iPhone 16 vs iPhone 13: Should you upgrade yet?

Whether you've got that new phone itch, or you're just curious about how the iPhone 16 compares to the iPhone 13, we've got you covered. Below we dissect the data to let you know if its worth upgrading your iPhone 13 to an iPhone 16.

From a specs perspective we don't expect to see too much of a change from last year's model to the iPhone 16. This has been the case for quite some time with iPhones that now lean on incremental changes for the most part. In saying that, it will be three generations between the iPhone 13 and the 16, so these little bumps add up.

The switch to USB-C is the largest practical change between the two phones. Rather than Apple's proprietary Lightning port, the iPhone 16 will have USB-C charging across the whole range. This has been the case since the iPhone 15 onward, but if you're looking to upgrade from the 13 it is a notable shift.

Looking at the specs side-by-side, the main differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 13 are around the camera. The iPhone 16 is rumoured to have  a 48MP + 12MP set-up, compared to the 12MP + 12MP set-up on the iPhone 13. The latest iPhone 16 will almost certainly benefit from the new selfie camera technology that came in with the iPhone 14 as well. On the Pro side we are expecting to see a 48MP primary + 48MP Ultra-wide + 12MP Telephoto lenses on the iPhone 16. These are again big jumps up from the 12MP + 12MP + 12MP set up on the iPhone 13 Pro family.

There is a chance that the iPhone 16's silicon upgrade will vary depending on the model. Last year the base model iPhone 15s stepped up to the A16 chip - one step above the iPhone 13, while the 15 Pro and Pro Max went up to the A17 Pro Bionic. This trend will continue with the iPhone 16, with the non-Pro devices featuring the new A18 processor while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are armed with the A18 Pro.

Regardless as to the chipset, all of the new models will include Apple's AI - Apple Intelligence.

Check out the table below for a side-by-side look at the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the  specs for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. iPhone 16 plans are also a bit further down.

If you're after an iPhone 16 on plan, you can choose from Vodafone, Optus or Telstra. All three offer device repayments over 12, 24 or 36 months.

The cheapest plan available over 12 or 24 months is Vodafone's $49 Small Plan. But if you're happy to commit to a 36-month plan, Vodafone's $79 Plan currently offers up to $1,200 off the iPhone 16 range. Yes, $1,200. That would bring device repayments on the base model iPhone 16 down to $100, which would mean your monthly bill would be $81.78. 

If you're looking for a different provider or a different amount of data, have a look at the plans below.

If you're looking to upgrade from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 16, it will feel like a very different phone even if the specs don't look to be too different.

The iPhone 16 will be $1,399 which is $50 more expensive than the iPhone 13 was at launch. For this you'll likely get better cameras, a faster processor, generative AI through Apple Intelligence and Open AI, the Dynamic Island, the Action Button, and USB-C charging. That is a lot of extra toys to play with.

There are two significant slews of upgrades between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 16 - the hardware, and the software. 

On the hardware side the iPhone 16 will look a bit different to the iPhone 13. It has a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. This cuts down on the amount of cables you need, but it also means you can use the iPhone 16 to reverse charge a bunch of accessories. The Action Button replaces the mute switch on the side of the phone. This can be programmed to do almost anything on your phone at the touch of the button. Okay maybe it won't look different persay, but there are some physical changes.

On the software the main points of difference will be in the photography, chipset, and (as is custom in 2024) AI.

Two years ago in the iPhone 14 we got a new sensor, and an upgraded front-facing camera. These have been carried forward to the iPhone 15 and will naturally follow through to the iPhone 16 too. Compared to the iPhone 13 camera, you'll only notice a major difference on the selfie lens. On the rear cameras we found the new sensor made photos slightly brighter on the iPhone 14, but it is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kinda shift. The megapixel count has sky rocketed however, from 12MP to 48MP on the primary lens.

Performance is a similar story.Last year the iPhone 15 got the A16 Bionic chip which is just one step up from the iPhone 13's A15. With AI on board the iPhone 16 will need some more power (and battery efficiency) to make it all work and the A18 processor looks set to offer exactly that.

Speaking of AI, that too will be coming to the iPhone 16. We'll delve into that more in its own section, but every new iPhone will have both Apple Intelligence and Chat GPT.

One thing you will notice is the iPhone 13's notch will be replaced by the Dynamic Island pill on the iPhone 16. The persistent UI feature was introduced to the iPhone 14 Pro family, trickles down to the standard iPhone 15, and now will be ubiquitous across all iPhones moving forward.

We're expecting to see a little bit more of an upgrade to the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max when compared to their flagship counterparts. Over the past couple of years Apple has made the divide between the base models and the Pros more prominent, and it doesn't look like this is going to change any time soon.

Along with the upgrades on the base models, on the Pro device we will see even more difference between photography, slightly larger displays, smaller bezels, and a new Capture Button.

Many of the upgrades between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 16 flow into the Pro models as well, but there are a few extras to consider. The main points of difference are the device size and photography.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are tipped to be slightly larger displays by about 0.2 inches, and smaller bezels. These will be up from 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch, to 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch, but apparently it shouldnt effect the weight of the devices.

There's also a new Capture Button for photography, as well as a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a bigger sensor behind the primary lens. Last year the iPhone 15 Pro Max was the only device to get the 5x zoom lens, but it looks like both the 16 Pro and Pro Max will benefit from it this year.

As is custom for the Pro models, these will be a step above the rest, and definitely a step above the iPhone 13. For avid photographers in particular the sensor and lens upgrades will be worth splashing a bit extra for.

If you're buying an iPhone 16 outright, these are the most popular SIM Only plans you can buy today.