iPhone 16 Pro Hands-On: It’s Not Brown, It’s Desert Titanium
I spent the last year recapping iPhone 16 rumors, and today, everything was finally revealed at Apple’s Glowtime Event. Most of the rumors we covered turned out to be true. The iPhone 16 did get a stacked camera system on the back, plus the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have a Camera Control button that lets you flip the device and pretend it’s a point-and-shoot camera. And yes, the iPhone 16 Pro comes in bronze. It’s not brown like initially reported; we’re all thrilled about it. Apple calls it “desert titanium,” and I could see someone in Palm Springs wearing this shade of sun tan.
I went hands-on with the iPhone 16 Pro in this new color and the iPhone 16 in its new colors, specifically teal and pink. The most significant change to this generation’s lineup is the Camera Control button I mentioned earlier. Considering we’re already talking about the iPhone 17 going buttonless, it’s a curious addition. The “taptic” button is a little confusing to use at first.
iPhone 16 and the Camera Capture Button
It was hard getting my hands on the desert titanium iPhone 16 Pro. This was a popular color on the demonstration floor at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, probably because it just looked expensive. Desert titanium looks like gold from afar, thanks to the goldish border around the chassis. The phone's back is more of a golden beige you’d wear somewhere like Death Valley or the Sahara desert. I didn’t think the color brown could be this game-changing, but here we are. Apple made history. There’s also black titanium, natural titanium, and white titanium if that’s not your style.
Apple’s take on the Pro is that it’s so professional that it’s always dressed for the job, hence the muted backsides. I’ve seen complaints on social media as people compared them to the colorful iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. However, the color on the back does not need to be eye-catching when a company sells a phone that starts at $1,000 and claims Hollywood-caliber video recording.
The iPhone 16’s new colors are eye-catching, vibrant up close, and from afar. I’m also impressed with the new stacked camera array, which looks much more put together than the previous design. The Action Button and Camera Capture button match the phone's color. This year’s lineup includes black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine blue.
Apple wants to show its smartphones are the cameras to beat, hence the Camera Capture button. I got to demo it briefly, with Apple employees tapping for me. The taptic button senses when you soft-press or fully press it. It also feels your finger slide left to right to cycle through options or zoom. It works as expected and feels just as sensitive as old Handycam controls.
Bigger is Better
Another trend I noticed at the Glowtime event is that Apple’s device lineup is getting bigger, even as some want smaller phones. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively, each slightly larger than before. But since these are professional-level phones, they need to be bigger to provide more space for editing, sliding, and scrolling through tasks. I still prefer the smaller iPhone 16 Pro to the Pro Max. And this year, you don’t have to compromise on optical zoom—both devices offer 5x optical zoom.
Apple Intelligence is Coming
I know you want to see more of Apple Intelligence in action. I do, too, but we’re still waiting for it to roll out. I noticed more advanced editing features between the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineups, but no signs of generative text or AI magic yet. That’s expected next month.
When we get the iPhone 16 review units, we’ll specifically check if Apple’s internal thermal work makes a difference. A few people around me mentioned that their iPhone 15 Pros were too warm to handle after a while. I’m also curious about the Spatial Video feature and if there’s a way to use that content outside of the Vision Pro environment so it’s not limited to Apple’s products.
If you want to be among the first to experience the Camera Capture button, you can pre-order the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro now. It officially launches on September 20.
I went hands-on with the iPhone 16 Pro in this new color and the iPhone 16 in its new colors, specifically teal and pink. The most significant change to this generation’s lineup is the Camera Control button I mentioned earlier. Considering we’re already talking about the iPhone 17 going buttonless, it’s a curious addition. The “taptic” button is a little confusing to use at first.
iPhone 16 and the Camera Capture Button
It was hard getting my hands on the desert titanium iPhone 16 Pro. This was a popular color on the demonstration floor at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, probably because it just looked expensive. Desert titanium looks like gold from afar, thanks to the goldish border around the chassis. The phone's back is more of a golden beige you’d wear somewhere like Death Valley or the Sahara desert. I didn’t think the color brown could be this game-changing, but here we are. Apple made history. There’s also black titanium, natural titanium, and white titanium if that’s not your style.
Apple’s take on the Pro is that it’s so professional that it’s always dressed for the job, hence the muted backsides. I’ve seen complaints on social media as people compared them to the colorful iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. However, the color on the back does not need to be eye-catching when a company sells a phone that starts at $1,000 and claims Hollywood-caliber video recording.
The iPhone 16’s new colors are eye-catching, vibrant up close, and from afar. I’m also impressed with the new stacked camera array, which looks much more put together than the previous design. The Action Button and Camera Capture button match the phone's color. This year’s lineup includes black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine blue.
Apple wants to show its smartphones are the cameras to beat, hence the Camera Capture button. I got to demo it briefly, with Apple employees tapping for me. The taptic button senses when you soft-press or fully press it. It also feels your finger slide left to right to cycle through options or zoom. It works as expected and feels just as sensitive as old Handycam controls.
Bigger is Better
Another trend I noticed at the Glowtime event is that Apple’s device lineup is getting bigger, even as some want smaller phones. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively, each slightly larger than before. But since these are professional-level phones, they need to be bigger to provide more space for editing, sliding, and scrolling through tasks. I still prefer the smaller iPhone 16 Pro to the Pro Max. And this year, you don’t have to compromise on optical zoom—both devices offer 5x optical zoom.
Apple Intelligence is Coming
I know you want to see more of Apple Intelligence in action. I do, too, but we’re still waiting for it to roll out. I noticed more advanced editing features between the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineups, but no signs of generative text or AI magic yet. That’s expected next month.
When we get the iPhone 16 review units, we’ll specifically check if Apple’s internal thermal work makes a difference. A few people around me mentioned that their iPhone 15 Pros were too warm to handle after a while. I’m also curious about the Spatial Video feature and if there’s a way to use that content outside of the Vision Pro environment so it’s not limited to Apple’s products.
If you want to be among the first to experience the Camera Capture button, you can pre-order the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro now. It officially launches on September 20.