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The iPhone 16 Pro models bring some notable upgrades. However, most of the new features Apple introduced have been available on Android phones for quite a while. So, let’s look at some of the iPhone 16 Pro features that debuted on Android devices first.
1 Dedicated Camera Button
One of the standout features of the iPhone 16 series is the new Camera Control button. This capacitive touch button sits right below the power button, allowing users to quickly open the Camera app and take photos. It also supports various gestures: a light press adjusts the zoom, while a double tap lets you adjust the aperture, white balance, shutter speed, and more.
Interestingly, this feature isn’t entirely new. Sony’s Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 series of phones have had a dedicated camera shutter button on the side for years. While Sony’s shutter button is quite limited in functionality—it can only launch the Camera app, take photos, and record videos—Apple’s implementation offers more features, like zoom, advanced controls, and even integration with third-party apps.
2 48MP Ultra-Wide Camera
While iPhones have been consistently praised for their camera performance over the past few years, one of the annoyances has been the sub-par quality of ultra-wide shots, which often show noise and grain, especially in low light conditions.
Apple has addressed this issue in the iPhone 16 Pro models by introducing a new 48MP ultra-wide sensor, an upgrade from the 12MP sensor on previous models. This should, in theory, result in sharper and clearer images.
However, high-megapixel ultra-wide cameras are not new to the world of Android smartphones. In fact, flagship models like the OnePlus 10 Pro from 2022 already featured a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Today, you can even find such sensors in mid-range devices, like the Vivo V40 Pro.
3 4K/120FPS Video Recording
Speaking of cameras, one of the headlining features of the iPhone 16 Pro is its new 48MP main “Fusion” camera, which, combined with the fast ISP of the A18 Pro processor, enables 4K video recording at 120FPS. Apple claims you can now record 4K slow-motion videos at 120FPS, even in Dolby Vision, and choose the frame rate after recording.
However, this feature also appears to be inspired by Android smartphones. While the new Google Pixel 9 Pro lacks this capability, several other Android flagships released in 2024—including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra we reviewed and Xiaomi 14 Ultra—already support 4K recording at 120FPS.
4 Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity
Although Apple didn’t mention this during the keynote, all iPhone 16 models support the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard. This means they can send and receive data simultaneously over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. Although we haven’t tested it yet, this upgrade should theoretically provide faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity.
However, many flagship Android smartphones from 2023, such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 we reviewed, have also supported Wi-Fi 7. Apple is finally catching up with capabilities that have been standard on some high-end Android devices for nearly a year.
5 Faster USB-C Charging
Even though Apple ditched the Lightning connector for a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 models, charging speeds remained unchanged at 20-27W. However, according to a certification from the China Quality Certification Center, shared by Ice Universe on X, the iPhone 16 models allegedly support charging speeds of up to 39W, which is a noticeable improvement over the previous generation.
Even if this turns out to be true, the iPhone 16’s charging speed still lags behind most high-end Android smartphones. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra supports 45W charging speeds, whereas the OnePlus 12 supports up to 80W wired charging. Even mid-range devices, such as the OnePlus 12R and Honor 200 Pro, provide up to 100W and 66W charging, respectively.
This shows that while the iPhone 16’s faster charging speed is a welcome improvement, Apple is still playing catch-up with Android devices.
All in all, the iPhone 16 Pro doesn’t offer a lot of groundbreaking new features. However, Apple has mastered the art of refining existing features and marketing them effectively. While a few genuine upgrades make the iPhone 16 Pro appealing, if you already own a modern Android flagship, it probably already has most of the features Apple introduced in 2024.
