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 collection. I’d often take a look at Professional iPhones earlier than even contemplating a non-Professional mannequin. The iPhone 14 Professional truly made issues clear to me: I may simply “downgrade” to non-Professional gadgets.
After almost two months of utilizing it, the iPhone 16 Plus can also be the primary iPhone I’ve returned. I’m now again to the purple iPhone 14 Professional, the 2022 flagship telephone 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 eager to eliminate it, which I’ll clarify under.
The iPhone 16 Plus is just too massive
I’ll begin issues off by mentioning the 2 massive iPhone 16 Plus options I beloved all alongside. The 6.7-inch display screen is a welcome improve over the iPhone 14 Professional’s 6.1-inch show. I’ve wished a bigger display screen, and now I hate trying on the smaller one.
However there’s no denying the iPhone 16 Plus’s footprint is noticeable. It takes up an excessive amount of area 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 fair larger downside when operating whereas carrying the telephone. Anybody who retains the iPhone contained in the pockets of their operating pants should know what I’m speaking about. And no, I’m not leaving the telephone behind; that can by no means occur.
I’m not utilizing the Digicam Management as a lot as I believed I might
I might have stored 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 need a sooner strategy to activate the digital camera so I can take photographs from anyplace I’d be on the telephone, whether or not it’s the lock display screen or utilizing an app.
That’s the promise of Digicam Management. It will get even higher than that, because the button allows you to customise varied facets of the photographs you’re taking with out touching the display screen.
In apply, 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 lower into my fingers more often than not, making it much more troublesome to customise photographs as a result of I may hardly swipe on that button.
The actual downside is that I’m a left-handed iPhone consumer. Add the iPhone 16 Plus measurement, and the Digicam Management is just too troublesome to succeed in and use. Overlook about taking quick pics with one hand.
I don’t have entry to Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence might need began rolling out within the US and different markets, but it surely’s unavailable within the European Union. Apple’s AI is one other key iPhone 16 function I wished. I’m already an enormous fan of merchandise like ChatGPT, and I like Apple’s imaginative and prescient for AI.
Nonetheless, Apple received’t launch Apple Intelligence within the EU till subsequent spring. By then Apple Intelligence can have obtained a number of updates, so I’ll get a richer expertise once I first attempt it. Nonetheless, not having the ability to use this key iPhone 16 function is an enormous letdown.
Keep in mind that Apple Intelligence solely works on six iPhone fashions, together with the 4 iPhone 16 variations and final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professionals. Apple additionally used Apple Intelligence as the large promoting level for the iPhone 16 collection, regardless of not being out there on launch day.
Visible Intelligence
This brings me to Visible Intelligence, an AI function distinctive to the iPhone 16 telephones. This function can also be unavailable to me, however then once more, it’s unavailable worldwide except you’re on an iOS 18.2 developer beta.
Visible Intelligence is Apple’s equal to Google Lens. It may additionally change into a Circle to Search various. The thought is straightforward: Level your iPhone to one thing, press and maintain the Digicam Management, and get solutions about what the AI sees.
My iPhone 16 Plus may 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 screen. I informed you lately about the adjustments I made to the iPhone 14 Professional that made the transition to a non-Professional machine so easy. All of it boils all the way 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.
Subsequently, the iPhone 16 Plus did really feel like a bigger iPhone 14 Professional.
In gentle 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 may modify 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 measurement would nonetheless be an issue. I’d want some type of magic to disregard it.
These experiences additionally made my wants clear. I would like the iPhone 17 Air, a telephone 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 consumer’s endgame is subsequent 12 months’s ultra-thin.
