The iPhone 16 series is here and as has been the case for the past few years, there are four phones this time too: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. And as has been the case for the past few years, this year too the iPhone Plus model is the top choice for most people in India. You see, in the iPhone 16, consumers get almost all the features of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but at a much lower price.

No, this doesn’t mean the iPhone 16 Plus is the best iPhone. It would be the iPhone 16 Pro Max because it has the best features. There are some features and hardware – most notably the next-gen camera system – that are reserved only for the Pro variants. These features and hardware matter. But they also matter mainly for two types of users – those who know what these features are and how they are going to be useful for them. For example, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has this feature called Audio Mix with a 4-way microphone array, which is incredible for content creators and filmmakers because they can shoot something even in a noisy environment and get clean audio. And secondly, the Max matters for people who blindly, honestly, and absolutely want the best, not because they need it but because they need to show it off.

For everyone else, and that means the vast majority of phone users, the iPhone 16 Plus is the better iPhone to buy this year. Especially this year.

Almost all the iPhone features you need

Why this year? Because apart from a few “Pro” features – wider audio mixes, more colour-accurate display, titanium frame etc – the main difference between the iPhone 16 Plus and the mighty Max is the camera system. Apart from one less lens, it doesn’t have a 5X telephoto, the iPhone 16 Plus is more or less the same as the iPhone 16 Pro phones. In fact, some people might even prefer it because of its lower weight of 200 grams, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will weigh 250 grams with the case.

In other words, the iPhone 16 Plus has a bigger screen that is quite vibrant and sharp. Its build quality is fantastic, although it is not titanium as mentioned earlier. It has the same ceramic shields on the back and front as the Pro variant. It has the same main camera. It also has the same IP68 rating. Battery life is also the same. It has the same functionality for Apple Intelligence features, which is not currently available on the iPhone but should start coming with iOS 18.1 from October. It also has the same camera control button and action button.

Unlike last year, this time there is parity in the chipset as well as all the iPhones get new chipsets. The iPhone 16 Plus has the A18 chipset, which lacks some of the performance engine that the A18 Pro has in the Pro phones, but under regular use – or almost any use – it will be just as good as the Pro chipsets.

And the price is right

As mentioned earlier, there are a few things missing from the iPhone 16 Plus compared to the Pro phones. But these are things that Apple is charging a premium for that may not justify themselves. For example, if you are going to use the phone in a case, do you really care whether it has a titanium frame or a stronger aluminium frame. Similarly, if you are not going to use the telephoto lens, or don’t care about the teeny bit of softness in photos taken with the ultra-wide camera, do you really need to pay Rs 30,000 more for the Pro.

It is understandable that once you get closer to Rs 1 lakh, like if you are considering buying the iPhone 16 Plus for Rs 89,900, the price difference doesn’t matter as much as it does in the mainstream phone segment. But consider this: the main highlight of the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Max is their bigger screens. And if you don’t want the iPhone 16 Plus, you’ll have to go for the iPhone 16 Max, which means you’ll have to pay Rs 54,900 more.

That’s a lot of money for features you probably won’t even use. We believe most people are looking for a great solid day-to-day phone, not a niche phone that shoots ProRes video recordings at 120FPS. And for everyday use, whether it’s gaming or streaming TV shows or browsing Instagram or checking a few open tabs in Safari, the iPhone 16 Plus will do the job brilliantly. And that’s what makes it, in our opinion, the most sensible and value-for-money iPhone 16 series phone in India this year for most people.