Apple iPhone 16 Plus specifications and in-depth review

Apple iPhone 16 Plus

Manufacturer: Apple

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is a large-format smartphone from Apple, built around a 6.7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1290 x 2796 pixels and a pixel density of 460 ppi. The device runs on the Apple A18 chipset, manufactured on a 3 nm process and paired with 8GB of RAM, offering a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 7578. It carries an IP68 ingress protection rating, making it waterproof under defined conditions, and is available with up to 512GB of internal storage.

On the camera side, the iPhone 16 Plus features a dual-lens rear system with 48 MP and 12 MP sensors, optical image stabilization, and support for 4K video recording at 60 fps, along with Dolby Vision recording capability. The 4489 mAh battery supports 30W wired fast charging and 25W wireless charging, with a rated battery life of 26 hours. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, 5G, and emergency SOS via satellite, while biometric authentication is handled through 3D facial recognition rather than a fingerprint scanner.

Pros
  • The IP68 waterproof rating and branded damage-resistant glass provide solid physical protection for daily use
  • The 48 MP and 12 MP dual rear camera system includes optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, and 4K 60fps video recording with Dolby Vision and HDR10 support
  • Both 30W wired fast charging and 25W wireless charging are supported, offering flexibility in how the device is powered
  • Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection add a meaningful layer of safety in situations without cellular coverage
  • The Apple A18 chipset built on a 3 nm process delivers strong benchmark results, with a Geekbench 6 single-core score of 2942 and an AnTuTu score exceeding 1.5 million
  • A comprehensive set of privacy controls is available, including app tracking blocking, cross-site tracking prevention, clipboard warnings, and camera and microphone access management
Cons
  • The display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which is notably lower than what many smartphones in this category offer
  • No 3.5 mm headphone jack is present, and none of the high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs such as aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, or aptX Adaptive are supported
  • The USB port is Type-C but runs only on USB 2.0, limiting wired data transfer speeds
  • No charger is included in the box despite supporting fast charging
  • Reverse wireless charging is not available, so the device cannot be used to charge other accessories wirelessly
  • Split-screen multitasking is not supported, restricting simultaneous use of two applications side by side
Who is this for?

This device is well-suited to users who prioritize a strong camera experience, as the dual rear system with optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, and 4K 60fps video recording with Dolby Vision support makes it a capable option for both photography enthusiasts and content creators. The IP68 waterproof rating and emergency SOS via satellite make it a reliable daily driver for users who frequently work or spend time outdoors in unpredictable conditions. Those who place a high value on privacy and security will also find the extensive OS-level controls — covering app tracking, cross-site tracking, clipboard warnings, and camera access — well aligned with their needs, and the 3D facial recognition provides a consistent biometric authentication method.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who rely on split-screen multitasking or regularly run demanding parallel workflows will find the lack of that feature limiting in day-to-day use. The 60Hz display refresh rate makes this a poor fit for users who prioritize smooth scrolling and fluid animations, particularly those accustomed to higher refresh rate screens. Additionally, the USB 2.0 interface means this device is not well suited to users who frequently transfer large files over a wired connection, such as video editors or professionals working with high-resolution media, as wired data transfer speeds will be a bottleneck in those workflows.

Design:

water resistance Waterproof
weight 199 g
thickness 7.8 mm
width 77.8 mm
height 160.9 mm
volume 97.640556 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP68
French Repairability Index 8
has a rugged build
lowest potential operating temperature 0 °C
maximum operating temperature 35 °C
can be folded

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus has a non-folding, non-rugged design measuring 160.9 mm tall, 77.8 mm wide, and 7.8 mm thick, with a total volume of 97.64 cm³ and a weight of 199 g. It carries an IP68 ingress protection rating, classifying it as waterproof under the conditions defined by that standard. The device is rated to operate within a temperature range of 0 °C to 35 °C, and it holds a French Repairability Index score of 8 out of 10, indicating a relatively high level of assessed repairability.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.7"
pixel density 460 ppi
resolution 1290 x 2796 px
refresh rate 60Hz
touch sampling rate 120Hz
brightness (typical) 1000 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
contrast ratio 2000000:1
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The iPhone 16 Plus uses a 6.7-inch OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 1290 x 2796 pixels and a pixel density of 460 ppi, backed by branded damage-resistant glass. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 120Hz, with typical brightness rated at 1000 nits and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. It supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision for content playback, though HDR10+ is not supported. Always-On Display is not available, and there is no secondary screen. The panel does not curve and operates as a single, standard touch-enabled display.

Performance:

internal storage 512GB
RAM 8GB
AnTuTu benchmark score 1556748
Chipset (SoC) name Apple A18
GPU name Apple A18 GPU
CPU speed 2 x 4.05 & 4 x 2.42 GHz
Geekbench 6 result (multi) 7578
Geekbench 6 result (single) 2942
GPU clock speed 1398 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 4800 MHz
semiconductor size 3 nm
Supports 64-bit
Has integrated graphics
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 6 threads
Has NX bit
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 78.8 GB/s
L2 cache 8 MB
Supports ECC memory
L1 cache 128 KB
maximum memory amount 8GB
uses multithreading
number of transistors 15200 million
DDR memory version 5
shading units 128

The iPhone 16 Plus is powered by the Apple A18 chipset, built on a 3 nm process with 15,200 million transistors, featuring a 6-thread CPU clocked at 2 x 4.05 GHz and 4 x 2.42 GHz using big.LITTLE and HMP configurations. The SoC integrates an Apple A18 GPU running at 1398 MHz with 128 shading units, alongside LTE, and supports 64-bit processing, NX bit, and TrustZone security. The device comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM at 4800 MHz and a maximum memory bandwidth of 78.8 GB/s, paired with 512GB of internal storage; ECC memory and multithreading are not supported. Cache configuration includes 128 KB of L1 and 8 MB of L2, while benchmark results stand at 2942 single-core and 7578 multi-core on Geekbench 6, and 1,556,748 on AnTuTu.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 48 & 12 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 2.2 & 1.6f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 12MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 60 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 2
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 2x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
pixel size (main camera) 1 & 0.7 µm
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 1.9f
Has timelapse function
minimum focal length 13 mm
maximum focal length 26 mm
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
DxOMark Mobile score 147
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The iPhone 16 Plus features a dual-lens rear camera system with 48 MP and 12 MP sensors at apertures of f/2.2 and f/1.6, pixel sizes of 1 µm and 0.7 µm respectively, and a focal length range of 13 mm to 26 mm, backed by a BSI CMOS sensor and optical image stabilization. The rear camera supports 2x optical zoom, phase-detection and touch autofocus, continuous autofocus during video, and a dual-tone LED flash with two LEDs; laser autofocus and RGB flash are not included. Video recording reaches up to 2160p at 60 fps with HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording support, and the system also accommodates slow-motion video, timelapse, burst mode, panorama, HDR mode, and a full set of manual controls including exposure, ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and focus — though RAW capture and 360° panorama are not available. The single-lens front camera offers 12 MP resolution at f/1.9 without a front-facing flash or under-display placement, and the overall camera system holds a DxOMark Mobile score of 147.

Operating system:

has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
has SharePlay
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
has AirPlay
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The operating system on the iPhone 16 Plus includes a broad set of privacy controls, covering clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone access management, Mail Privacy Protection, the ability to block app tracking, and cross-site tracking prevention. Productivity and usability features include dark mode, focus modes, customizable notifications, a media picker, full-page screenshots, Live Text, Picture-in-Picture, AirPlay, SharePlay, widgets, sharing intents, Wi-Fi password sharing, app offloading, a child lock, Quick Start, voice commands with offline voice recognition, battery health check, and device tracking. The OS receives direct updates from the vendor and supports on-device machine learning, though it does not offer theme customization, dynamic theming, an extra dim mode, split-screen multitasking, or multi-user support, and games cannot be played while downloading. The system is not free and open source, and the device cannot function as a PC replacement.

Battery:

battery power 4489 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 30W
wireless charging speed 25W
has reverse wireless charging
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
Battery life 26 hours
has a rechargeable battery

The iPhone 16 Plus houses a rechargeable 4489 mAh battery with a rated battery life of 26 hours and a battery level indicator. It supports 30W wired fast charging as well as wireless charging at up to 25W, though no charger is included in the box. The battery is non-removable, and reverse wireless charging is not supported.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio
number of microphones 3

The iPhone 16 Plus includes stereo speakers and a total of three microphones, but does not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack or a built-in radio. On the wireless audio side, none of the high-quality Bluetooth codecs — aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or LDAC — are supported.

Connectivity & Features:

has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
SIM cards 1 SIM, 1 eSIM
Bluetooth version 5.3
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 10000 MBits/s
upload speed 3500 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
Head SAR (US) 1.13W/kg
Body SAR (US) 1.16W/kg
Head SAR (EU) 1.24W/kg
Body SAR (EU) 1.33W/kg
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The iPhone 16 Plus supports 5G cellular connectivity alongside Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), and Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), with download speeds of up to 10,000 Mbits/s and upload speeds of up to 3,500 Mbits/s. It uses a USB Type-C port running USB 2.0, accommodates one physical SIM and one eSIM, and includes Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC; there is no external memory slot, HDMI output, or DLNA certification. Biometric authentication relies on 3D facial recognition, as neither a fingerprint scanner nor an iris scanner is present, and the device also features emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection. The onboard sensors include a gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, compass, and GPS with Galileo support, while ANT+, an infrared sensor, a heart rate monitor, motion tracking, optical tracking, and a built-in projector are all absent. SAR values are rated at 1.13 W/kg (US head), 1.16 W/kg (US body), 1.24 W/kg (EU head), and 1.33 W/kg (EU body), and no stylus is included.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The iPhone 16 Plus includes a video light for use during video recording, but does not feature a sapphire glass display, a curved display, or an e-paper display.

Final Verdict

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is a well-specified large-screen smartphone that delivers a capable imaging system, robust privacy controls, and reliable daily protection through its IP68 rating and satellite-based emergency features. Its Apple A18 chipset on a 3 nm process ensures strong computational performance across everyday and demanding tasks alike, while the dual rear camera with 4K 60fps Dolby Vision recording makes it a practical tool for users who prioritize media capture. That said, the 60Hz display refresh rate and USB 2.0 wired transfer speeds reflect meaningful trade-offs that will matter to a certain subset of users. Overall, the iPhone 16 Plus is a well-rounded device that will serve most users confidently in daily life, provided their workflow does not depend heavily on the features it omits.

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