Subsequent week Apple will introduce the iPhone 16 collection throughout an occasion dubbed “It’s Glowtime”. Here’s what we predict we all know in regards to the new fashions – right here we are going to deal with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, the 2 Execs will probably be lined in a separate article.
The launch
Apple has formally confirmed that the iPhone 16 collection will probably be unveiled on September 9 (Monday). The occasion will begin at 5 PM UTC.
The extra necessary query is when the telephones will probably be out there – in accordance with Mark Gurman, all 4 iPhone 16 fashions are on monitor for a speedy pre-order (proper after the occasion) and a September 20 launch.
Apple Intelligence is reportedly delayed and received’t be out there on launch day. As an alternative, it ought to arrive as an replace in October. Nonetheless, this delay won’t have an effect on the iPhone 16 launch.
The design
There hasn’t been a big evolution in vanilla iPhone design because the iPhone 11, except you depend the arrival of the Dynamic Island as “significant”. The general search for the 16-series will stay the identical, however dummies have been photographed exhibiting some tweaks.
The oblong digicam island will probably be squished horizontally, aligning the 2 cameras vertically. This additionally strikes the LED flash off the island and onto the again.
Apple iPhone 16 dummies
The dummies additionally reveal (all?) launch colours. These needs to be extra saturated than the Professional fashions, which historically solely get the lightest of hues.
Motion and Seize buttons
Aspect views of dummies present the tentatively named Motion and Seize buttons, which can set off customized actions and can act as a digicam shutter key, respectively. This does imply that the Alert Slider will probably be eliminated, nevertheless.
All 4 iPhone 16 fashions can have an Motion button
And a seize button
Apparently, the Seize button will probably be extra of a capacitive trackpad than a bodily button, permitting swiping gestures – this may very well be used to regulate zoom, for instance.
Similar(-ish) shows
The iPhone 16 can have a 6.1” show, the iPhone 16 Plus show will probably be bigger at 6.7”, simply as final 12 months. Nonetheless, each of those will probably be smaller than the respective Professional variants, which can have 6.3” and 6.9” diagonals. The bezels will probably be thinner, so we are able to anticipate barely smaller dimensions on the vanilla and Plus fashions (the Execs will develop by just a few millimeters).
The shows would be the similar, save for barely slimmer bezels
All 4 fashions will use the large Dynamic Island gap within the show and that’s unlikely to vary for the vanilla fashions subsequent 12 months (the Execs might begin transferring {hardware} under the display).
And, no, there will probably be no ProMotion, each iPhone 16 and 16 Plus shows will run at 60Hz like at midnight ages. Now that’s one thing which may change for the 2025 vanilla pair, when you can maintain out that lengthy.
Apple A18 chipsets and AI for all
We already talked about that Apple Intelligence will probably be delayed – however, crucially, it should finally arrive on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The 15 and 15 Plus are lacking out due to their older chipsets (A16) and restricted RAM capacities (6GB).
That received’t be the case for the 16-series, nevertheless. Apple, like each different tech firm proper now, sees AI as the subsequent large factor. Which means that the brand new telephones can have an NPU quick sufficient for fast on-device processing and sufficient RAM to carry the comparatively giant AI fashions.
That isn’t to say that Apple will go wild with RAM capacities, at the least not but. This 12 months the vanilla and Plus fashions are anticipated to get 8GB of RAM, subsequent 12 months’s successors might go as much as 12GB (or not). Google elevated the RAM capability on the Pixel 9 collection, however reserved a part of it in order that the AI mannequin can at all times keep loaded in reminiscence – prepared to reply at a second’s discover. Whether or not Apple does the identical stays to be seen.
The non-Professional telephones would possibly get fewer GPU cores, however that shouldn’t have an effect on AI efficiency. And with their 60Hz shows, additional GPU energy isn’t wanted anyway.
Similar(-ish) cameras
As we already noticed, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus can have two cameras – no surprises right here. Rumors recommend that the 2 telephones will use the very same 48MP foremost digicam as on their 15-series predecessors. The bounce from 12MP on 14-series and older fashions was fairly large and we are able to’t anticipate the same enchancment yearly.
As for the extremely large digicam, it is going to be largely the identical apart from an upgraded lens – it should have a brighter f/2.2 aperture (in comparison with f/2.4) for improved low-light efficiency. Even higher, it should have autofocus, permitting it to shoot macro pictures.
We’ve heard rumors of different modifications, e.g. JPEG XL assist within the digicam app (as an alternative choice to HEIC). And we already lined the Seize button above.
What comes subsequent
Only a transient overview of what analysts predict will occur in 2025. This is perhaps the top of the street for the massive Plus collection, which can allegedly give strategy to the iPhone 17 Slim. This one can have a barely smaller 6.6” show, in accordance with analyst Jeff Pu, which can additional separate it from the Professional Max mannequin (6.9”).
Each the iPhone 17 and 17 Slim will retain the Dynamic Island, however will function an upgraded 24MP selfie digicam. The Execs ought to have a smaller Island, so there will probably be a noticeable distinction between vanilla and Professional. Not less than the vanilla pair ought to lastly get excessive refresh price screens.
Anyway, there are a number of rumors in regards to the iPhone 17 era flying round proper now and their plausibility is pretty doubtful. For instance, we’ve heard that the iPhone 17 Slim can have just one rear digicam however will probably be costlier than the 17 Professional Max. One or each of those may not be true. Nonetheless, we thought that it was necessary to say these items as context for what the iPhone 16 collection will characterize by way of upgrades.
There may be additionally the iPhone SE 4 to contemplate, which can full Apple’s transition to OLED. The brand new SE will probably arrive in Q1 2025.