iPhone 16: Everything we know about release date, leaks and more
Apple is expected to release the iPhone 16 in a few weeks. The new iPhone, a successor to the iPhone 15, is likely to be announced and launched in September, and would launch shortly after Google’s new Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. AI will be a central feature of Apple’s new iPhones, with the iPhone 16 running Apple Intelligence, which is available to try now as part of the second developer beta for iOS 18.1.
And if the rumors are true, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will both get some major updates, from new power-efficient displays and larger screens to better zoom lenses and the addition of an Action button to all 2024 iPhone models.
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The iPhone 16 series will be as much about refreshed hardware as it will be a platform for Apple’s suite of new AI-powered features. This all comes as rival phone makers like Samsung and Google have packed phones with AI and generative AI to make everything from composing messages to removing objects and people from photos super-simple.
That’s not to say the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are all about AI and Apple Intelligence. Expect new colors, improved cameras, and larger displays.
These are the most credible iPhone 16 rumors.
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iPhone 16 release date
Apple holds its annual iPhone event in September almost every year, so we’d expect the timeline to remain the same for the iPhone 16. The Cupertino company has yet to announce a date for this year’s iPhone event. Historically, depending on when Labor Day falls, the event is held on a Tuesday of the second week of September, which would mean this year’s iPhone 16 event would be on September 10. (The iPhone 15 event was held on Tuesday, September 7.)
Apple has only held the event on Wednesdays twice. The last time was on Wednesday, September 7, during the iPhone 14 event.
New iPhones are typically released shortly after the event, usually on the Friday of the following week. That would mean the iPhone 16 would release on Friday, September 20. (iPhone 13 pre-orders began on September 17, and the phones went on sale on September 24.)
Again, this is all subject to change, and we’ll have to wait for Apple to send out formal event invites to know for sure. Sometimes Apple will stagger release dates for specific models, especially when introducing a new design or size, so it’s possible that the iPhone 16 lineup will have more than one release date.
iPhone 16 design
Rumors of larger screen sizes have been piling up, at least for certain iPhone 16 models. The latest comes from Korean publication Elec, which published a report in April stating that certain iPhone 16 models are poised to adopt an innovative display technology that will result in thinner bezels, or frames, surrounding the phone’s display. This development could lead to a slightly larger screen real estate for some iPhone 16 models, though it’s unclear which models.
Apple has a history of introducing display upgrades to its pro product line, sometimes trickling them down to lower-end models. The report says that display manufacturers have been introducing new bezel-reduction technology, which allows for more compact control circuitry and ultimately thinner bezels.
The latest iPhone Plus
The iPhone 16 Plus may be the last of Apple’s larger mainstream iPhones. Apple reportedly plans to discontinue the larger-screen Plus model of its standard iPhone next year and instead introduce a new ultra-thin premium iPhone reportedly called the iPhone 17 Slim, according to reports from two analysts known for their Apple predictions: Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities and Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities (as 9to5Mac reported).
iPhone 16 colors
All different colors for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.
Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has color predictions for the iPhone 16 series. In a post on X In May, he said that the iPhone 15 Pro’s blue color option would be discontinued and replaced with a new rose model, which would be available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. He also predicted that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus would come in white, replacing the yellow model.
Possible colors for the iPhone 16 series
| iPhone 16 | Black, blue, green, pink, white |
|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Plus | Black, blue, green, pink, white |
| iPhone 16 Pro | Black, natural, pink and white titanium finishes |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | Black, natural, pink and white titanium finishes |
iPhone 16 Pro screen size
Since 2022, the iPhone lineup has had a regular and Pro 6.1-inch model and Plus and Pro Max 6.7-inch versions
Speaking of screen sizes, Apple has maintained the two screen sizes for iPhone Pro models since 2020, when it launched the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, rumors have it that that will change with the iPhone 16 Pro models, which could feature larger displays.
Display analyst Ross Young suggested earlier this year that the iPhone 16 Pro models would have larger screens, pegging the sizes at 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. That rumor was later confirmed by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who said the iPhone 16 Pro models could grow “a few tenths of an inch diagonally.”
Read more: How the iPhone 16 design could change
It is believed that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models stick to the current 6.1 inch and 6.7 inch sizesIf the larger dimensions are true, this would be another move by Apple to differentiate its Pro iPhone models from its regular models.
iPhone 15 screen sizes
- iPhone 15: 6.1 inch
- iPhone 15 Plus: 6.7 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 6.7 inches
iPhone 16 screen size rumors
- iPhone 16: 6.1 inch
- iPhone 16 Plus: 6.7 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro: 6.3 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 6.9 inches
Another change that could be making its way to iPhone 16 displays is greater power efficiency. Samsung Display is apparently developing a new material set, dubbed M14, specifically for Apple, according to a report The Elec report, which states that the new technology is expected to appear on iPhones next year. The M14 will replace the blue fluorescent technology used today with blue phosphorescent technology, resulting in an even more power-efficient display than the current LTPO displays used on Pro models, the report said.
iPhone 16 gets more AI tricks
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, introduced Apple’s AI efforts as “Apple Intelligence” at WWDC 2024.
AI may be the biggest tech buzzword of the year, and Apple followed in the footsteps of rivals Samsung and Google, each of which touted new AI tips and tricks on their flagship phones. Apple Intelligence made its debut at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
It brings ChatGPT integration, tools for proofreading and rewriting text in a different tone, new Siri features for getting technical support and answering more personalized requests, and the ability to generate images and emojis, among other features. These new AI features are expected to ship out of the box on all models of the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup running iOS 18.
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get an action button
The Action button on iPhone 15 Pro models lets you do more than just mute and unmute your phone.
In March, AppleInsider posted a collection of images allegedly showing 3D-printed dummy models of the rumored iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. The images revealed that the iPhone 16 could feature a vertical camera stack instead of a diagonal one and an action button, similar to the ones on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 16 camera features
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could feature 5x telephoto lenses next year, according to an Apple analyst Ming Chi KuoA tetraprism lens will make its way to both Pro models next year, as opposed to just the Pro Max model. Apple has equipped the iPhone 15 Pro with a 12-megapixel 3x optical zoom, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel 5x optical zoom camera, which is equivalent to a 120mm lens on a full-frame camera.
If the rumor is true, it could mark a breakthrough in design. When Apple launched the 15 Pro Max with its 5x telephoto lens, it cited the phone’s larger body as the reason why the Pro Max had it and the Pro didn’t.
Read more: iPhone 16 camera: What Apple could change
According to a recent leak discovered by MacRumorsApple may be exploring a new approach to improving photo quality. Rumors suggest that the company could add anti-reflection technology to its camera manufacturing process. If successful, it could eliminate unwanted artifacts like lens flare, resulting in more realistic photos.
iPhone 16 processors: A18 chip for everyone
In a break from the past two years, all four iPhone 16 models will apparently get a next-generation Apple chipset, all of which will feature A18 branding. According to a MacRumors According to a report citing Jeff Pu, a senior analyst for Haitong International Securities, all four models will get an A18 series chip, with the Pro iPhone models getting an A18 Bionic Pro and the base models getting a regular A18.
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus currently have the A16 Bionic, which debuted on the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, while the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are powered by the A17 Pro processor. Pu says the A18 chip will be made using TSMC’s advanced 3-nanometer process.
Read more: Apple iPhone SE 4 Rumors: iPhone 14 Design, Face ID, and More
Tim Cook to unveil iPhone 13 in 2021.
Will the iPhone 16 be foldable?
Probably not. Virtually every major phone maker — from Google to Oppo to OnePlus to Samsung — has launched multiple generations of bendable phones, but Apple has been characteristically quiet about whether there will ever be a foldable iPhone. Recent rumors suggest that Apple is working on a “clamshell” design iPhone, which, according to one report last Tuesday from The Information.
The new design will coincide with Apple’s plans to also release new improved camera technologies, including a variable aperture, the report added. It’s not clear what has held Apple back from releasing a foldable iPhone in recent years. The company has reportedly been working on foldable iPhone designs since at least 2019
Read more: iPhone 17 Slim: The biggest leaks about Apple’s rumored super-thin phone
