The iPhone 16 Plus is the primary Plus-sized iPhone I’ve ever purchased. It’s additionally the primary non-Professional iPhone I’ve owned since Apple launched the iPhone X, which successfully spawned the Professional sequence. I’d normally take a look at Professional iPhones earlier than even contemplating a non-Professional mannequin. The iPhone 14 Professional really made issues clear to me: I might simply “downgrade” to non-Professional units.
After practically two months of utilizing it, the iPhone 16 Plus can be the primary iPhone I’ve returned. I’m now again to the purple iPhone 14 Professional, the 2022 flagship cellphone that served me for exactly two years earlier than I switched to the outsized iPhone 16. I do miss the iPhone 16 Plus, however I’ve causes for desirous to do away with it, which I’ll clarify beneath.
The iPhone 16 Plus is simply too massive
I’ll begin issues off by declaring the 2 massive iPhone 16 Plus options I liked all alongside. The 6.7-inch display is a welcome improve over the iPhone 14 Professional’s 6.1-inch show. I’ve wished a bigger display, and now I hate wanting on the smaller one.
However there’s no denying the iPhone 16 Plus’s footprint is noticeable. It takes up an excessive amount of house inside my pockets, and it’s not as straightforward to make use of one-handed because the 6.1-inch iPhone.
Put a case on it, and the iPhone 16 Plus turns into even bigger. That is a good larger downside when working whereas carrying the cellphone. Anybody who retains the iPhone contained in the pockets of their working pants should know what I’m speaking about. And no, I’m not leaving the cellphone behind; that may by no means occur.
I’m not utilizing the Digicam Management as a lot as I believed I might
I might have saved the iPhone 16 Plus for longer if I had a use for a few of its signature options: the Digicam Management button and Apple Intelligence.
I used to be an enormous fan of the Digicam Management button earlier than Apple introduced it. That’s as a result of I desire a sooner strategy to activate the digital camera so I can take images from anyplace I’d be on the cellphone, whether or not it’s the lock display or utilizing an app.
That’s the promise of Digicam Management. It will get even higher than that, because the button enables you to customise numerous points of the images you are taking with out touching the display.
In observe, I hardly used the button. The case I purchased for the iPhone 16 Plus didn’t assist both, because it featured a subpar cutout for the Digicam Management. It minimize into my fingers more often than not, making it much more troublesome to customise images as a result of I might hardly swipe on that button.
The true downside is that I’m a left-handed iPhone person. Add the iPhone 16 Plus dimension, and the Digicam Management is simply too troublesome to succeed in and use. Neglect about taking quick pics with one hand.
I don’t have entry to Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence may need began rolling out within the US and different markets, however it’s unavailable within the European Union. Apple’s AI is one other key iPhone 16 characteristic I wished. I’m already an enormous fan of merchandise like ChatGPT, and I like Apple’s imaginative and prescient for AI.
Nevertheless, Apple received’t launch Apple Intelligence within the EU till subsequent spring. By then Apple Intelligence may have acquired a number of updates, so I’ll get a richer expertise after I first attempt it. Nonetheless, not having the ability to use this key iPhone 16 characteristic is a large letdown.
Keep in mind that Apple Intelligence solely works on six iPhone fashions, together with the 4 iPhone 16 variations and final yr’s iPhone 15 Professionals. Apple additionally used Apple Intelligence as the large promoting level for the iPhone 16 sequence, regardless of not being out there on launch day.
Visible Intelligence
This brings me to Visible Intelligence, an AI characteristic distinctive to the iPhone 16 telephones. This characteristic can be unavailable to me, however then once more, it’s unavailable worldwide until you’re on an iOS 18.2 developer beta.
Visible Intelligence is Apple’s equal to Google Lens. It may also grow to be a Circle to Search various. The thought is easy: Level your iPhone to one thing, press and maintain the Digicam Management, and get solutions about what the AI sees.
My iPhone 16 Plus might do none of that.
The iPhone Air
Contemplating all that, my iPhone 16 Plus labored and behaved similar to my two-year-old iPhone 14 Professional. It simply had a bigger display. I advised you latterly about the adjustments I made to the iPhone 14 Professional that made the transition to a non-Professional system so clean. All of it boils right down to turning off ProMotions and animations on the iPhone 14 Professional. I turned off movement results in iOS years in the past that’s.
Due to this fact, the iPhone 16 Plus did really feel like a bigger iPhone 14 Professional.
In mild of that, returning the iPhone 16 Plus was a no brainer. Full disclosure right here: it was a deliberate no-brainer.
I returned the iPhone 16 Plus as a result of I had an extended return window that I took benefit of. This allowed me to attempt the handset and see if I might alter to it. However say that Apple Intelligence was out there, and I made a greater effort to make use of Digicam Management, the iPhone 16 Plus dimension would nonetheless be an issue. I’d want some form of magic to disregard it.
These experiences additionally made my wants clear. I would like the iPhone 17 Air, a cellphone with a bigger show than the 6.1-inch fashions however a a lot thinner profile. That’s why the iPhone 14 Professional isn’t going away anytime quickly. I’ll attempt different iPhone 16 flavors, however this longtime iPhone person’s endgame is subsequent yr’s ultra-thin.
