Phone makers promise varying lengths of long-term software and security support, ranging from just one year to as many as seven. These updates not only ensure you get many of the latest features, but also keep your phone secure.
Phone cameras have gotten better over the past five years. But don’t be fooled by how many cameras a phone has. More is not necessarily better.
Phones are big in general, with the smallest ones having a 6.1-inch screen and larger models topping out at 6.8 inches. That makes visiting a store and trying a phone out before you buy it quite important.
If your family and friends are on Apple services like iMessage and FaceTime, stick with an iPhone. If you’ve been deep on Samsung, stay on Android. But know that switching between the two has never been easier.
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Apple kicks off its annual developers conference, WWDC 2025, on Monday June 9. We expect a preview of iOS 26, according to a report from Bloomberg, and it will be interesting to see what new features are coming to our iPhones. But if you're looking for a new phone, there are five in Apple's current iPhone 16 lineup. The $599 iPhone 16E is the most affordable. It has the same chip as the iPhone 16, a single rear camera, but lacks Apple's most notable features, like MagSafe charging. The $799 iPhone 16 gets you new buttons for shortcuts, an additional camera and MagSafe. Then there's the $999 iPhone 16 Pro that has a new camera and a bigger screen.
What's the best iPhone right now?
The best iPhone for most people is the $799 iPhone 16. We think the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are ideal for most people looking for a great phone that will last for years. It comes in two sizes: a 6.1-inch regular iPhone 16 model or a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus model that starts at $899. The phones have a new 12-megapixel ultrawide camera that performs better in low light and can now take macro photos, meaning you'll be able to focus close to take amazing food snaps.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have a handful of Apple Intelligence tools for writing, removing distractions from photos and doing summaries of messages and webpages. There's also a ChatGPT integration to Siri. The phones also have an Action button that can be programed for different functions like turning on the flashlight, recording a voice memo, changing the focus mode and more. There's also a new Camera Control button that not only lets you take photos and quickly change things like zoom, Portrait mode aperture and Photographic Styles, but can also trigger a new feature called Visual Intelligence, which will add context to whatever the camera is pointed at.
Best iPhones of 2025
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