iPhone 16 at Rs. 52,000 vs iPhone 15 at Rs. 45,000: Which is the Smarter Buy?

Festive sales are right around the corner, and e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart have begun teasing their best deals that will be live during the sale. Both the Amazon Great Indian Festival and Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale will offer some great deals on smartphones. On Amazon, shoppers will be able to purchase the iPhone 15 for below Rs. 45,000. Meanwhile, Flipkart will offer the iPhone 16 at Rs. 51,999. With both handsets being so close in terms of pricing, which one should you go for?

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Price in India

Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 were launched in India, starting at Rs. 79,900 for the 128GB model. With the launch of the iPhone 17 series, the iPhone 16's price has officially been lowered to Rs. 69,900. It is offered in Black, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine, and White colourways. During the Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale, the handset can be purchased for Rs. 51,999, with direct discounts.

While the iPhone 15 has been officially discontinued by Apple, it is still available for purchase at online retailers, depending on the stock. On Amazon, you can purchase it for Rs. 43,749 during the Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2025. However, this price includes the direct discount and applicable bank offers.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: What are the Differences?

The biggest difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 is the design. The former comes with a new design, featuring a vertical pill-shaped camera unit. Meanwhile, the latter sports diagonal camera lenses, which were first introduced with the iPhone 13. Apart from this, there is no mute switch on the iPhone 16. Instead, it has a customisable Action button.

While the megapixel count remains the same on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15, there are subtle differences. The iPhone 16 comes with enhancements such as macro mode and autofocus on the ultra-wide-angle lens and Spatial Video support. There is also a Camera Control button, which serves as a camera shutter.

The newer A18 chip on the iPhone 16 also promises upgrades in processing power, multitasking, and efficiency compared to the A16 Bionic SoC of the iPhone 15. Additionally, there is support for Apple Intelligence features, such as Clean Up, Image Playground, and Writing Tools.

In terms of battery life, Apple promises up to 20 hours of video playback on the iPhone 15. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 is advertised to deliver up to 22 hours of video playback. Thus, you can get two more hours of usage on the newer model.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Sale Deals: Which One Should You Buy?

The iPhone 16 offer on Flipkart appears to be a better deal overall during the upcoming festive season. While there is a price difference of about Rs. 8,000 between the two models, the final discounted amount on Amazon also depends on the card offers that you're eligible for.

Newer processor, better cameras, and longer battery life mean the iPhone 16 will potentially last you longer. It is also likely to receive more years of software support.

Thus, if you are on an extremely tight budget but still want an iPhone, only then invest in the iPhone 15. Otherwise, the iPhone 16 deal is a better option to go for during the Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale.