iPhone comparison
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16
Compare iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16 side by side: chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
iPhone 15The mainstream iPhone finally got the Dynamic Island, a 48 MP camera and, thanks to EU law, USB-C, ending the Lightning era for the base model.
iPhone 16Designed around Apple Intelligence, the 16 added a pressure-sensitive Camera Control button and bumped RAM to 8 GB to run on-device AI.At a glance
Released 1 year apart — the iPhone 16 is the newer model. 6 of 13 specs differ.
Going from the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16, the chip changes from the Apple A16 Bionic to the Apple A18, memory goes up from 6 GB to 8 GB, and it gets lighter, 171 g to 170 g. Both launched at $799.
- ChipApple A16 BionicApple A18
- Memory6 GB8 GB
- Weight171 g170 g
Unchanged launch price, storage, ports.
Specs side by side
| Spec | iPhone 15 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Release | September 22, 2023 | September 20, 2024 |
| Launch priceSame | $799 | $799 |
| Price today | $823 | $807 |
| Chip | Apple A16 Bionic · 3.46 GHz | Apple A18 · 4.04 GHz |
| GraphicsSame | Apple 5-core GPU | Apple 5-core GPU |
| CPU coresSame | 6 | 6 |
| Memory | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| StorageSame | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| DisplaySame | 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556×1179 | 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556×1179 |
| Weight | 171 g | 170 g |
| DimensionsSame | 147.6×71.6×7.8 mm | 147.6×71.6×7.8 mm |
| PortsSame | USB-C | USB-C |
| Operating system | iOS 17 | iOS 18 |
Highlighted cells win clear more-is-better specs (memory, storage, lighter weight). Historical pricing uses approximate US CPI; clock speeds are not full real-world performance.
Why each matters
Brought Dynamic Island, a 48 MP camera and USB-C to the standard iPhone.
First standard iPhone built for Apple Intelligence, with the new Camera Control button.
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Last updated: 2026-08-18