Latest updates about iPhone 16

 iPhone 16 Series : Latest Rumours and Leaks      

Apple has big changes in store for the next iPhone, likely to be called the iPhone 16. Apple released the public beta version of iOS 18 this week. It's a sign that we're one step closer to the expected launch for the iPhone 16. Apple previewed iOS 18 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and release of the public beta has us wondering what additional goodies the next iPhone will bring, besides Apple Intelligence. Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's line up is expected to stick with four models, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. We've heard whispers about the iPhone 16's features, which are said to span from a new power-efficient display to larger screens, better zoom lenses, an action button and, perhaps not surprisingly, a suite of new AI-powered features. However, the iPhone 16 is still presumably two months away and nothing will be confirmed until Apple's iPhone event. To enlighten you all, we've summarized below the biggest iPhone 16 rumours and leaks so far available. These details could give us an idea of what to expect from the next iPhone.

Will the iPhone 16 be foldable?

The newest rumours suggest Apple has been working on iPhone Flip models in two different sizes, though there have been difficulties in making the devices to Apple's standards. The company may also be working on a folding tablet with a screen around the size of an iPad Mini. Even though virtually every major phone-maker have launched their own bendable handsets, Apple has been characteristically quiet about whether there will ever be an iPhone Flip or an iPhone Fold. Prior rumours said Apple may not launch its own flexible screen device until 2025. 

 Bigger Screens

Speaking of screen sizes, Apple has maintained the two screen sizes for iPhone Pro models since 2020 when it launched the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, that's rumoured to change with the iPhone 16 Pro models, which might get bigger screens. This year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumoured to be getting bigger display sizes, increasing to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. The new display sizes would be the largest ever for the iPhone. Display analyst Ross Young suggested earlier this year that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have larger screens, putting the sizes at 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If the size increase is accurate, it would be yet another move from Apple to distinguish its Pro iPhone models from its regular ones.

iPhone 15                                 screen sizes

iPhone 15                                6.1 inches

iPhone 15 Plus                        6.7 inches

iPhone 15 Pro                         6.1 inches

iPhone 15 Pro Max                 6.7 inches

Rumoured iPhone 16 screen sizes

iPhone 16                              6.1 inches

iPhone 16 Plus                      6.7 inches

iPhone 16 Pro                       6.3 inches

iPhone 16 Pro Max               6.9 inches

Vertical Camera Layout

Apple's iPhone 16 base models will feature a vertical camera arrangement with a pill-shaped raised surface, instead of a diagonal camera arrangement like the iPhone 15. The new camera bump features two separate camera rings for the Wide and Ultra Wide cameras. The vertical camera layout is expected to enable Spatial Video recording, which is currently limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Capture Button

All iPhone 16 models will have a new "Capture Button" dedicated to triggering image or video capture. The button will add features like the ability to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, focus on a subject with a light press, and activate a recording with a more forceful press. The Capture Button will be located on the bottom right side of the ‌iPhone 16, and will take the place of the mmWave antenna on US ‌iPhone‌ models, with the antenna relocating to the left side of the device below the volume and Action buttons.

Ultra Wide Lens

The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens, which should allow it to capture more light, resulting in improved photos when shooting in 0.5× mode, especially in low-light environments. This also means that iPhone 16 Pro models should be able to shoot 48-megapixel ProRAW photos in Ultra Wide mode. These photos retain more detail in the image file for more editing flexibility and can be printed at large sizes. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is also rumoured to boast a bigger main camera with an advanced custom 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 sensor.

Super Telephoto Camera

The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the first to feature a super telephoto periscope camera for dramatically increased optical zoom. "Super" or "ultra" telephoto usually describes cameras with a focal length of over 300mm. The current telephoto lens is equivalent to a 77mm lens, so if accurate, there could be a notable increase in zoom capabilities. Super telephoto cameras are often used for sports and wild animal photography, but the extremely soft backgrounds they create also make them useful for portrait photography, subject to enough distance between the object and the photographer.

Longer Zoom

Both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max could both have 5x telephoto lenses next year. According to Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo, a tetraprism lens will make its way to both Pro models next year, as opposed to just the Pro Max model. Apple equipped the iPhone 15 Pro with a 12-megapixel 3x optical zoom, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel 5x optical zoom camera, which is the equivalent of 120mm lens on a full-frame camera. If this rumour is true, it could mark a breakthrough in design. When Apple launched the 15 Pro Max with its 5x telephoto lens, it cited the phone's bigger body as to why the Pro Max had it, but the Pro didn't.  Apple's tetraprism lens system has a "folded" design which allows it to fit inside the smartphone, enabling up to 5x optical zoom and up to 25x digital zoom. In contrast, the current smaller iPhone 15 Pro is limited to up to 3x optical zoom, which is in line with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Micro-Lens Technology

Apple is said to be weighing up the use of micro-lens technology to maintain or increase the brightness of OLED displays on next year's iPhone 16 models while potentially reducing their power consumption. MLA works by using a uniform pattern of billions of lenses inside the panel which reduces internal reflections. These lenses turn the path of light reflected backwards from the inside of the panel towards the screen, which can serve either to increase perceived brightness while maintaining the same level of power consumption, or maintain brightness levels while consuming less power compared to conventional OLED panels at the same luminance.

Less Lens Flare

Apple might be exploring a novel approach to enhance photo quality. The rumour suggests that the company could add an anti-reflective technology to its camera manufacturing process. If successful, this could potentially eliminate unwanted artifacts like lens flare, resulting in more realistic photos. Apple plans to bring new atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment into the iPhone camera lens manufacturing process to apply the coating. ALD-applied materials can also protect against environmental damage to the camera lens system without affecting the sensor's ability to capture light effectively.

Faster Wi-Fi 

Apple's 2024 iPhone Pro models are expected to get Wi-Fi 7 in the Pro models, enabling data transfer over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands simultaneously. This should result in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency and more reliable connectivity. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus is rumoured to support Wi-Fi 6E, which works with the 6 GHz band, enabling faster wireless speeds and reduced signal interference. With technologies such as 4K QAM, Wi-Fi 7 is also expected to offer peak data transfer speeds of over 40 Gbps, a 4× increase over Wi-Fi 6E.

AI Capabilities

AI is perhaps the biggest tech buzzword this year, and Apple followed in the footsteps of rivals, Samsung and Google, which each trumpeted the new AI tips and tricks on their flagship phones. Apple Intelligence made its debut during the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June. It brings ChatGPT integration, tools for proofreading and rewriting text in a different tone, new Siri features for getting tech support and answering more personalized requests, and the ability to generate images and emojis, among other features. These new AI features are expected to be available on all the models of the upcoming iPhone 16 line up with iOS 18 right out of the box.

A18 chip for all models

In a break with the past two years, all four iPhone 16 models will apparently get a next-generation Apple chipset, which will all receive A18 branding. According to a report, all four models will have an A18 series chip with Pro iPhone models getting an A18 Bionic Pro and base models getting a regular A18. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus currently have an A16 Bionic, which debuted on the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, while the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on the A17 Pro processor. Apple's next-generation A18 Pro chip is expected to be manufactured with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, known as N3E. All four iPhone 16 models will be equipped with A18-branded chips, according to reports available, but Apple could still differentiate between the standard models and the Pro models, even giving the chips separate A18 and A18 Pro names. Apple Intelligence requires a high-powered chip for the AI features to run on-device. At this time, only the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ and Pro Max are able to use Apple Intelligence. It is also logical for all four ‌iPhone 16‌ models to have the same A18 chip because of the Apple Intelligence features set to debut in iOS 18.

Power-efficient display

Another change that could make its way to iPhone 16 displays is greater power efficiency. Samsung Display is apparently developing a new material set, dubbed M14, specifically for Apple, according to a report available, which says the new technology should arrive on iPhones launching next year. M14 will replace the blue fluorescent technology that's used now with blue phosphorescence technology, creating an even more power-efficient screen than the current LTPO ones used on Pro models.

5G Qualcomm Modem

Apple is expected to use Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X75 modem in this year's Pro and Pro Max models. The Snapdragon X75 includes improved carrier aggregation and other technology advancements for faster 5G download and upload speeds compared to the X70, which is used in iPhone 15 models. The standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are expected to retain the Snapdragon X70 modem. The modem's combined mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G transceiver also takes up 25% less circuit board space, and is said to use up to 20% less power.

Action Button

In March, Apple Insider published a collection of photographs purportedly displaying 3D-printed dummy models of the rumoured iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. The images revealed that the iPhone 16 may have a vertical camera stack as opposed to a diagonal one and an action button, similar the one on last year's iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 15 Pro models include an Action Button, and in 2024, the Action Button is expected to be expanded to the standard iPhone 16 models. The Action button, which replaces the traditional mute switch, can perform multiple functions such as activating the Flashlight, turning on the Camera, launching a Shortcut, enabling or disabling a Focus mode, using Translate, turning on/off Silent Mode, and more. 

Battery

One rumour suggests the ‌iPhone 16‌ and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature larger batteries than their predecessors, but the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus may have reduced capacity. The iPhone 16 is said to have a 6% increase over the iPhone 15, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max gaining a 5% increase. In contrast, the iPhone 16 Plus is rumoured to have a 9% reduction in capacity. On the other hand, Apple could also potentially use stacked battery technology to increase energy density and prolong lifespan across the line up.

40W Fast Charging and 20W MagSafe

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support 40W wired fast charging and 20W MagSafe charging, according to a recurring reports available. The charging boost is expected to balance and improve the problem of increasing charging time caused by the increase in battery capacity. Right now, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models are capable of up to 27W peak charging speeds with an appropriate USB-C power adapter, while official MagSafe chargers from Apple and authorized third parties can wirelessly charge the iPhone 15 models at up to 15W. 

Upgraded Microphone

Apple is said to be planning a significant upgrade to the iPhone 16 microphone to improve the new Apple Intelligence-enhanced Siri experience, which will include contextual awareness, semantic indexing, app control and on-screen awareness. Apple's Siri AI ambitions will heavily rely on improved voice input processing and the new mic is expected to offer significantly enhanced signal-to-noise ratio.

Thermal Design

Apple is rumoured to be working on a graphene thermal system for the ‌iPhone 16‌ line up, while the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro models could add metal battery casings to reduce overheating. Apple has been filing patents related to using graphene for thermal management for some time. The move could be in response to widely encountered overheating issues experienced with the iPhone 15 Pro, which Apple addressed through a software update. Graphene has high thermal conductivity, surpassing that of copper, which is currently used in iPhone heat-sinks.

Storage Capacity

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available with double the maximum storage capacity as the iPhone 15 Pro models, increasing from 1TB to 2TB, according to reports available.  Apple's use of QLC NAND could allow Apple to fit more storage into a smaller space and it is less expensive than Triple-Level Cell (TLC) NAND, which current iPhones use. The move is said to be a result of Apple's switch to higher-density Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND flash for higher storage models. But at the same time, QLC has comparatively slower read and write speeds.

Enhanced Memory

Apple's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models might feature 8GB of RAM, an increase over the 6GB of RAM in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. More working memory should equate to improved performance for multitasking on the iPhone. Apple has hinted that plenty of RAM is required for Apple Intelligence features, so it is perhaps no coincidence that all devices in the iPhone 16 line up will have at least 8GB of RAM.

Slimmer bezels 

The rumours of larger screen sizes are piling in, at least for select iPhone 16 models. The latest report saying select iPhone 16 models are poised to adopt an innovative screen technology, resulting in thinner bezels or the frame around the phone's screen. This development could translate to a slightly larger screen area for some iPhone 16 models, although it's not clear which models. Apple plans to maximize the display size on the iPhone 16 series by using a new ultra-thin bezel technology. Apple will use Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology to minimize the bezel at the bottom of the display. BRS achieves this by rolling up the internal copper wiring into a more compact package. Apple reportedly plans to apply the borderless display technology to all four iPhone 16 models, but the Pro models will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the screen border thinness of even its latest iPhone 15 Pro devices. Apple has historically introduced display upgrades in its pro line of products, before sometimes trickling them down to lower-cost models afterwards. The display manufacturers have introduced a novel border reduction structure technology, enabling more compact control circuitry and ultimately leading to slimmer bezels.

Upgraded Neural Engine

Apple's next-generation A18 chips will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores, according to report available. An upgraded Neural Engine should improve the performance of Apple Intelligence features and machine learning tasks. Apple's iPhone 12 through iPhone 15 models all include a 16-core Neural Engine. Despite no difference in core counts across generations, Apple has still managed to improve their performance in successive models.

Polished Titanium Finish

Apple will use an improved finishing process for the titanium chassis on the iPhone 16 Pro models. The new process will allegedly make the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max look more polished than the iPhone 15 Pro models, which have a brushed finish. The new titanium finish will be less prone to scratches compared to stainless steel. The improved manufacturing process will result in a glossy appearance which is more akin to the heavily polished stainless steel material used in previous Pro iPhones.

Colours

The iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max are expected to be available in black, white or silver, grey or "Natural Titanium," and rose. Available report says that the blue colour option of the iPhone 15 Pro would be discontinued and replaced with a new rose model, which would be available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.  Meanwhile, the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus is said to be coming in black, green, pink, blue and white. Compared to the iPhone 15, this means that white will replace yellow, while the other colours remaining the same.

Expected Release

Apple holds its annual iPhone event in September almost every year, so we'd expect the timeline to remain the same for the iPhone 16. New iPhones typically get released shortly thereafter, usually the Friday of the following week. Sometimes Apple will stagger release dates for specific models, especially when introducing a new design or size. So it's possible that the iPhone 16 line up will have more than one release date. Apple tends to hold its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The iPhone 15 event was held on Tuesday, 07 September. The iPhone 14 event was held on Wednesday, 07 September. And the iPhone 13 event was held on Tuesday, 14 September. iPhone release dates are typically a week and a half after Apple's announcements.