The new iPhone 16 and Pro versions of it are expected to be available in stores in September 2024. Surprisingly, even before the iPhone 15 was announced, there was a lot of information about these upcoming flagship phones.
Although it’s quite early to be certain, we’re already hearing some talk about the iPhone 16 and its Plus model getting more memory. On the other hand, it seems like the iPhone 16 Pro and its Pro Max model will have some amazing improvements in their cameras. Here’s a summary of what we know so far about the upcoming iPhone.
iPhone 16 release date
The upcoming iPhone is likely to come out in September 2024. Apple usually has a big event to show off the new phones, and then the iPhones are sent to stores about a week or two afterward. Before, Apple had sometimes changed this schedule because of reported problems with making the phones, like issues with getting all the parts they needed. For instance, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 14 Plus were released in October, but usually, iPhones come out in September each year.
iPhone 16 price hike
The iPhone 15 series costs a lot, but a report from Nikkei Asia suggests that the iPhone 16 might become even more expensive because it could cost more to make.
Fomalhaut Techno Solutions, a Japanese research firm, suggests that if Apple keeps bearing these increased production costs, it might decide to raise the price of the iPhone 16 series and pass some of that extra expense on to customers.
However, the exact extent of this potential price increase remains uncertain. Apple is known for wanting to make its iPhones accessible to a broad audience, so it’s unlikely that we’ll witness a significant price surge. Instead, a more reasonable estimate would be an increase in the range of $50 to $100.
AI Integration Rumors
The big talk in recent months has been all about generative AI, and the latest information from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, in his latest Power On newsletter, suggests that Apple is figuring out how to bring this technology to Apple products, from iPhones to Mac computers.
According to the new report, we might start seeing the results of Apple’s work as early as next year. Gurman mentions that Apple’s software engineering team, led by Craig Federighi, is integrating AI into the next version of iOS. This means we could witness it in action as early as next autumn when Apple reveals the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. These software upgrades would include a smarter Siri and a Messages app that can complete sentences automatically.
Generative AI might also be incorporated into development tools like Xcode, making it easier to create apps quickly. Forbes reports that other apps, like Apple Music, could benefit from AI creating playlists automatically. Similarly, apps like Pages and Keynote could use AI to assist users in writing or generating presentation slides.
Specs: Performance improvements
The 2024 iPhones are going to be faster and better at connecting. The iPhone 16 series is expected to have a new processor, likely the A18.
They’ll have 8GB of RAM, which is like having a big memory for your phone. This means you can do lots of things on your phone without it slowing down. But here’s the catch: the chip that makes the phone fast might use more battery. So, the battery life might not be as good as before.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple might include support for Wi-Fi 7. This means it could offer super-fast speeds up to 30Gbps. It’s designed to reduce delays and glitches for things like AR/VR, 4K and 8K video streaming, cars, cloud services, and games.
Jeff Pu also mentions that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X75 modem. This means you can expect quicker and more efficient 5G connections.
Pu thinks that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to use the Snapdragon X70 modem from Apple’s iPhone 15 series.
An upgraded camera
On the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple introduced a new zoom lens with a “tetra-prism” design, which basically means they figured out a way to make the camera take zoomed-in pictures without making it too big. This special camera increased the Pro Max’s ability to zoom in from 3x to 5x.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an expert from TFI Securities, says that the big improvement in the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max will also be available in both versions of the iPhone 16 Pro. This upgrade is all about the tetraprism camera. Kuo also shared that the iPhone 16 Pro will have the same lens as the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Another tech expert, Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities, says that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will also have a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera that’s better at capturing light. This means you’ll get better pictures in darker places. According to rumors, the Pro models will have a 12MP ultrawide camera.
Talk of iPhone 16 Ultra
People have been talking about a super fancy iPhone, called the “Ultra” model, since 2022. But it didn’t come out in 2023, even though some folks thought the big iPhone, the 15 Pro Max, might become the iPhone 15 Ultra. A tech expert named Mark Gurman said Apple was working on an even fancier Ultra iPhone, maybe for 2024, and they were adding cool stuff to the Pro Max too.
iPhone 16 design – bigger screens
Since the iPhone 12, the screen sizes haven’t changed much. But, according to a trusted source called Unknownz21, the fancier versions of the iPhone 16 are going to be a bit bigger and may feel a little harder to hold. The lower-tier models are likely to have the same screen sizes as the ones before them.
Here’s the scoop on the screen sizes:
- Pro Model is expected to have a 6.3-inch display.
- The Pro Max will come with an even bigger 6.9-inch screen.
Ross Young, who is famous for talking about screens and what Apple is up to, was the first to say that Apple’s next Pro models would have bigger screens.
Apple is expected to make some big changes to the upcoming iPhone 16. Their displays will get slightly bigger by about 0.2 inches. They could reach 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches for the Pro and Pro Max, respectively. These changes in screen size will affect the phone’s dimensions.
The iPhone 16 Pro will stay 8.25mm thick, slightly thicker than the iPhone 14 Pro. It gets 3mm taller and less than 1mm wider. The iPhone 16 Pro Max keeps the same thickness, but it’s 3.1mm taller and slightly wider, resulting in a weight increase of just 4g, still lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
New kinds of buttons
Apple had originally thought about putting what they call “solid-state buttons” on the iPhone 15 Pro models. But instead, they gave us a customizable action button. Solid-state buttons are more like flat surfaces that use special technology to make it feel like you’re pressing a real button when you touch them. It’s a bit like what you find on the iPhone SE series with the Home button. Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is planning to introduce these special buttons on the iPhone 16 Pro models instead.
Face ID Under-Display
Apple is reportedly working on a significant change – embedding Face ID underneath the phone’s display. If this happens, it would give iPhone users a larger display area to use.
This concept has been discussed in the past. And although it wasn’t included in the iPhone 15 Pro models, it might make its debut in the high-end iPhone 16 versions.
Kuo suggests that we can expect a “real full-screen iPhone” in 2024. And it could feature both an under-display front camera and an under-display Face ID. Korean publication The Elec also backs the idea of the iPhone 16 Pro having embedded Face ID.
However, not everyone agrees on the timeline for these changes. Display analyst Ross Young initially believed the technology would arrive with the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024. But he has since shifted his stance, suggesting that this feature will be delayed until the iPhone 17 Pro.
Gurman envisions a future where Face ID and the front-facing camera are fully integrated into the display itself. However, he believes this transformation is still at least three to four years away. Gurman has reaffirmed this viewpoint in a recent edition of his Power On newsletter.
Final word
The iPhone 16 is shaping up to be an exciting upgrade. With more RAM for better performance, advanced cameras for stunning photos, and faster Wi-Fi, it’s got a lot to offer. Keep an eye out for the larger screens and innovative solid-state buttons in the Pro models. We can’t wait to hear more about it.
This article has been updated with the latest information on October 26, 2023.
