iPhone 16: Everything We Know So Far (May 2024)

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 lineup in September 2024, following its usual release schedule. Here's a quick rundown of the rumors and leaks surrounding the upcoming iPhone models:

• Design: The standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus could see a design overhaul, ditching the diagonal dual-camera layout for a vertical pill-shaped camera bump similar to the iPhone X. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to retain the triple-lens rear camera system but may come in slightly larger sizes.

• Display: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max might feature larger displays, measuring 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches respectively. The standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are rumored to stick with the same display sizes as their predecessors, at 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches.

• Chipset: Apple is expected to equip the iPhone 16 lineup with new A-series chips built on a 3-nanometer process. Performance and efficiency improvements are likely, but specifics remain unknown. There are also rumors that Apple might use a different chip for the Pro models, offering higher performance.

• Camera: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could get a significant camera upgrade, with the ultrawide sensor getting a bump to 48 megapixels from the current 12 megapixels. The standard iPhone 16 models might not see any major camera improvements.

• Other features: The "Action Button" introduced on iPhone 15 Pro models might become standard across the iPhone 16 lineup. There are also rumors of a new "Capture Button" for photos and videos.

• iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: The base price for the iPhone 16 could start at $799 for the 128GB model, with the iPhone 16 Plus starting at $899 for the same storage tier.

• iPhone 16 Pro: The iPhone 16 Pro, with 256GB of storage, is expected to start at $1199.

• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Predictions suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro Max, also with 256GB of storage, could start at $1199 – the same price point as the iPhone 16 Pro.

• Camera bump: The design ditches the diagonal dual-camera layout for a vertical pill-shaped camera bump. This design is similar to the rear camera bump on the iPhone 11 and iPhone X.
• Text inscription: The text “iPhone 16” is inscribed vertically along the left side of the camera bump.
• Action Button: There’s a rumored “Action Button” located on the bottom left side of the phone. It is unclear what the functionality of this button would be.
• Capture Button: There’s also a rumored “Capture Button” on the right side of the phone, likely for photos and videos. This button is designed to sit flush with the frame of the iPhone.

• Facial recognition: Your phone could use on-device AI to unlock itself with Face ID without needing to send your face data to Apple's servers.
• Voice assistants: On-device AI could be used to power voice assistants like Siri, so that they can understand your requests and respond even when you don't have an internet connection.
• Augmented reality: On-device AI could be used to create more realistic augmented reality experiences, by tracking the movement of your phone and the world around you.

• 48MP Ultra Wide Lens: The iPhone 16 Pro is rumored to have a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens. This would be a significant upgrade from the 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens on the iPhone 15 Pro. A higher megapixel count generally allows for more detail in photos, especially in low-light conditions.

• 5x Optical Zoom (12MP Telephoto Lens): The iPhone 16 Pro is also rumored to have a 5x optical zoom telephoto lens. This would be an improvement over the 3x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro. Optical zoom uses physical elements within the lens to magnify an image, which can produce higher-quality zoomed-in photos compared to digital zoom.

• Sensor-shift OIS (Optical Image Stabilization): The sensor-shift OIS, which is a type of image stabilization that uses the camera sensor itself to move and counteract handshakes. This can help to reduce blur in photos and videos.

• 12% Larger Sensor (Pro Max only): The 12% larger sensor, but only for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. A larger sensor can generally capture more light, which can improve image quality in low-light conditions.

• Larger display: The iPhone 16 Pro Max is rumored to have a 6.9-inch display, which would be 0.2 inches larger than the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

• Slimmer bezels: The bezels around the display are rumored to be slimmer on the iPhone 16 Pro Max compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This would give the phone a more modern look and increase the screen-to-body ratio.

• ProMotion refresh rate: The iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to retain the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, which makes scrolling and animations look smoother than on standard 60Hz displays.