First, it is probably worth mentioning that although I am specifically focusing on the
– if you have this model.
With that in mind, why do I think the iPhone 16 Pro could be the reason why I’m moving away from my beloved iPhone 13 minithat I have been using for two years (even though it is three years old)?
In fact, the 13 Mini is one of the phones I've used (continuously) for the longest time. I used to be a procrastinator, but the sheer ease of use of the 13 Mini is what made me keep it for so long.
It just seems like the big sacrifices in battery life and the tiny screen are worth the pocketability and one-handed usability factors. But I think I'm ready to move on, and the iPhone 16 Pro could be the one to beat the featherweight iPhone 13 mini from my hands.
I'm a big fan of the iPhone 13 mini's small screen, but it's not bright enough to see outdoors – the iPhone 16 Pro won't have that problem
You know… I think I’m ready to move on from the super dark 60Hz display and the notch on my iPhone 13 mini. I love the size, but that's not all.
While I don’t care too much about 120Hz displays on iPhones, the brighter screen and Dynamic Island on the iPhone 16 Pro should make a big difference in everyday use.
I often have problems turning on the screen of my iPhone 13 mini when I go for a walk outside, and I am more than ready for a change.
The iPhone 16 Pro could be the perfect “compact” replacement for the iPhone 13 mini – with one notable exception
Sure, the iPhone 16 Pro is perhaps not quite as compact as my iPhone 13 minibut the 6.3-inch model will be the best Apple has to offer in the form of a phone that I can still comfortably use with one hand.
The main reason I might give up the tiny 5.4″ panel on my 13 Mini is that I do a lot of two-handed typing, which is very difficult on the Mini's tiny screen. The 6.3″ screen, on the other hand, makes that much easier, while still being relatively easy to use one-handed and fitting in your pocket.
The only design feature of the iPhone 13 mini that I would really miss is its light weight (141 g) and that I forget I have it in my pocket. That certainly won't be the case with the almost 200 gram iPhone 16 Pro.
I like using the iPhone 13 mini when traveling because I don't need two hands, but it only lasts 3 hours – the iPhone 16 Pro is supposed to double that battery life
You see, the iPhone 13 mini is an iconic little phone, but its small size comes with one major drawback: battery life. I'm usually happy if I get three hours of screen time before I need to charge it, so I always carry my MagSafe battery pack with me – especially when I travel.
Needless to say, the iPhone 16 Pro should easily solve this problem, as not only will it have a much larger battery than the 13 Mini, but it's also the iPhone 16 with the biggest battery capacity increase compared to the iPhone 15 models. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I got double the battery life of my Mini.
And it gets even better – for the first time ever iPhone 16 Pro The series could feature 40W fast charging, which should increase charging time to almost an hour (up from 2 hours on the iPhone 15 Pro Max I used).
The 4 GB RAM of my iPhone 13 is becoming a problem – the 8 GB in the iPhone 16 Pro makes it faster, smoother and less annoying
One of the biggest practical frustrations with my iPhone 13 mini is the tendency to arbitrarily close apps running in the background.
With only 4GB of RAM available, it's understandable that it would be difficult to keep multiple apps open at once, especially more demanding ones (although I don't play games on my phone).
Even more annoying, the iPhone 13 sometimes closes the Spotify app… while playing music. While I can't be 100% sure this is a RAM issue (since it rarely happens), I don't see any other reason for the problem.
With the iPhone16 With the Pro's 8GB of RAM, this issue should finally be a thing of the past. I expect a much smoother multitasking experience and hopefully no more random interruptions while listening to a podcast.
Bye, stupid Siri – iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence is supposed to be a much smarter “smartphone” than my iPhone 13
It's no secret that for years, Siri has been basic at best. Like any other iPhone user, I mostly use Siri for simple tasks like setting alarms or timers, simply because it's nowhere near as advanced as some of the other voice assistants on the market. So I'm really excited to see what the iPhone 16 Pro will bring Apple Intelligence and all the ChatGPT integration that Apple is aiming for.
I already use some AI features on my iPhone 15 Pro Max I'm using the iOS 18 beta and the Webpage Summary and Cleanup (which removes objects from photos) features are really useful.
When it comes to Siri in particular, no one has tried the new, smarter version yet (because Apple hasn't released it yet), but the idea of having a Siri that can do what Google Assistant and Chat GPT can is groundbreaking.
The iPhone 16 Pro's new ultra-wide-angle and 5x zoom cameras could bring back the flexibility I miss on the iPhone 13
I was always happy with the main camera of my iPhone 13 minithe ultra-wide angle camera was pretty mediocre. It's fine for wide angle photos in good light, but the quality just isn't up to scratch, especially in low light and for videos.
But! Thanks to a new 48MP sensor iPhone 16 Pro is supposed to bring the first major upgrade to the iPhone's ultra-wide-angle camera in a very long time.
This could be another crucial difference for taking photos and videos in low light, which is good since I've been using the UWA camera on my iPhone more than the zoom lately.
Speaking of zoom, the iPhone 16 Pro of course gets Apple's most powerful zoom camera ever – the 5x periscope of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is an advantage in some situations. But again – I think I'll be more excited about the ultra-wide lens this year.
I'm not thrilled with the mediocre speakers and microphones on my iPhone 13 – the iPhone 16 Pro could bring massive improvements in sound and audio
Another obvious disadvantage of such a small phone as the iPhone 13 mini are the speakers.
They simply cannot sound as loud or clear as those on larger phones, like the iPhone 15 Pro Maxwhich (incidentally) has the best speakers of any mainstream flagship – it's not even close. This makes a huge difference when watching videos or listening to music without headphones, which I do a lot – for example in the shower.
That's why I'm excited to try this out iPhone 16 Pro because I hope Apple has done something to make the speakers even better and sound better.
One aspect of a phone's “audio system” that many people forget about is the microphone – without a good microphone, calls or voice recordings will not be heard clearly. Microphones.
I am constantly making voice memos and the microphones of my iPhone 13 mini sound loud and just… bad. So, I am excited about the rumor that the iPhone16 Series to bring something new
I might keep my iPhone 13 mini even if I upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro – Apple will never make a small iPhone again
Rumor has it that the iPhone 16 Pro will be almost the same size as the Huawei P40 – both in height and width. So it will be slightly taller than the iPhone 15 Pro.