iPhone 16: news, rumored price, release date, and more
It's been over six months since the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro hit the market, and you know what that means—rumors about the iPhone 16 are ramping up. There's a lot of buzz surrounding potential design leaks, rumored specifications, camera upgrades, and more. Anticipation is high for the iPhone 16 to bring more significant changes than its predecessor. We've compiled all the major rumors and reports for you. Let's dive in.
iPhone 16: release date
iPhone 16: price
Despite expectations of a price hike for the iPhone 15 lineup, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max saw an increase. This model now starts at $1,200 for the 256GB version, with the 128GB variant no longer available. This was the sole model in the lineup to see a price change.
Apple faced its highest component costs for the iPhone 15 but chose to absorb these extra production expenses. However, this may not continue in 2024, potentially leading to slight price increases for all iPhone 16 models.
The extent of any potential increase remains uncertain.
iPhone 16: design
Big changes are on the horizon for the iPhone 16 lineup, particularly for the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models.
Earlier, MacRumors reported three potential prototype designs for the iPhone 16, but the latest leak appears to reveal which one Apple has chosen.
For the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, Apple is moving away from the diagonal camera layout it has used in recent years. Instead, it’s adopting a vertical, pill-shaped camera island reminiscent of the iPhone X, but slightly larger to accommodate the lenses and sensors.
While the overall profile of the standard iPhone 16 models is expected to remain largely unchanged, there is a chance they might feature an Action button, as suggested by previous reports.
The design changes for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to be subtle, as Apple seems satisfied with the updates made to the iPhone 15 Pro.
According to reports, the new Capture button will be capacitive instead of physical and will be flush with the phone's frame. This button is likely to function as a camera shutter but could also be customizable, similar to the Action button.
To make room for this capacitive button, the wireless antenna will be moved to the opposite side. Additionally, the Action button on the iPhone 16 Pro models might be larger than the one on the iPhone 15 Pro.
While design changes are not confirmed until Apple officially unveils the phone, these rumors seem credible. In early April, well-known Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared photos of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro dummy models, which supported all the mentioned design changes.
In late April, more dummy units of the upcoming iPhone leaked, with Sonny Dickson sharing a photo on X (formerly Twitter). These new dummies are more refined, offering a clearer preview of what this year’s iPhone lineup might look like.
Recently, molds from ShopSystem surfaced online, showing a slightly smaller MagSafe charging ring on the iPhone 16 models compared to the iPhone 15 models. If these leaks are accurate, it indicates that Apple has streamlined the MagSafe components to use less magnetic material, while keeping the magnet positions unchanged. This is good news for compatibility, as older MagSafe accessories should still work with the new models.
A recent Weibo leak suggests the standard iPhone 16 lineup may be available in seven colors: pink, blue, yellow, green, black, white, and purple. The iPhone 16 Pro is expected to continue using titanium, but the "Blue Titanium" color might be replaced by "Space Black."
Additionally, there might be “Natural” and “White Titanium” colors, with White Titanium being more silver-white and Natural having a gray tint. There's also a rumored new “Rose” color, which might be similar to the earlier “Desert Titanium” rumor, resembling gold. The iPhone 16 Pro is also rumored to feature an improved process for finishing and coloring titanium, resulting in a more polished, brushed finish compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Apple is also reportedly upgrading the microphones on the iPhone 16 lineup to offer a higher signal-to-noise ratio. This improvement would allow the device to hear users more clearly, potentially enhancing Siri's performance. With iOS 18 expected to include more generative AI features, a more accurate Siri would be a significant advantage.
iPhone 16: displays
Changes might be on the horizon for the display sizes of the iPhone 16 Pro models, though the standard iPhone 16 variants will remain unchanged.
The iPhone 16 Pro's display could increase to 6.3 inches from the current 6.1 inches. Meanwhile, the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max might see an increase to 6.9 inches from 6.7 inches.
This size increase in the smaller iPhone 16 Pro would allow for a larger telephoto camera lens, enabling the 5x optical zoom introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The 6.1-inch model couldn't accommodate the tetraprism lens due to size constraints, but a 6.3-inch frame can.
Apple plans to reduce bezels across all models, with the most noticeable improvements on the Pro versions. A new report indicates that Apple is adopting a display technology called Border Reduction Structure (BRS), which allows suppliers to shrink the black borders around the screen.
Additionally, we might see brighter displays and improved power efficiency as Apple reportedly implements microlens technology in the iPhone 16's OLED panels.
Looking ahead, a report from The Elec suggests that the iPhone 17 lineup will be the first where all models, including the base ones, feature LTPO OLED panels with ProMotion and always-on displays. Unfortunately, this means the base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models are expected to retain a 60Hz refresh rate.
iPhone 16: specs
For the base models, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, we can expect them to feature an A17 chip. However, this likely won't be the same A17 Pro chip found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Instead, Apple is expected to use a more cost-effective version of the A17 chip for these standard models.
Analyst Jeff Pu suggests that Apple might instead label the new chips as A18 and A18 Pro. This would mean that all iPhone 16 models would incorporate some form of an A18 chip, avoiding the perception of using a "last generation" chip.
Although overheating was an issue with the initial release of the iPhone 15, Apple is reportedly developing a new thermal design to improve heat dissipation. The base iPhone 16 models might use a graphene thermal system, while the iPhone 16 Pro could feature a metal battery casing. Currently, iPhones use copper for heat sinks, but graphene offers better thermal conductivity.
There have been rumors about Apple developing its own in-house 5G modem chips, but this won’t be realized by 2024. Instead, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem for enhanced 5G connectivity. The base iPhone 16 will continue with the Qualcomm X70 chip found in the iPhone 15. Additionally, the iPhone 16 could be equipped with Wi-Fi 7 technology, potentially reaching speeds of 30 to 40 gigabits per second.
iPhone 16: cameras
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will feature a dual camera setup arranged in a vertical, pill-shaped camera island. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will retain the familiar triple-lens camera layout from previous years.
Although the base models have a different camera design, their camera specifications haven't been upgraded. In contrast, the Pro models are expected to see significant enhancements.
Apple might upgrade the ultrawide lenses on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max to a 48-megapixel sensor, a notable improvement from the 12MP sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro. This upgrade would result in more detailed ultrawide shots, especially in low-light conditions. Additionally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could see improvements across all three lenses, incorporating two glass elements and six plastic elements for each lens.
Those who are eyeing the smaller Pro model might be in for a treat with a potential camera upgrade this year. With the iPhone 16 Pro sporting a larger 6.3-inch display, there's ample space to incorporate the tetraprism camera, promising an impressive 5x optical zoom compared to the 3x on the iPhone 15 Pro. Additionally, rumors suggest that both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could feature an upgraded lens coating using atomic layer deposition (ALD). According to leaks from yeux1122, ALD could offer Apple greater control over the coating's thickness and composition, applied one atomic layer at a time. This meticulous process could refine the camera lens stack without adding bulk, potentially reducing digital artifacts like lens flare and halos, especially in direct sunlight scenarios. Moreover, it could minimize ghosting for fast-moving objects, while also enhancing the camera lens's durability with added protection.
iPhone 16: battery life
It seems like we might finally get a boost in battery performance with the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models, with rumors suggesting the use of stacked battery technology. This innovation could lead to increased capacity and longer battery life, potentially accompanied by faster charging speeds of up to 40W for wired charging and 20W for MagSafe. Apple has historically faced criticism for slower charging compared to its rivals, so if these rumors hold true, it could be a game-changer for users.
According to leaks from @MajinBuOfficial, we also have insights into the battery upgrades across the entire iPhone 16 lineup. Allegedly, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max will boast larger battery capacities compared to their predecessors, while the iPhone 16 Plus might see a decrease in capacity. Interestingly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is said to ditch the L-shaped battery design in favor of a rectangular shape, aligning with the design of the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus.
Reportedly, the standard iPhone 16 could feature a 3,561 mAh battery (up from the iPhone 15’s 3,349 mAh), the iPhone 16 Plus might have a 4,006 mAh battery (down from the iPhone 15 Plus’ 4,383 mAh), and the iPhone 16 Pro Max could boast a 4,676 mAh battery (up from the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 4,422 mAh). However, it's worth noting that these details come from @MajinBuOfficial, whose track record with Apple leaks has been inconsistent. As such, it's best to take this information with a grain of salt.
iPhone 16: software and updates
With Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicking off on June 10 and the iPhone 16 lineup slated for a fall release, it's a safe bet that iOS 18 will make its debut alongside the new iPhone.
While many other tech giants have been diving headfirst into AI advancements, Apple has kept relatively mum on the topic. But all signs point to a change with the upcoming iOS 18 and Siri updates. Apple's been hard at work enhancing Siri with more sophisticated AI capabilities, harnessing the power of large language models (LLM). While these improvements could potentially extend to all iPhones, it's likely that some features will be reserved for the iPhone 16 series.
Expectations are high for a slew of AI enhancements, including more intuitive interactions with Siri and Messages, smarter Apple Music playlists tailored to individual preferences, seamless integration with productivity tools, and beyond. Rumors are swirling about upgrades to the microphone, promising improved water resistance and a superior signal-to-noise ratio to complement the enhanced Siri experience.
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