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Apple released the public beta of iOS 18 this week, a sign that we’re one step closer to the expected fall launch of the iPhone 16. Apple previewed iOS 18 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June and the release of the public beta this week has us wondering what extras the next iPhone will offer, besides Apple Intelligence.
Rumors abound about the iPhone 16’s new features, which are said to include a new, power-efficient display, larger screens, better zoom lenses, an action button and, unsurprisingly, a suite of new AI features.
Read more: Best iPhone of 2024
The iPhone 16 is still supposedly two months away, though, and nothing will be confirmed until Apple’s iPhone event in the fall. Still, these rumors can give us some idea of what to expect from the next iPhone.
These are the most credible iPhone 16 rumors.
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Will the iPhone 16 be foldable?
Probably not. Recent rumors suggest that Apple has been working on iPhone Flip models in two different sizes, though there have been issues getting the devices to meet Apple’s standards. The company is also reportedly working on a foldable tablet with a screen the size of an iPad Mini. While virtually every major phone maker – from Google to Oppo to OnePlus to Samsung – has launched its own bendable devices, Apple has been characteristically quiet on whether an iPhone Flip or iPhone Fold will ever happen.
Previous rumors suggested that Apple wouldn’t release a device with a flexible display until 2025. However, Samsung hasn’t let fans miss out by releasing an app that allows Apple phone owners to experience a Z Fold-like experience by placing two iPhones side by side.
iPhone 16 design with thinner bezels
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.
iPhone 16 Pro models with larger screens
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
iPhone 16 gets more AI tricks
AI is perhaps the biggest tech buzzword of the year, and Apple has followed in the footsteps of rivals Samsung and Google, each of which announced 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 accessing tech 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 design: new action button?
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.
Could the iPhone 16 get a more energy-efficient display?
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 cameras could get a bigger zoom
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
iPhone 16 Pro: Less lens flare?
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 all models?
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 get new colors?
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.
When will the iPhone 16 be released?
Apple holds its annual iPhone event in September almost every year, so we expect the timeline for the iPhone 16 to remain the same. New iPhones are typically released shortly thereafter, usually on the Friday of the following week. Sometimes Apple will stagger the release dates for specific models, particularly when introducing a new design or size. So it’s possible that the iPhone 16 lineup will have more than one release date.
What we know so far
Apple typically holds its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The iPhone 15 event was held on Tuesday, September 7. The iPhone 14 event was held on Wednesday, September 7. And the iPhone 13 event was held on Tuesday, September 14.
The iPhone release date usually takes place a week and a half after Apple’s announcements.
Typically, new iPhones are released on a Friday, around the third week of September. For the iPhone 13, pre-orders began on September 17, and the phones went on sale on September 24.
