Apple launch iPhone 16 Pro / iPhone 16 Pro Max on September 9, 2024
- ChungT.
- Feb 19
- 12 min read
Introducing iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max. It was also announced at the press conference that Apple Intelligence will be available on iOS 18.1, iPad 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. Apple Intelligence will initially support U.S. English and will expand to English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom in December 2024, with support for other languages including Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish expected in 2025.
Apple launches iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple introduced iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, powered by A18 Pro chip, featuring larger displays, new camera controls for quick access to the advanced camera system, a new 48-megapixel Fusion camera with a faster 4-in-1 pixel sensor, 4K120 fps recording in Dolby Vision mode, innovative pro-grade camera features, and the most amazing creative experiences ever on iPhone.
Other upgrades to the new Pro models include :
A new 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera that can take higher-resolution photos and supports macro photography.
Equipped with a 5x telephoto camera.
Studio-grade microphone.
Designed for Apple Intelligence.
Available in four finishes: Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium and Desert Titanium
The new Pro series has the thinnest bezels ever in an Apple product and larger displays.
the thinnest bezels of any Apple product;
Super Retina XDR display with Always-On Display and ProMotion technology;
Designed with strong, lightweight titanium;
The latest generation of ceramic crystal cover, the glass strength is twice that of ordinary smartphone glass;
The new mechanical architecture improves heat dissipation and performance, with sustained performance improvement of up to 20%;
With the new internal design and advanced power management of iOS 18, the battery is larger and pushed to the extreme, greatly improving battery life.
Camera controls now available
Camera Control makes professional-grade camera systems even more versatile, providing innovative ways to quickly power up the camera, take photos, and start recording movies. It features a click experience for touch switching, a high-precision force sensor that supports click gestures, and a capacitive sensor that supports touch interaction gestures. A new camera preview screen helps users compose their shots and provides additional controls, such as adjusting zoom, exposure, or depth of field. Just swipe your finger across the Camera Controls to take great photos or movies. In the fall of 2024, “Camera Control” will be updated with a two-stage shutter that automatically locks focus and exposure with just a tap, allowing users to recompose while keeping the image in focus. Additionally, developers will be able to add "camera controls" to third-party apps, allowing users to adjust white balance and set focus, including setting focus for different depth levels in a scene.
The "Camera Control" feature will also unlock visual intelligence features to help users understand objects and places faster. Users can simply long-press on the Camera Control to display hours and ratings for restaurants along their route, add events from flyers to their calendars, and even quickly identify dog breeds. Camera control could also be a conduit to third-party tools with expertise in a particular area, such as using Google to search for places to buy a specific item.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro feature a faster, more efficient 4-in-1 pixel sensor and a new Apple camera architecture.
48-megapixel Fusion camera;
48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera;
5x telephoto camera;
Capable of recording videos in 4K120 fps Dolby Vision format;
Shoot clips in 4K120 fps in slow motion or movie mode;
Ability to shoot 4K120 fps ProRes footage and store it directly on external storage;
The 4-in-1 pixel sensor reads data 2 times faster, enabling 48-megapixel ProRAW or HEIF shooting with zero shutter lag;
The 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera is equipped with a four-in-one pixel sensor that enables autofocus.
Supports 48-megapixel ProRAW and HEIF images;
Equipped with a new studio-grade microphone;
Use spatial audio when shooting video for an immersive listening experience through AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, or a surround sound system;
Machine learning algorithms have wind noise reduction capabilities to reduce noise and improve sound quality;
The "mixing" technical control provides users with three voice options: "in-screen mixing", "studio mixing" and "movie effect mode mixing".
The new generation of "Photographic Styles" can help users express their creativity and tailor photos by directly adjusting color, focus, shadows, etc. in real time. Photographic Styles deeply understands skin tones, allowing users to tailor their image in photos. Unlike regular filters, most of which cannot be fine-tuned to apply one color to the entire scene, this feature adjusts specific colors within the selected style. A wider range of styles provides more creative options for editing the beauty of photos, allowing users to adjust tone and color simultaneously using an easy-to-use new control palette and intensity slider. These adjustments can be calculated during live preview, applied after taking a photo, and even restored after application.
The new A18 Pro chip delivers industry-leading computing power to drive image-intensive games, computational photography features, and Apple Intelligence, ushering in a new era of pro performance. A18 Pro is built with second-generation nanometer technology and uses a new architecture with smaller and faster transistors to deliver unprecedented performance. The new 16-core neural engine is faster and more efficient than the previous generation, driving device performance for even more outstanding performance. Total system memory bandwidth has increased by 20 percent, the highest memory bandwidth ever in an iPhone, and supports the Neural Engine; while the 6-core GPU is up to 20 percent faster than the previous generation, providing stunningly smooth visuals for games. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is up to 2 times faster, making light sources and reflections more realistic; iOS 18's "Game Mode" brings a more consistent frame rate, while allowing AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories to make games show amazing sensitivity. The new 6-core CPU is the fastest of any smartphone, with 2 high-efficiency cores and 4 energy-efficient cores, running the same workload up to 15% faster while consuming up to 20% less power than the previous generation. A next-generation machine learning accelerator pushes Apple Intelligence to the limit, handling high-efficiency, high-data-throughput, and low-latency calculations on the CPU without using the Neural Engine, saving power.
A18 Pro supports Always-On Display and ProMotion technology, bringing an exceptional viewing experience to iPhone, as well as faster USB 3 speeds and ProRes recording. The new ISP and video encoder can handle up to 2x the data volume, enabling faster video encoding and professional workflows.
Extended coverage of security and communication functions
The iPhone 16 Pro series brings innovative ways to stay connected and provides stronger security features to give users peace of mind. Using the same breakthrough technology as Emergency SOS over Satellite, users can connect to the nearest satellite to send and receive text messages, emojis and tap responses via iMessage and SMS in areas where mobile and Wi-Fi coverage is limited. Messages sent via satellite in iOS 18 will be end-to-end encrypted. New features of iOS 18 include "Emergency SOS Live Video", which allows users to share live videos or photos with emergency rescue personnel when seeking emergency help. Later this quarter, the Roadside Assistance via Satellite feature, already available in the US, will also be available in the UK, allowing users to contact roadside assistance providers in the event of a car breakdown without signal reception.
Designed for Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 series takes advantage of the power of Apple chips and Apple-designed generative models to understand and generate language and images, perform actions across apps, and streamline and speed up everyday tasks based on the user’s personal context. Apple Intelligence uses "Private Cloud Compute" to protect the privacy and security of user data. This innovative breakthrough approach provides flexible access to on-device processing technology and the computational space for larger server-based models running on dedicated servers based on Apple chips, marking a major leap forward in privacy for artificial intelligence (AI).
Apple Intelligence brings users system-wide built-in "Writing Tools" to improve their writing skills in a new way. These tools help users rewrite, proofread and condense summaries. Communicating and expressing yourself becomes more fun with the ability to create original Genmojis, while Image Playground lets users create fun images in an instant. Apple Intelligence also uses email Priority Messages to centralize all notifications and display time-limited messages. Users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio messages in the Notes and Phone apps. When you start recording a call using the Phone app, participants will automatically receive a notification; after the call ends, Apple Intelligence will automatically generate a content summary, allowing users to easily review the key points of the call.
Siri has a brand new design that’s more natural, more flexible, and more deeply integrated into the system experience. With richer language understanding capabilities, Siri can still keep up with the content when the user's speech is stuttered, and can maintain the context between previous and subsequent commands. Users can enter commands to Siri at any time or switch smoothly between text and voice to speed up daily tasks. Siri also has deep product knowledge and can answer thousands of questions about the features of iPhone and other Apple devices. Siri can understand and take actions based on what’s on the screen, and can also perform hundreds of new actions in Apple and third-party apps. While using iOS 18 features such as Siri and "Writing Tools", users can also easily use OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Commitment to the environment
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are designed with the environment in mind. As part of Apple 2030, Apple’s goal to reduce its entire carbon footprint to net zero by the end of 2030, Apple is actively increasing the use of renewable electricity in its supply chain and investing in wind and solar projects around the world to address the electricity used to charge all Apple products (including the iPhone 16 series). All Apple facilities now run on 100 percent renewable electricity, including the data centers that power Apple Intelligence.
To achieve the Apple 2030 goal, the company is also designing products using recycled and regenerated materials. Both iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max contain more than 25% recycled materials, including an inner frame structure made of 100% recycled aluminum and multiple components made of 80% or more recycled steel. The battery uses 100 percent recycled cobalt, and for the first time in iPhone, Apple is using 95 percent recycled lithium. The iPhone 16 Pro series also meets Apple’s high energy efficiency standards and is free of mercury and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The 100% fiber-based packaging brings Apple one step closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from all packaging by next year.
Professional camera system
48MP Fusion Camera: 24mm, ƒ/1.78 aperture, second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for ultra-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
12MP 2x telephoto: 52mm, ƒ/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels
48MP Ultra Wide: 13mm, ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120° field of view, Hybrid Focus Pixels, Ultra-high-resolution photos (48MP)
12MP 5x telephoto: 120mm, ƒ/2.8 aperture and 20° viewing angle, 100% Focus Pixels, seven-element lens, 3D sensor Mobile optical image stabilization and autofocus, quadruple reflective prism design
5x optical zoom in; 2x optical zoom out; 10x optical zoom range
Up to 25x digital zoom
Camera Control
Customizable preset lenses (Fusion camera)
Sapphire glass lens protection
Adaptive True Tone Flash
Lighting Engine
Deep Fusion
Smart HDR 5
Next-generation portrait photography with focus and depth of field control
Portrait Lighting with six different effects
Night Mode
Night mode portrait shots powered by LiDAR sensor
Panorama mode (up to 63 megapixels)
The latest generation of photography style customization function
Space Photos
48-megapixel macro photography
Apple ProRAW
Wide color gamut photos and original photo shooting
Lens Correction (Ultra Wide Angle)
Advanced red-eye correction
Automatic image stabilization
Serial quick shot mode
Photo Coordinates Tags
Image capture formats: HEIF, JPEG and DNG
Video shooting system
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion camera) or 120 fps (Fusion camera)
1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, or 120 fps (Fusion camera)
720p Dolby Vision video recording, 30 fps
Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR (30 fps)
Action mode up to 2.8K (60 fps)
Spatial video recording, 1080p (30 fps)
Up to 4K ProRes video recording, 120 fps (with external storage)
Log video recording
Academic Color Encoding System (ACES)
Macro video recording, including slow motion and time-lapse
Slow-motion video support up to 4K, 120 fps (Fusion camera); and up to 1080p, 240 fps (Ultra Wide and Telephoto)
Time-lapse photography with anti-shake function
Night mode time-lapse photography
Flash Video supports Dolby Vision recording, up to 4K (60 fps)
Second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization for movie recording (Fusion camera)
3D sensor for video recording Mobile optical image stabilization and auto focus (telephoto)
Up to 25x digital zoom
Audio Zoom
True Tone Flash
Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p and 720p)
Continuous autofocus for movies
Take 8-megapixel photos while recording 4K video
Zoom playback
Video recording formats: HEVC, H.264 and ProRes
Spatial Audio and Stereo Recording
Four studio-grade microphones
Wind noise reduction function
Audio Mixing
True Depth Sensing Lens System
12-megapixel camera
ƒ/1.9 aperture
Autofocus with Focus Pixels
Retina Flash
Lighting Engine
Deep Fusion
Smart HDR 5
Next-generation portrait photography with focus and depth of field control
Portrait Lighting with six different effects
Animoji and Memoji
Night Mode
The latest generation of photography style customization function
Apple ProRAW
Wide color gamut photos and original photo shooting
Lens Correction
Automatic image stabilization
Serial quick shot mode
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision (30 fps)
Up to 4K ProRes video recording, 60 fps (with external storage)
Log video recording
Academic Color Encoding System (ACES)
Slow motion video support 1080p (120 fps)
Time-lapse photography with anti-shake function
Night mode time-lapse photography
Flash Video supports Dolby Vision recording, up to 4K (60 fps)
Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p and 720p)
Spatial Audio and Stereo Recording
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available in four colors: black titanium, white titanium, original titanium and desert titanium, with storage spaces of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. iPhone 16 Pro prices start from HK$8,599, and iPhone 16 Pro Max prices start from HK$10,199.
Apple offers trade-in offers to help customers upgrade to the latest iPhone. Customers who trade in iPhone 12 or later models for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro can enjoy a trade-in offer of HK$1,300 to HK$5,400. Customers can view the trade-in value and terms and conditions of their device at apple.com/hk-zh/shop/trade-in.
Customers in more than 58 countries and regions including Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Mainland China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, the United Kingdom, and the United States will be able to order iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max starting at 8 p.m. Hong Kong time on September 13, 2024. The product will be available for sale from September 20, 2024 (Hong Kong time).
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available starting September 27, 2024 in Macau, Vietnam, and 19 other countries and regions.
iOS 18 will be available as a free software update on September 16, 2024.
Apple Intelligence will be available as a free update. The first Apple Intelligence features will be available as beta next month with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features to come in the coming months. Available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to English (United States). Additional languages and platforms will be launched next year. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will support local English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages next year, including Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.
In addition to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max transparent protective cases priced from HK$369, the MagSafe silicone cases are priced at HK$369 and come in colors including black, denim, violet, lake green, lavender, star fruit, stone gray and ultramarine. Apple's protective cases for the iPhone 16 series work smoothly with the "Camera Control" function, equipped with a conductive layer of sapphire glass that can transmit finger movements to the "Camera Control".
The iPhone MagSafe Fine Fabric Wallet is priced at HK$449 and is available in black, Blackberry, dark green and dark blue.
The new MagSafe charger supports up to 25W faster wireless charging and is Qi2 certified; the 1-meter length is priced at HK$299 and the 2-meter length is priced at HK$399.
AppleCare+ for iPhone offers unmatched service and support. These include unlimited accidental damage protection, battery repair protection, and 24-hour technical support from people who know iPhone best.
iCloud+ plans start from 50GB, charging HK$8 per month, and go up to 12TB, charging HK$468 per month. It provides additional storage space in the cloud for storing files, photos, videos, etc. It is not only more secure, but can also be accessed across devices and is very convenient to share with others. iCloud+ also provides new advanced features, including Private Forwarding, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domains, and HomeKit Secure Recording.
Customers who purchase iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will receive a free 3-month trial of Apple Music with their new subscription.
About Apple Inc.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. The six major Apple software platforms – iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS – provide a seamless and perfect experience for all Apple devices, while also empowering users with groundbreaking services such as the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world a better place.
