The iPhone 16 Pro is here with the typical Apple fanfare and glamour. But is an iPhone 16 Pro buy truly an upgrade from the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro? For many Apple lovers in Africa—whether in Nigeria, Kenya, or other countries—the upgrade might not be worth the hype, and definitely not the price. While Apple keeps raising the bar with the flamboyance and parade that herald iPhone launches, it does so little in actual device upgrades. In this article, we highlight the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro for critical upgrade evaluation.
Verdict: For those who already have the iPhone 15 Pro, a leap to buy the iPhone 16 Pro may not be a priority, especially in African markets where robust trade-in programs are lacking.
Here’s a breakdown of the differences—and why you might want to hold onto your iPhone 15 Pro. Or why you may want to buy the iPhone 15 Pro instead of coughing up extra bucks just to get the iPhone 16 Pro.
Performance and chipset The iPhone 16 Pro comes equipped with the A18 Pro chip, a step up from the A17 Pro found in the iPhone 15 Pro. However, the jump in performance is barely noticeable for most users. Day-to-day tasks such as browsing, multitasking, or even gaming show little difference in speed.
iPhone 15 Pro: A17 Pro chip, 8GB RAM iPhone 16 Pro: A18 Pro chip, 8GB RAM If you’re upgrading for a performance boost, the iPhone 16 Pro offers little advantage. The A17 Pro already delivers a stellar experience, and for casual users, it’s more than sufficient.
Camera: Same script, different actor Apple consistently hypes camera upgrades with each new iPhone, but this year’s improvement is minimal at best. The iPhone 16 Pro introduces the 48MP Fusion wide camera, which is only a slight upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro’s 48MP wide camera. Both have an f/1.78 aperture, meaning their low-light performance is virtually identical.
iPhone 15 Pro: 48MP Wide, f/1.78; 12MP Ultra Wide, f/2.2 iPhone 16 Pro: 48MP Fusion Wide, f/1.78; 12MP Ultra Wide, f/2.2 If photography is your main focus, don’t expect the iPhone 16 Pro to deliver groundbreaking results. The improvements are subtle, and the 48MP macro mode on the 16 Pro is a minor enhancement most users won’t notice.
Structural and display aesthetics The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, compared to the 6.1-inch screen of the iPhone 15 Pro. The increase in size is hardly noticeable in everyday use, and the OLED displays on both models offer equally vibrant colors and sharpness. While the resolution on the 16 Pro is slightly higher, the visual difference between the two devices is negligible. Maybe it’d have felt more exciting if it came as a foldable version.
iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1″ display, 2556 x 1179 resolution iPhone 16 Pro: 6.3″ display, 2622 x 1206 resolution African consumers may not find the extra screen space worth the premium price. The current high cost of these devices makes it especially hard to justify.
Battery and charging: Barely better Battery life is another area where the iPhone 16 Pro offers minimal improvements. The 16 Pro boasts up to 27 hours of video playback, compared to 23 hours on the 15 Pro. There’s also an upgrade to 25W MagSafe charging from the 15W on the 15 Pro, but this only shaves off a few minutes of charge time.
iPhone 15 Pro: Up to 23 hours video, 15W MagSafe charging iPhone 16 Pro: Up to 27 hours video, 25W MagSafe charging For African buyers, this upgrade won’t save you from carrying your power bank around. In other words, the marginal improvement in battery life is unlikely to justify the expense.
Video and audio recording The iPhone 16 Pro features Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support, which were also present on the iPhone 15 Pro. The quality of the stereo speakers remains the same across both models, with immersive sound, but nothing significant that sets the 16 Pro apart. Whether you’re watching movies or streaming music, the difference between the two devices will be hard to detect.
Audio: iPhone 15 Pro: Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio iPhone 16 Pro: Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio In terms of video recording, the iPhone 16 Pro does have slight improvements. Apple has introduced Cinematic Mode in 4K at 60fps, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro is limited to 4K at 30fps. However, unless you’re a filmmaker or videographer, this won’t make much of a difference in daily use.
Video: iPhone 15 Pro: Cinematic Mode in 4K at 30fps, 4K video recording at 60fps iPhone 16 Pro: Cinematic Mode in 4K at 60fps, 4K video recording at 60fps For most African users, this upgrade is unlikely to impact your experience significantly. Both devices offer excellent video and audio quality, but the iPhone 16 Pro doesn’t bring enough to the table to warrant an immediate upgrade, especially if you’re satisfied with the iPhone 15 Pro’s already impressive capabilities.
Storage: Same ol’ story Despite the ever-growing need for more storage due to larger apps, higher-resolution videos, and an increase in 4K content, Apple didn’t budge on storage options. Both the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro offer the same storage capacities, ranging from 128GB to 1TB.
iPhone 15 Pro: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB iPhone 16 Pro: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB For those hoping that Apple would increase the base storage to 256GB, especially considering the growing digital demands, you’ll be disappointed. This lack of change underscores the point that the iPhone 16 Pro isn’t a revolutionary upgrade.
Connectivity and future-proofing: Wi-Fi 7 advantage The iPhone 16 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7, compared to the 15 Pro’s Wi-Fi 6E. While this offers faster speeds and better reliability, most African users may not have access to Wi-Fi 7 infrastructure anytime soon. If you’re in an area where 4G or even 5G is the norm, this upgrade won’t matter today.
iPhone 15 Pro: Wi-Fi 6E, 5G iPhone 16 Pro: Wi-Fi 7, 5G Unless you’re planning to hold onto your phone for several years, the connectivity improvements are future-proofing rather than immediate benefits.
Camera control: A mere gimmick One new feature on the iPhone 16 Pro is Camera Control button, which allows more precise adjustments for video capture. While this might appeal to content creators or videographers, the average user will likely never use it.
iPhone 15 Pro: Lacks Camera Control iPhone 16 Pro: Camera Control for video capture For most users in Nigeria, South Africa, or other African countries, this feature won’t be a compelling reason to upgrade.
Macro photography: More megapixels, same experience The iPhone 16 Pro offers 48MP macro photography, an upgrade from the 12MP macro mode on the iPhone 15 Pro. While this sounds impressive, the improvement in everyday macro shots is minimal. Most users won’t notice a dramatic difference in image quality.
iPhone 15 Pro: 12MP Macro photography iPhone 16 Pro: 48MP Macro photography This upgrade feels like more of a marketing move than a substantial feature enhancement.
Final thoughts before you buy the iPhone 16 Pro in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya & co For many Apple lovers in Africa, upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro might not be worth it. With minimal improvements in camera quality, battery life, performance, and design, the differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are slim. Most of the changes feel cosmetic rather than game-changing.
One major issue for African consumers is the lack of strong trade-in programs. In regions like the U.S. and Europe, users can easily exchange their old iPhones and add a small fee for the latest model. But in African markets, these systems aren’t as accessible, making upgrading to a new iPhone much more expensive.
If you already own an iPhone 15 Pro, consider sticking with it. If you were going to buy the new iPhone 16 Pro, you may just save yourself the extra cash and buy the 15 Pro instead. The 16 Pro offers marginal improvements that don’t justify the cost, especially in markets where iPhone prices are inflated due to taxes and import fees. Hold on for the next major leap, which could offer more meaningful upgrades.
Get the best African tech newsletters in your inbox
