Whereas the iPhone 16 launched a wide range of {hardware} enhancements, a few of Apple’s deliberate options by no means made it to the ultimate mass-production models. Here is every thing that was scrapped throughout growth.
Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup went by way of a number of completely different prototype levels, as is usually the case for brand spanking new {hardware} initiatives. Throughout these varied growth levels, the corporate typically makes vital design modifications, altering the looks of units within the course of.
In different conditions, nevertheless, Apple can take away new {hardware} options. This may occur for a wide range of causes, relying on the state of affairs in query. The corporate has to be sure that new {hardware} elements adhere to its stringent quality-control requirements, which means that completely different designs and supplies are sometimes examined.
Throughout the growth of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional, Apple altered sure design elements in addition to key {hardware} elements. Most of the modifications in query should do with the units’ buttons, as early prototype models had been used to check alternate button designs and distinctive {hardware} preparations not discovered within the remaining mass-production fashions.
Basically, new iPhones are iterative upgrades that construct upon options and modifications launched with the earlier era. The iPhone 16 isn’t any exception on this regard, as a few of Apple’s button-related modifications had been meant to enhance the Motion button, launched in 2023.
With the iPhone 15 Professional, Apple changed the single-purpose mute change with a user-configurable mechanical button referred to as the Motion button. Customers can assign the button to certainly one of Apple’s many pre-defined actions, or they’ll use it at the side of Shortcuts. The Motion button can be utilized to, as an example, toggle the iPhone flashlight, open the Digicam app, begin recording a Voice Memo, and far more.
Unsurprisingly, the Motion button has made its method to all the iPhone 16 vary, together with base fashions. It did not all the time preserve its current look, although, as Apple wished to additional enhance the motion button by way of added performance.
Mission Atlas — Apple’s scrapped concept for a capacitive Motion button
Whereas the event of the iPhone 15 vary was nonetheless underway, Apple experimented with completely different button-related design selections for the iPhone 16 lineup. The corporate examined two completely different designs for the Motion button, solely certainly one of which was used for the ultimate product.
In keeping with individuals accustomed to the matter, who spoke to AppleInsider, some early prototypes and inner designs for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional contained a noticeably completely different Motion button.
With Mission Atlas, Apple wished to create a capacitive Motion button that may have mirrored the performance of the Digicam Management
In contrast to the model discovered on mass manufacturing models, early prototype units had a considerably bigger Motion button. By way of measurement, it was near the size of the quantity keys, which means that it might have allowed for a brand new look.
Developed below the codename Mission Atlas, the button would have mirrored the performance of the brand new Digicam Management button, which was referred to as Mission Nova inside Apple. Which means the bigger Motion button would have gained a sapphire crystal floor, together with a capacitive sensor and high-precision power sensor.
In sensible phrases, which means that the massive Motion button would have had the power to detect completely different ranges of stress and differentiate between the identical gestures used for the Digicam Management button. On mass-production models of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional, the Digicam Management affords added performance within the Digicam app by way of completely different gestures and stress detection.
The performance of the Digicam Management button and the way the Motion button would have mirrored it
A light-weight press of the Digicam Management button opens a minimal digicam app interface. Customers can slide over the button’s floor to zoom in or out or use one other mild press to take an image. Video could be recorded by urgent and holding the Digicam Management button whereas the Digicam app is open.
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The Digicam Management button on the iPhone 16 lets customers seize pictures and movies extra simply.
A brand new iOS 18 function referred to as Visible Intelligence will allow further use instances for the Digicam Management button by way of integration with Apple Intelligence. Whereas the function itself will solely be accessible later in 2024, Apple has already revealed the way it will work.
Customers will be capable to obtain details about a location or object of curiosity by merely urgent and holding the Digicam Management, and pointing their iPhone in the direction of the item. For example, Visible Intelligence will make it doable so as to add a calendar occasion by merely scanning a flyer. Pointing the iPhone in the direction of a restaurant will show scores for the placement or different helpful info.
The identical Digicam Management button may also let customers faucet to go looking Google or ChatGPT, and it is going to be usable in third-party apps corresponding to Snapchat later in 2024.
Apple’s Mission Atlas would have enabled comparable performance, solely on the other facet of the iPhone, above the quantity buttons. Presumably, the massive Motion button would have additionally retained its user-configurable standing. In principle, which means that Apple may have supplied further customization choices particular to the Motion button.
Relative to the Digicam Management button, the massive Motion button additionally featured the same look, being flush with the body. Which means it didn’t stick out like the ability button or the quantity keys at present do. The capacitive Motion button was retained till the Proto1 stage of growth, ultimately being phased out with Proto2 models.
Mission Atlas traces its origins again to Mission Bongo, as each had been set to seem on the iPhone 16 vary, at one time limit.
Mission Bongo would have launched a unified, haptic quantity button to the iPhone 16 vary
Apple’s Mission Bongo, initially conceived as a {hardware} replace for the iPhone 15 Professional, was meant to introduce haptic quantity and energy buttons to the iPhone. Earlier than the mission’s abrupt cancellation in April of 2023, Apple had plans to make use of it for all the iPhone 16 vary as effectively.
Apple’s Mission Bongo would’ve launched a brand new unified quantity button design, which could be seen on this prototype iPhone 15 Professional Max
Design-wise, the Bongo mission was meant to introduce a unified quantity button, with a notch within the center to assist customers differentiate between the quantity up and quantity down positions. AppleInsider printed unique imagery of this design on an EVT prototype of the iPhone 15 Professional Max, as a part of our devoted report on Mission Bongo.
In the identical article, we outlined the core {hardware} elements of the haptic quantity and energy buttons. In brief, the buttons detected modifications in stress by way of pressure gauges and produced haptic suggestions by way of the so-called “Bongo Haptic Engine” — an electromagnetically pushed reluctance motor, consisting of a ferromagnetic core and copper coil, oscillating in relation to an attraction plate.
For the iPhone 16, Apple initially wished to incorporate each a Bongo-style unified quantity button in addition to a capacitive Motion button and Digicam Management. In the end, the Digicam Management is the one one which made it to the ultimate product.
Apple had already deserted Mission Bongo on the iPhone 16 Professional by the Proto1 stage of growth. The Proto2 stage eradicated Mission Atlas, making the Digicam Management the one new function for the iPhone 16.
Different modifications to the iPhone 16 vary had been stylistic in nature, somewhat than hardware-related. They solely affected the bottom mannequin iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, because of the distinctive digicam format discovered on these two units.
Early prototypes of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus had digicam designs impressed by older iPhone fashions
With the bottom iPhone 16, Apple switched again to utilizing a vertical rear digicam format for its commonplace units. In contrast to the iPhone 15, which featured diagonally aligned rear cameras, the iPhone 16 options two lenses stacked one on prime of the opposite, with a flash to the facet.
Early prototypes of the iPhone 16 featured digicam bump designs paying homage to the iPhone 12 and iPhone X
Apple opted for this transformation with a view to make spatial video seize doable on the bottom mannequin iPhone 16. The brand new vertical digicam alignment lets these units file immersive 3D movies and pictures, which could be performed on the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional headset.
Though the place of the iPhone 16 lenses and flash by no means modified throughout growth, early prototypes of the system had some familiar-looking designs for the rear digicam bump.
As revealed in a December 2023 report, pre-production prototypes of the bottom mannequin iPhone 16 used two distinct digicam designs. Considered one of them, which noticed extra intensive use on prototype units, appeared practically similar to the digicam bump of the iPhone 12.
Although it clearly accommodated the improved cameras of the iPhone 16, this design consisted of two separate lenses on a raised, sq. digicam bump floor — successfully a scaled-up model of the iPhone 12 design.
The opposite iPhone 16 design Apple thought-about appeared like a mixture of the iPhone 12 digicam bump and the lens enclosure of the iPhone X. This design featured a raised, sq. digicam bump with a pill-shaped lens enclosure supposed for each cameras.
After experimenting with two completely different digicam bump designs, which had been just like the iPhone X and iPhone 12, Apple selected a 3rd, completely different design for the digicam bump.
These digicam bump designs had been by no means realized, and so they solely appeared on prototype models. Apple ultimately settled on a 3rd design that maintains stylistic cues from each, and that is what ended up on the ultimate model of the bottom mannequin iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
The capacitive Motion button, Digicam Management in addition to unified, haptic quantity buttons had been additionally examined on prototypes of the usual iPhone 16. Other than the Digicam Management, the initiatives by no means made it to mass manufacturing.
That being mentioned, nevertheless, there are many distinctive upgrades that did make it to the ultimate variations of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional. The highly effective A18 vary of chips, with improved efficiency and Apple Intelligence help, make the iPhone 16 price contemplating.
For individuals who need units with a brand new look, vibrant shade choices coupled with a vertical rear digicam format make the bottom fashions visually distinct and noticeably completely different from their predecessors.