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If the leaks and rumors are true, the iPhone 16 will share many physical features with the iPhone 15. But it could also feature some physical changes that could end up being particularly useful, like an Action button for the regular model and larger screens on the iPhone 16 Pro devices.
None of these reports have been confirmed or acknowledged by Apple, so we’ll have to wait until September to find out what we can actually expect from the iPhone 16.
The iPhone design has remained largely the same over the past few years, aside from the iPhone 15 Pro’s titanium construction and the iPhone 15’s colored glass. Apple also removed the SIM card slot from new iPhones in the US starting with the iPhone 14 in 2022, meaning new iPhone buyers will be forced to rely on electronic SIMs. But arguably the biggest overhaul in recent history came in 2020, when Apple changed the shape of the iPhone by giving it flatter edges starting with the iPhone 12.
There could be more significant design tweaks in store for next year’s iPhone, with Apple reportedly working on an iPhone 17 Slim for 2025, 9to5Mac Story quoting analyst Jeff Pu. The information also reports that work could be underway on a thinner iPhone next year, after Apple introduced its sleek iPad Pro earlier this year.
Here’s what we expect from the iPhone 16.
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iPhone 16 may get a new camera expansion
Apple could change the camera layout of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, according to MacRumorsReports suggest that the cameras on both phones will be stacked vertically, similar to the iPhone 12.
Australian tech commentator Trevor Long claims to have gotten his hands on a dummy iPhone 16, which he unpacked it on his YouTube channelEFTM. These “dummy” units aren’t actual iPhones; they’re mockups meant to help case manufacturers determine the size and dimensions of new phones before they’re released. The alleged iPhone 16 dummy in Long’s video features vertically oriented cameras, just like the ones mentioned in the MacRumors article.
Sonny Dicksona tech blogger who has previously published iPhone leaksalso posted an image to X show what the makers claim are fake iPhone units MacRumorsThe units in that photo also have cameras stacked vertically on top of each other.
It’s unclear why Apple would specifically change the positioning of the cameras on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, on the other hand, are expected to retain the same camera bump design, according to 91Mobile phoneswho claims to have obtained drawings of the phones’ design.
When Apple switched from a vertical to a diagonal setup starting with the iPhone 13, the company said it allowed for a larger module to fit inside the device, as noted in CNET’s review. It’s possible that it no longer needs to position the cameras that way to accommodate the iPhone 16’s sensor, but that’s just speculation at this point.
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iPhone 16 Action and Camera Recording Buttons
Expect your next iPhone to have more buttons.
According to reports, the iPhone 16 will get a dedicated button for recording videos. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurmanalthough it’s unclear if it would be available on all phones or just the Pro models. At the same time, Apple is expected to expand the Action button to all iPhone 16 models, Bloomberg also reports. Both buttons will be capacitive, according to MacRumors.
The Action button, which can be used as a shortcut to launch the camera or toggle Do Not Disturb, is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. In addition to expanding the Action button to the standard iPhone this year, I’m also hoping to see Apple expand what it can do. As my colleague Patrick Holland writes, the ability to trigger different actions with multiple presses could open up a lot of possibilities.
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Larger sizes for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone Pro screen size has been the same for years, but that could change soon. According to reports from Bloombergwell-known analyst Ming Chi Kuo, MacRumors and CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants Ross Jong.
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max currently measure 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively. If Young and MacRumors’ reports turn out to be true, the Pro’s display could come in at 6.2 or 6.3 inches, while the Max could come in at 6.8 or 6.9 inches.
a photo on social media posted by noted leaker Sonny Dickson showed what are said to be mockups of the next iPhone. Two of the models had labels indicating they will have 6.3- and 6.9-inch displays, further fueling speculation that Apple will be giving its pro-level iPhones a larger screen size.
That jump from 6.1 to 6.3 inches might not sound like a lot of difference. But in a device as small as a phone, even a fraction of an inch can go a long way.
Another reportedly leaked photo claims to show how the iPhone 16 Pro Max compares in size to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Daniel Rotar of the tech YouTube channel ZoneOfTech a photo published on X of what appears to be a dummy unit of the iPhone 16 Pro Max next to last year’s Pro Max. Based on that photo, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be slightly larger than its predecessor.
Apple hasn’t updated the screen size of its Pro Max iPhone since 2020, when it introduced the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max to replace the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max. The Pro model also got a size bump that year, growing to 6.1 inches from the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro.
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iPhone 16 possible colors
Apple may have a few new color options in store for the iPhone 16 Pro, if the rumors turn out to be true. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are reportedly coming in space black, gray, rose, and white, according to a leak that surfaced on Chinese social network Weibo. The rumor was reposted by a known leaker who goes by the alias ShrimpApplePro on X. That would differ from the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max color options, which include Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.
The regular iPhone could come in pink, black, white, green and blue, according to Photo by Dickson And Kuo.
All in all, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro sound like incremental upgrades over the iPhone 15. Check out our full preview of what to expect from the iPhone 16 to learn more about what to expect from the camera and other key areas.
