Apple’s recent iPhone event wasn’t just about new hardware; it also brought an unexpected upgrade to one of its stock apps, Voice Memos. If you’re a fan of using Voice Memos to quickly capture ideas or record audio on the go, this news might be exciting—well, at least if you’re planning to grab an iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max.

The big highlight? Apple has introduced multitrack recording capabilities in the Voice Memos app, but, according to what’s been announced so far, it seems to be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models. So, if you’re using an older iPhone, or even the standard iPhone 16, you might be missing out on this nifty new tool.

What’s the multitrack feature?

In a nutshell, the new multitrack feature lets you layer multiple audio tracks together. Musicians and songwriters are likely to love this because it allows them to record a base track—let’s say a guitar riff—and then overlay additional tracks, like vocals or drums, without needing any extra software.

Here’s how it works: imagine you’ve recorded a melody on your guitar. You hit play, and the iPhone’s speakers play back that track while the app simultaneously records your voice, another instrument, or whatever you want to add. The app uses what Apple is calling “advanced processing” to isolate the newly recorded sound from the background, leaving you with a clean, polished recording. Essentially, you can overdub your track without needing to worry about using headphones or external mics.

Why it’s a game changer

Voice Memos has always been a simple, easy-to-use app. It’s great for jotting down quick audio notes, snippets of conversation, or, for some creatives, capturing the beginnings of a song or podcast episode. But it’s also been fairly basic, leaving more serious users turning to third-party apps for anything beyond just “hit record.”

This multitrack addition transforms Voice Memos from a basic recorder into a more versatile tool, and it’s particularly significant for musicians who want to work on the go without dealing with more complex audio editing apps. For casual users, it’s a powerful addition that lets them get more creative with their recordings.

Why just the iPhone 16 Pro?

Here’s where things might get a little frustrating for non-Pro users. As of now, this multitrack recording feature seems to be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models. Apple hasn’t provided a clear explanation for this limitation, but it’s probably related to the increased processing demands of the feature. The iPhone 16 Pro models are powered by Apple’s new A18 Pro chip, which is reportedly a beast when it comes to handling high-intensity tasks, especially those that involve advanced audio and video processing.

Another factor could be the Pro models’ new studio-grade microphones—Apple’s made a big deal about the four studio-quality mics in the Pro lineup, which could also play a role in delivering better multitrack audio quality.

When can you get it?

The iPhone 16 series is set to launch on September 20, with preorders starting today, Friday, September 13. However, even if you grab a new iPhone 16 Pro on launch day, you’ll still need to wait a bit to try out this multitrack feature—it’s expected to roll out later in the year via a software update.

For now, if you’re eyeing the new iPhones and like the idea of mobile audio recording, the iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max might be worth considering. But if you’re sticking with an older iPhone or going with the regular iPhone 16, you may find yourself missing out on this creative new feature.