With the iPhone 16 Pro, the big announcements were the cameras and Apple Intelligence. The problem is that Apple Intelligence isn’t quite here yet. We can test some features in the developer beta, but that’s not necessarily what we’ll get when the update rolls out in October. So our focus is on iOS 18 (going deeper into the beta here) and the hardware changes.
The biggest hardware change is the camera button. But it’s not just a button, really. Located on the right side of the device, it has touch and pressure sensors to provide greater control with swipes and less pressure. (That adds the Action Button, which is on the left edge of the iPhone).
It was intended (and will eventually allow) you to press the button lightly to trigger focus, similar to half-pressing the shutter button on a DSLR. Sadly, that function is not available at launch. You can swipe the button to adjust exposure, zoom levels and tone, and with a light press, you can select options or leave menus in the new Camera Control interface.
Despite the Apple Intelligence features at launch, however, the iPhone 16 Pro looks like an incremental update over the years. But if you’re holding off on upgrading for a year or two, the camera upgrades (and eventual AI features) might tempt you.
— Matt Smith
Big news headlines you might have missed
Magnetic JoyCons?
Recent rumors suggest a design very close to the original Switch. Seen by VGCimages of the console have surfaced online, and they show an 8-inch screen and magnetic Joy-Con controllers. It looks like there are SL/SR buttons and player LEDs facing forward on those controls.
We’ve pulled you through our collection of rumors and leaks – read on to find out more.
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The lawsuit seeks class action status.
Five unnamed contestants who participated in YouTuber MrBeast’s Beast Games filed a lawsuit on September 16 against MrBeast and Amazon, which plans to distribute the show. It also requires the state of the action phase. This game show, almost Squid game-style, put participants through challenges to earn $5 million, with one winner out of 1,000 participants.
The five cited poor conditions, mistreatment and torture. Among the 14 complaints are failure to pay minimum wages, sexual harassment, false advertising and failure to provide uninterrupted meals and rest breaks. They also arrived at the competition to find that instead of 1,000 contestants in total, there were too many people playing for the prize, thus reducing everyone’s chances of success. In accordance with The New York Timesthe total number of contestants was around 2,000, which MrBeast said was the plan all along.
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It’s easy to change batteries and very easy to change parts.
Apple has released new fixes for the iPhone 16, and these appear to have resolved issues with battery replacement and “part pairing.” The company says it is focusing on the maintenance of its latest devices. Now there is a completely new, supposedly very simple way to remove the battery. By applying a low voltage electrical current through the new liquid ionic battery adhesive (using a 9V cell, for example), the battery will release itself from the enclosure. Apple is also making changes to the Face ID sensor hardware, starting with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. Now, the TrueDepth Camera can be switched from one unit to another without compromising security or privacy. Previously, only Apple could do that kind of repair.
Keep reading.