iPhone 16: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors

iPhone 16 is the inevitable successor to the iPhone 15. Expected this fall, this lineup could include the iPhone Ultra, larger displays, a new button, better mics for AI, and support for faster Wi-Fi.

When Will the iPhone 16 Be Released?

Apple follows a fairly stable timeline with its smartphone releases, basically guaranteeing a new one each year. The newest iPhone came out last year, so the iPhone 16 is scheduled next.

There will probably be several models, like in previous years: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and maybe even an iPhone 16 Ultra.

iPhone 16 Price Rumors

The iPhone Ultra, which might be the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 model, could sit at well over $1100, which means the rest of the lineup would fall somewhere below that.

For reference, the iPhone 15 ranges from $799 for the most basic model to $1199 for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Pre-Order Information

You'll be able to order the iPhone 16 from Apple's website shortly after the phones are announced. We'll provide a link here when one becomes available.

iPhone 16 Specs & Features

The iPhone 16 could introduce several new features and hardware changes. Here's a summary before we get into all the details:

• Bigger screen
• In-display Face ID
• 48MP Ultra Wide camera lens
• Capture button
• Upgraded mics
• 5G Advanced support
• Wi-Fi 7
• A18 Pro chip
• iOS 18

Display

Ross Young, of Display Supply Chain Consultants, says the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will have larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays (the iPhone 15/14 Pro and Pro Max have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays). The 6.1-inch standard model and 6.7-inch iPhone Plus are expected to remain at those sizes.

These phones will reportedly feature Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology to reduce the size of the bezel at the bottom of the phone. Sisa Journal says all four models will include this ultra-thin bezel technology.

Face ID

The 2024 iPhones might include in-display Face ID, which could change the way the whole front of the device looks. If this rumor from The Elec ends up true, the iPhone Pro models might have just the front-facing camera cutout:

Apple is expected to apply the 'Under Panel Face ID' function that hides Face ID under the screen from next year's iPhone 16 series Pro lineup.

Frequent Apple leaker and reporter, Ming-Chi Kuo, predicted this same rumor as early as 2022.

However, Young thinks that due to sensor issues, under-panel Face ID will be pushed to at least 2025 and therefore arrive with the iPhone 17 Pro. If right, the 2024 phones will undoubtedly follow the iPhone 15 series regarding the overall design (i.e., all models will have the Dynamic Island cutout).

Camera

Apple introduced spatial video recording with the iPhone 15, but it's only available on the Pro models. In addition to this year's higher-end iPhones, rumors say this feature will be coming to the iPhone 16 standard and Plus models, evidenced by iPhone 16 molds that show a vertical camera layout. You need an Apple Vision Pro headset to view these recordings.

A periscope camera lens is expected to make its way into this phone, which means better zoom capabilities. Kuo reported in early 2023 that his survey "indicates only one/highest-end new iPhone 16 model in 2H24 will have the periscope camera." There's a good chance this rumor is referring to the iPhone Ultra.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max phones are expected to have a 48MP ultra wide-angle lens (the iPhone 15/14 Pro models use a 12MP ultra wide-angle lens).

Another iPhone 16 rumor we've heard is that we'll see the introduction of a tetraprism telephoto camera, which increases the optical zoom of the telephoto lens to 5x. Presently, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max has this camera. This could be one reason the iPhone 16 Pro‌ and Pro Max are getting bigger this year, to accommodate this new hardware.

Other Details

MacRumors has detailed mockups of the iPhone 16 Pro devices based on prototypes obtained via internal designs from Apple. They say "Apple appears to have settled on a button design similar to the one on the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌, though with an added button on the right side of the ‌iPhone‌."

There's been a rumor since last year that the iPhone 16 will introduce a new capacitive touch button called Capture button. It's said to be positioned near the power button, and its name suggests it's related to the camera. The specifics aren't clear yet, but one believable rumor (via MacRumors) is that I'll be used for focus; press down halfway to control focus, or all the way to take the shot.

In a late 2023 Medium post by Ming-Chi Kuo, we're told that the iPhone 16 should receive a "significant upgrade" in mic specs. Kuo says better water resistance is one key change, but we'll also see an improved Siri experience. This goes hand in hand with the AI-powered Siri expected in iOS 18.

The iPhone 15 has several storage options ranging from 128 GB to 1 TB. There have been rumors of 2 TB models coming this year, but it probably won't happen. An increase in local storage means fewer customers would purchase an iCloud plan. So, that doesn't make much sense unless the bigger models are priced accordingly to cover that potential loss in revenue.

The current non-Pro iPhones have 6 GB of RAM. This is expected to increase to 8 GB in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. More RAM lets you multitask between apps, keeping several apps running smoothly in the background without slowing down your phone. 

The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to use the Snapdragon X75 modem while the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus might be equipped with the X70 modem. The Verge explains how you'll benefit from this newer hardware when you connect to 5G networks.

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will pack a punch with the all-new A18 Pro chip, replacing the current A17 Pro. Meanwhile, the more affordable models will also step up their game with the A18 processor. This upgraded chip is tailor-made to enhance on-device AI capabilities, as reported by 9to5Mac.

iPhone 16 will also likely upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 (the latest iPhones use Wi-Fi 6E). This, Kuo explains, "will be more conducive to Apple's integration of hardware products running on the same local network and provide a better ecosystem experience."

X user ShrimpApplePro has unveiled fresh details regarding this year's color palette. The source claims that Apple will retire the blue titanium option to introduce a rose titanium variant for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Other options include Space Black, White, and Gray. As for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, the same iPhone 15 colors are expected, but with white and purple available as well. The same color-infused back glass from last year is expected this time around.

iOS 18 will be the operating system that ships with the iPhone 16. You can read more about what we expect in iOS 18; the gist is that AI will take center stage and Apple will enable RCS.

Check out our iPhone 15 and iPhone Ultra articles to see what else we expect to see with the iPhone 16.

The Latest News About the iPhone 16

You can get more smartphone news from Lifewire. Below are stories related to the iPhone 16 specifically: