining iPhone batteries and I didnt want any of that for myself, particularly not if it risked prematurely ageing my devices battery and lowering its maximum capacity.

Aside from that, I just plain dont need the iPhones always-on display. Ive also got an Apple Watch Series 10 , and on that device, the always-on display is extremely useful. Because my Watch is almost always within my sightline, I can just glance down to see the time without needing to raise my wrist. Thats a good example of a place where the always-on display is valuable.

But my iPhone is usually in my pocket, where the always-on screen doesnt help me in any way. Even if my phone is on my desk, its still easier to just use
my Watch to check the time. Its an unnecessary feature on my iPhone, and I dont regret disabling it. Butterfingers beware (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

At the moment, Im not using a case with my iPhone 16 Pro, mainly because Ive been agonizing over which one to buy (finding the best iPhone case can be surprisingly difficult). During this time, Ive come to realize that a naked iPhone is dangerously slippery, and there have been several occasions where Ive come perilously close to sending it hurtling towards the ground (luckily, there have been no disasters yet).

My iPhone 12 Pro was also pretty easy to lose hold of, and I had it in a case from almost day one as a result. But over the ensuing four years, Id hoped that Apple had done something to make its phones a grippier. Unfortunately, that doesnt seem to be the case. The Ceramic Shield will help, but I dont
want to have to rely on it saving my phone when extra grip would stop it dropping in the first place. The bulbous camera bump (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Another thing Ive noticed from going temporarily caseless is that the iPhone 16 Pros camera bump is freaking huge . If I rest the phone on a table, it prominently wobbles from side to side any time I tap. Its something that was never a problem with my previous phone and its much more slimline camera protrusion.

I worry that all that close contact with surfaces cant be good for the camera lenses. Thats something that will be alleviated by swaddling my phone in a case, which should add a bit more protection around the camera. But for now, its a worrying side effect of increasing the lens sizes on the newer phone. You might also like Apple iPhone 16 Pro review: pocket-sized brilliance and
no concessions Today's best Apple iPhone 16 deals: get a free 16 Pro, iPad, and more at major carriers The best iPhone 2024: which Apple smartphone
reigns supreme?



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/i-switched-from-an-iphone-12-pro-to-an-iphone -16-pro-here-are-5-things-i-love-and-3-disappointments


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