Though Apple only launched the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro recently, rumors have already begun about the iPhone 16 lineup coming in 2024. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true!
We’re expecting some bigger changes with the iPhone 16 than we got with the iPhone 15, so we’ve rounded up all the big rumors and reports here for you.
iPhone 16: release date
Like most iPhone releases, Apple is expected to announce and release the iPhone 16 lineup in Fall 2024.
Though it was expected that the iPhone 15 lineup would have a price increase, that didn’t happen aside from the iPhone 15 Pro Max model, which now starts at $1,200 with the 256GB version (there is no longer a 128GB variant). That was the only one in the iPhone 15 lineup that saw a “price increase,” if you want to call it that.
The iPhone 15 component prices were at the highest for Apple, though it absorbed those increased production costs. But that may not happen in 2024, so we may see a slight increase for all iPhone 16 models.
How much of a possible increase has yet to be seen, however.
iPhone 16: design
It looks like Apple may change the design of the base model iPhone 16. A recent report from MacRumors shows off three different prototype models with distinctive designs. But one common denominator for all three is a vertical dual camera layout. The reason for a vertical layout is likely due to spatial video recording for the Apple Vision Pro headset.
The three prototypes have some differences between them. One has an iPhone X-style camera, which is pill-shaped. The other two feature separate lenses, similar to the iPhone 12 style. These prototype designs also have either a unified volume button with haptics or standard mechanical volume buttons with a capacitive Action button and a new Capture button.
According to MacRumors, the most likely design is the one with the capacitive Action button, mechanical volume buttons, and the new Capture button. In the renders, this would be the black model. Since the Capture button would be located on the right edge of the body, the mmWave antenna would be relocated to the left edge.
These prototypes also give us an idea of the colors that Apple will be using, at least for the base model iPhone 16. This includes pale yellow, pink, and black. Other colors aren’t yet known, but Apple typically does have more than three colors for the base model iPhone, so we should expect more.
While it looks like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will remain the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, the Pro models will be getting slightly larger. According to reports, the iPhone 16 Pro display will increase from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will go from 6.7 inches to a whopping 6.9 inches.
With larger display sizes, the physical dimensions of the body will also have a slight bump. This means that the body will be a tad taller and wider than the current iPhone 15 Pro models, but the thickness will remain the same. As a result of larger dimensions, the weight will also be increased.
On the topic of displays, the iPhone 16 series will reportedly use micro-lens technology in the OLED panels. This would result in improved brightness and more efficient power consumption.
The iPhone 16 should also introduce new haptic buttons, which were originally supposed to come to the iPhone 15 Pro models. However, due to technical issues, that was delayed for 2024. Rumors indicate that we may see the previous unified button design on the iPhone 16 Pro. The new haptic, solid-state button technology would be used on the Action button, which will be on all iPhone 16 models, as well as the new capacitive button that is currently known as a “capture” button.
iPhone 16: specs
For the base model iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, we should see an A17 chip. However, this may not be the same A17 Pro chip that is currently inside the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple is likely to use a lower-cost process for a standard “A17” chip that could make its way to the standard iPhone 16 models.
Analyst Jeff Pu thinks that Apple will go a different route and simply use A18 and A18 Pro names for the new chips. This would mean that all iPhone 16 models would have some variation of an A18 chip rather than going with an A17, which could be seen as a “last generation” chip.
While overheating was an issue with launch-day iPhone 15 models, it is said that Apple has worked on a new thermal design to help with heat dissipation. This could be in the form of a graphene thermal system for the base iPhone 16 models, while the iPhone 16 Pro might have a metal battery casing. Right now, the iPhone uses copper for the heat sinks, but graphene has higher thermal conductivity.
There have been rumors that Apple has been working on its own in-house 5G modem chips, but that won’t be happening just yet in 2024. Instead, the iPhone 16 Pro may use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem for faster and more efficient 5G connectivity. However, the base-model iPhone 16 will continue to use the Qualcomm X70 chip that is currently in the iPhone 15. The iPhone 16 could also have Wi-Fi 7 technology that could get at least 30 gigabits per second, up to 40Gb/s.
iPhone 16: cameras
As already mentioned earlier, the base model iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are rumored to have a vertical camera layout similar to the iPhone X or iPhone 12 styles. The iPhone 16 Pro models will continue to be a triple-lens camera system.
Apple may be adding a big camera upgrade for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with a new 48MP ultrawide lens, which is a big jump from the current 12MP on the iPhone 15 Pro. With a 48MP ultrawide camera, the resulting images would be more detailed, especially those taken in lower-light environments.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max could also get an improved eight-part hybrid lens that includes two glass elements and six plastic elements for the 48MP main camera, as well as the telephoto and ultrawide.
The most exciting rumor is that both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have at least 5x optical zoom capabilities, rather than just the larger Max version. However, there is also a possibility that the iPhone 16 Pro Max may get a super telephoto camera for a significant increase in optical zoom, further differentiating between the two Pro models.
iPhone 16: battery life
We may finally see some better battery life with the iPhone 16 Pro models, as it’s rumored to use stacked battery technology. With stacked batteries, it can result in higher capacity and longer lifespans. This may also bring faster 40W wired and 20W MagSafe charging speeds.
Charging speed has long been an area where Apple has lagged behind its competitors. If the iPhone 16 really does address this, we could be in for a proper treat.
iPhone 16: software and updates
Since the iPhone 16 lineup will arrive in the fall and Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) typically takes place in the summer to showcase new software, we can expect iOS 18 to launch alongside the iPhone 16.
Though most other tech companies have been investing heavily in AI, Apple has largely remained quiet. But this may all change with iOS 18 and Siri, as Apple has been working on beefing it up with smarter AI that is powered by large language models (LLM). While Apple could bring new LLM features to all iPhones, some will likely remain exclusive to the iPhone 16 line.
Some of the possible AI features include improved interactions with Siri and Messages, better Apple Music playlists that are automatically generated, integration with productivity apps, and more. There’s also a rumor about improvements to the microphone that will go along with the improved AI-powered Siri experience, such as improved water resistance and better signal-to-noise ratio.
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