iPhone: 2024 Buyer's Guide

In 2007, Apple launched the original iPhone, kickstarting the modern smartphone era which is now dominated by iPhone and Android devices. We've had 18 generations of iPhones so far, with the latest models, the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, introduced in September 2024. Apple follows an annual update cycle, introducing new flagship models while discounting prior-year models and selling them at more affordable price points.

iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone vs Android

Over the years, Android and iPhone smartphones have evolved to the point where feature-wise, they're similar in function and capability. Android smartphones are made by multiple manufacturers, but the core operating system is provided by Google, which leads to a wider variety of phones and price points to choose from, but weaker integration between software and hardware.

Apple's control of both the iPhone and the operating system (iOS) provides a more consistent experience along with ongoing support. With iOS 18, Apple supports all iPhones that were introduced in the last four years, so the majority of active iPhone owners can and do upgrade to the newest version of iOS that Apple rolls out each year.

Android updates are often more inconsistent and often don't make it to all Android-based smartphones because each manufacturer has to implement support on an individual basis. So while Google also does yearly Android updates, the reality is that a lot of older Android smartphones don't get the new software.

With Apple's control and curation of the iPhone experience, the iPhone is largely considered to be the more secure platform, and Apple has made it a point to focus heavily on privacy. Apple's iOS is less customizable than Android, though, so for individuals who prefer flexibility and customization options, the Android operating system may be worth looking at.

How Do iPhone Updates Work?

Here are the basics you should know about how Apple updates the iPhone and the iOS operating system.

Each fall, typically in September, Apple releases a new series of flagship smartphones. These often come at high prices and feature the latest technologies, with Apple offering high-end models and still high-end but more affordable models. Prior-year iPhones often stick around with lower price points as cheaper alternatives to the latest and greatest technology, and occasionally, Apple launches an iPhone like the low-cost iPhone SE outside of the normal fall timeline.

At the current time, Apple's iPhone lineup includes the iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 14 (2022), iPhone 14 Plus (2022), iPhone 15 (2023), iPhone 15 Plus (2023), iPhone 16 (2024), iPhone 16 Plus (2024), iPhone 16 Pro (2024), and iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024).

Apple also debuts an updated version of iOS at the same time that new iPhones launch, but new versions of iOS are pre-introduced every year at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference to give developers time to incorporate new features and technologies into their apps ahead of when the software becomes available to the public. The current iPhones run iOS 18.

In this guide, we go over all of the iPhones that are in the current Apple lineup, offer up some buying suggestions, and provide tips and resources for both new and existing iPhone owners.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max ($999+)

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are Apple's current high-end flagship devices with all of the top-of-the-line features and the most bells and whistles. The Pro models are for those who want to get the most out of their iPhones with the latest feature set.

Pricing on the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999, while pricing on the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199. The two iPhones are nearly identical when it comes to feature set, and it's only display size and battery capacity that set the two devices apart.

Apple introduced larger screen sizes and slimmed down bezels for the Pro lineup in 2024, so the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a larger 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches), and the iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3 inch display (up from 6.1 inches). Both models feature the same design with a glass front and back, a lightweight but durable titanium frame, and squircle edges. Colors this year include natural titanium, white titanium, black titanium, and desert titanium, which is a shade of gold.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature edge-to-edge OLED displays with the slimmest bezels we've seen in an iPhone to date. There's a second-generation "Ceramic Shield" that offers superior scratch resistance, and a pill-shaped Dynamic Island continues to house the front-facing camera and hardware used for Face ID authentication.

The customizable Action button is still available, and it now does more thanks to Control Center integration. This year, Apple also added a Camera Control button that can be used to activate the camera with a press. Camera Control makes it quicker to capture photos and videos, and it is also pressure and touch sensitive so you can change controls and adjust settings without touching the screen.

The Dynamic Island has been incorporated into the iPhone's interface and it is able to show various notifications and app information for phone calls, timers, Face ID, Bluetooth connections, and more.

Apple added a new A18 Pro chip to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, with a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. It is up to 20 percent faster than the A17 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro models, and it is the fastest iPhone for Apple Intelligence.

There continues to be a three-lens camera setup with a 48-megapixel Main camera that offers improved low-light performance, a 12-megapixel 5x Telephoto lens, and a new 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera. The 5x Telephoto is available for both Pro models, which is new this year, and the 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera takes improved wide-angle and macro shots when lighting is poor.

Crash Detection is able to determine if you've been in a serious car accident, alerting emergency services, and there's also an Emergency SOS via satellite feature for getting help if you're out of range of Wi-Fi and cellular. With iOS 18, the satellite connectivity can be used to send messages too.

Both iPhone 16 Pro models offer improvements to battery life, and they have a USB-C port and support for up to 25W MagSafe charging.

Other features include IP68 water resistance, 8GB RAM, ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate for the display, faster 5G, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, faster USB-C charging, and Wi-Fi 7.

Key Features:

Highest end, highest price
Triple-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide, and Telephoto (5x for the Max)
48-megapixel Main lens with ProRAW support
48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens with macro capability
Camera Control button
A18 Pro chip
Action button
Always-On Display
Titanium frame

Bottom Line: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are the iPhones to choose if you want the absolute best camera capabilities that you can get in an iPhone, with the Pro Max being the top-of-the-line model due to its increased display size, and longer battery life. In terms of performance, there isn't much of a difference between the iPhone 16 Pro models and the standard iPhone 16 models, with screen size, display quality, and chassis material differentiating the two iPhone lines.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus ($799+)

Sold alongside the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are Apple's more affordable flagship devices. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus feature many of the same capabilities as the Pro models, but they are missing some of the higher-end features to keep the price lower. The 6.1-inch iPhone 16 is priced starting at $799, while the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus is priced starting at $899.

Despite the difference in screen size, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are essentially identical, featuring a flat-edged design with a glass body and an aluminum frame. They do not offer ProMotion display technology and thus do not support an always-on display, but they do have the same Dynamic Island, front-facing camera, and Face ID authentication functionality.

Apple brought the Action button to the iPhone 16 lineup this year, so that is no longer a Pro-only feature. The Action button replaces the Ring/Silent switch, and it is customizable, so you can set it to bring up whatever is most convenient for you. It can mute/unmute your iPhone, activate the flashlight, open a favorite app, activate a Control Center control, turn on a Focus mode, and more.

Like the iPhone 16 Pro models, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a new Camera Control button below the power button. Pressing the button activates the camera, and a double press snaps a photo, so it makes it much quicker to get the shot that you want. The button is capacitive and pressure sensitive, so it can be used for changing various camera settings and swapping between tools. It works much like a DSLR shutter for autofocus with a half press, and you can adjust exposure, style, zoom, aperture, and more without ever touching the iPhone's display.

While the iPhone 16 Pro models have an A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 models have an almost-as-capable A18 chip that also works with Apple Intelligence. The A18 has the same 6-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine, but it has a 5-core GPU instead of a 6-core GPU. The chip is built using the same 3-nanometer technology, and it enables support for ray tracing and console-quality games, a feature that was previously limited to the Pro models. Battery life has improved compared to the prior iPhone 15 models thanks to the new chip technology.

There is a dual camera system that features 12-megapixel Ultra Wide and 48-megapixel Fusion (Wide) lenses with no Telephoto lens. The primary camera can be cropped in to a 2x zoom, so 0.5, 1x, and 2x options are supported. Some of the same photography and videography capabilities that are in the Pro models are also in the standard iPhone 16 models, including the new Photographic Styles for customizing your images and Audio Mix for adjusting the sound in your videos, plus support for shooting spatial videos and images.

Capturing video in 4K at 120 frames per second is a Pro-only feature, as is support for shooting in ProRAW and ProRes, so if those are capabilities you need, you'll want to look at the Pro models.

The iPhone 16 models have support for mmWave (U.S. only) and Sub-6GHz 5G, and they also have a USB-C port and offer MagSafe charging at up to 25W, a new, faster speed this year. Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and Messages via satellite are available as well. Compared to the Pro models, the standard models lack the titanium chassis, the Telephoto camera lens, and the A18 Pro chip.

Key Features:

Dual-lens camera: Fusion (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
USB-C port
Action button
Camera Control
A18 chip

Bottom Line: The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus offer many of the same features as the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max at a more affordable price, and these are the iPhones that we recommend for most people. The differences are limited primarily to the camera and the display, and may not be of interest for those who are not heavily invested in iPhone photography, making the $200+ savings worth it for most. Older iPhones are another option to save money, but be aware that only the four iPhone 16 models and the prior-generation iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max support Apple Intelligence.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus ($699+)

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are Apple's prior-generation flagship devices that are now being sold at a discount. They have older technology and are lacking some of the new features that Apple introduced with the iPhone 16 models, including the Camera Control button, the faster A-series chip, the Action button, and, most importantly, support for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus cannot run the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, so only consider Apple's prior-generation iPhones if that is not important to you.

The iPhone 15 models don't look notably different from the iPhone 16 models, except for the color options. Apple did not make major design changes, but the iPhone 15 models do not have a Camera Control button and they have a Ring/Silent switch instead of an Action button. There's also a diagonal rear camera setup that does not offer some of the newer camera capabilities like Photographic Styles for customizing the look of your images or Audio Mix for tweaking the sound in your videos.

While the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus don't support some of the newer software-based camera features, the hardware is largely the same. There's a Main (Wide) lens that supports 1x and 2x zoom, and an Ultra Wide lens. There is no dedicated Telephoto lens.

The iPhone 15 measures in at 6.1 inches, while the iPhone 15 Plus is 6.7 inches. The two devices are essentially identical, with a Dynamic Island for Face ID, aluminum frames, and OLED screen technology. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have an older A16 chip that is two generations behind the newer chips in the current flagship models.

The iPhone 15 models have support for mmWave (U.S. only) and Sub-6GHz 5G and use the X70 Qualcomm chip, one generation behind the Qualcomm chip in the new iPhones. Battery life is a little shorter, but the iPhone 15 models do support MagSafe and USB-C. There is no support for the faster 25W MagSafe charging, though, with the iPhone 15 models limited to 15W MagSafe charging.

Between the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, the features are identical with the exception of screen size and battery, as the iPhone 15 Plus can accommodate a larger battery size.

Key Features:

Diagonal dual-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
USB-C port
Dynamic Island
5G support
A16 chip

Bottom Line: The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are solid devices that will perform well at an affordable price, but keep in mind that the iPhone 16 is such a notable upgrade that it may be worth paying $100 more for the iPhone 16 this year. The iPhone 15 models do not have an Action button or a Camera Control button, and they cannot run the Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, so you'd be missing out on the more capable Siri, customizable emoji, Writing Tools, and other Apple Intelligence functions. A prior-generation iPhone is usually a good way to save money, but this year, we don't recommend it.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus ($599+)

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are Apple's 2022 flagship devices, two years older than the iPhone 16 models. Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus a low-cost options that are even more affordable than the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

The iPhone 14 features a 6.1-inch display while the iPhone 14 Plus features a 6.7-inch display, and they are essentially identical in size and design to their iPhone 15 counterparts. They feature a glass body and aluminum frame, along with a notch rather than a Dynamic Island at the front for the front-facing camera hardware.

The models include a Lightning port rather than USB-C, and they have a older-generation A15 chip that is three years behind the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 models. The dual-camera system has an Ultra Wide and Main (Wide) lens, but the Wide lens is 12 megapixels rather than 48, which Apple upgraded to in 2023.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus do support Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite.

Key Features:

Diagonal dual-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
Emergency SOS via satellite
5G support
A15 chip

Bottom Line: The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are prior-generation iPhones that are two years old. They do not have some of the more advanced features available with the iPhone 16, including the Dynamic Island, USB-C port, 48-megapixel camera, and support for Apple Intelligence. If those features are unimportant to you, you can save some money by opting for the iPhone 14 or 14 Plus, but we do not recommend it because of the older-generation port that Apple is phasing out.

iPhone SE 2022 ($429+)

Introduced in March 2022, the iPhone SE is Apple's most affordable iPhone, and it replaced the 2020 iPhone SE.

Priced starting at $429, the iPhone SE is identical in design to an iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch LCD display and thick bezels at the top and bottom of the device housing the Home button at the bottom and the front-facing camera, and speaker at the top.

The iPhone SE is now the sole iPhone that Apple sells with Touch ID, which makes it ideal for those who prefer a fingerprint sensor to Face ID. With the discontinuation of the "mini" iPhone models in recent generations, the iPhone SE is once again the smallest iPhone available.

The iPhone SE has a glass front and back with an aluminum frame, and it supports wireless charging. Inside, it is equipped with the same 4-core A15 Bionic processor that was first used in the iPhone 13.

The A15 chip is three years old now, and the iPhone SE uses lower-cost components than the flagship models. It is missing the bells and whistles of Apple's more expensive smartphones such as multi-lens camera setups, OLED all-screen displays, and Face ID.

Key Features:

Touch ID
A15 chip
Low price

Bottom Line: The iPhone SE is the phone to get if you prefer Touch ID, if you're looking for a smaller device, or if want Apple's most affordable option. At $429 with an A15 chip, it's a solid deal.

Frequently Asked Questions

There's no one single iPhone that's best for everyone, and picking the right smartphone needs to take into account factors like budget, desired battery life, preferred feature set, and more.

If, for example, you're not a fan of Face ID and want to use Touch ID, you're going to want to choose the iPhone SE. If you want the absolute best photographic capabilities, you're going to want the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max, and if you want something that has a solid feature set at a great price, the iPhone 16 is what you'll want to look at.

Below, we've outlined some of the best iPhone choices based on different scenarios or features that you might be looking for.

Which iPhone Has the Best Battery Life?

With the efficient A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the longest battery life for any iPhone to date at up to 33 hours when watching videos. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Plus are second and will last up to 27 hours when watching videos.

Which iPhone Has the Best Camera?

With their updated triple-lens camera systems, 48-megapixel Fusion lens, 5x Telephoto lens, 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and LiDAR Scanners, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have the best iPhone cameras that you can get. Both of the new iPhones include a three-lens camera system with the same feature set. This year, the Ultra Wide lens has been upgraded to 48 megapixels, allowing for more detailed wide-angle and macro shots.

The Fusion lens supports 24-megapixel and 48-megapixel high-resolution photos through the Photonic Engine, and the Ultra Wide lens supports 12-megapixel images that have the detail from the combined pixels of the 48-megapixel resolution. Using computational photography, the Fusion camera can be set to 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal lengths to better mirror what's possible with DSLRs.

All four iPhone 16 models have a new Camera Control button that makes it easier to capture a photo or a video with just a couple of button presses, and the Camera Control button is also capacitive and pressure sensitive so it can be used for changing photography modes and adjusting settings, which makes your iPhone feel more like a camera.

Which iPhone Has Touch ID?

If you want an iPhone with Touch ID, your only option is the 2022 iPhone SE. Apple stopped using Touch ID for its flagship iPhones in 2017, and the 2018 through 2024 flagship iPhone lineups have not included an updated Touch ID iPhone.

The iPhone SE features Touch ID rather than Face ID to keep the device ultra-affordable, which is great for those who prefer using a fingerprint sensor over facial recognition.

Note that we do expect Apple to refresh the iPhone SE in 2025, but the new iPhone SE is not expected to have Touch ID. It will use Face ID, according to rumors, so Touch ID is at the end of its life for the iPhone.

Which iPhone is Best For One-Handed Use?

You have two options when it comes to size: 4.7 inches and 6.1 inches, with no in between. The 4.7-inch iPhone SE is Apple's smallest iPhone and it is ideal for one-handed use, but it lacks many of the upgraded features available with the flagship iPhone lineup. Apple's next smallest phone is the iPhone 14/15/16 at 6.1 inches, as the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini was discontinued back in 2023.

Which iPhone is the Best Value?

If you want a modern iPhone with the latest chip, Apple Intelligence support, solid camera features, OLED display, and 5G connectivity, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are the best values at $799 and $899, respectively. They offer an impressive feature set at their price points, with the iPhone 16 being the best deal. These are the iPhones that we recommend for most people.

If you don't need the latest bells and whistles and don't mind losing out on a bit of performance and battery life, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, which are $100 cheaper than than their iPhone 16 counterparts, could be worth considering.

If you want the absolute best price and don't mind bezels, Touch ID, and an inferior camera, the iPhone SE with its A15 chip continues to be an amazing deal at $429.

For many people, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are the iPhones to get this year with their lower price point and modern feature set, and older iPhones won't support current or future Apple Intelligence features that require more powerful chips.

Which iPhone Has the Most Features?

If you want the iPhone with the most bells and whistles, that's the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. These iPhones offer OLED displays, triple-lens cameras, glass bodies with titanium steel frames, larger maximum storage capacities, and longer battery life.

Compared to the iPhone 16 models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have better camera capabilities. The absolute best would be the iPhone 16 Pro Max because of its larger display and bigger battery.

In More Detail

Still not sure? We have deeper dives comparing the iPhone 16 models to each other and to the prior-generation iPhone models, and the standard iPhone 16 to the Pro.

For full details on each phone, explore our roundups:

Upcoming iPhone Rumors

Apple is working on new iPhone 17 models that will come out in the fall of 2025. This lineup will do away with the "Plus" iPhone, with Apple instead planning to release an "Air" or "Slim" model that is thinner and more expensive. It will be sold alongside the standard iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. For more information, check out our roundup: