A New Era? Here's What You Can Expect from Apple's Upcoming iPhone 16
The iPhone reveal month is here! Tech enthusiasts always get ready for September, as tech giant Apple is expected to release the latest iPhone and iPhone Pro models (and the latest Apple Watch too!) during this time.
The buzz is real, with leaks and rumors on what the new iPhone 16 will look like. They're just enough to keep us on the edge of our seats. And while last year’s iPhone 15’s biggest change was the switch from lightning to USB-C port, everyone’s talking about what Apple might surprise us with this time.
To excite us further, the tech company has announced a new Apple event taking place this Sept. 9, with an Apple logo that mimics the design of that little circle that appears when you call Siri and a tagline that says “It’s Glowtime.”
In case you’re wondering what to expect from the upcoming Apple event, we’ve gathered some of the most talked-about leaks and rumors regarding the new Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineups.
AI: Apple Intelligence
While other smartphone brands like Samsung have made their own moves towards artificial intelligence (AI), Apple seems to be lagging in this aspect. But maybe not anymore – as the company has recently announced the integration of such technology into its upcoming iOS 18 during the WWDC 2024 last June.
Apple’s AI, also called Apple Intelligence, is said to be an upgraded version of generative AI, which is used in text and image generation. This feature is expected to proofread or summarize texts for its users and even write long messages for them.
In terms of image generation, Apple AI can be used to generate custom emojis (also called Genmojis). There’s also an Image Playground experience, which creates an entirely new image using descriptions, concepts, or even a person from the user's Photos gallery, and an Image Wand, which transforms a rough sketch from the Notes app into a related image.
Pretty cool, right? That’s not all, because the new iPhone might also have a Clean Up feature, which can remove unwanted background elements on photos — no more photobombers!
Don’t worry, though, because iOS 18 will also be supported in phones with at least an A12 Bionic chipset (iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and up). However, the AI features will only be available in iPhone 15 Pro models and up.
A Smarter Siri
Siri, Apple’s trusty smart assistant, is also getting an upgrade. According to Apple, the new Siri will become “even more capable, integrated, and personal.” One of the upgrades to look forward to includes a richer language understanding, which will make communicating with Siri easier and more natural.
Siri will also be able to work across apps! For example, users will be able to ask Siri to edit a photo using the Photos app or send someone a text on the Messages app. Siri also ditches the glowing ball of light at the bottom of the screen when it is activated; instead, the edges of the devices will light up to signify when Siri is in use.
New Look: Camera Layout and Colors
In terms of aesthetics, not much has changed in the iPhone's design from iPhone 11 up until 15, aside from the change from the Notch to the Dynamic Island and the switch to titanium material. This year, however, there might be a few distinct changes, one being the camera layout. According to Apple Insider, the cameras of iPhone 16’s base models will be vertically stacked instead of diagonally, which dials back to the design of iPhone 11 base phones.
Apple is also reportedly debuting new colors for its new iPhones. According to a social media post by tech reviewer Sonny Dickson, which shows a photo of iPhone 16 prototypes, the Pro models will drop the Blue Titanium variant and replace it with a metallic bronze-like color. This is in addition to the White Titanium, Black Titanium, and Natural Titanium colors that are already available for the 15 Pro variant.
Meanwhile, the base models are expected to come in five colors: a deep, rich blue shade, a sleek black, a soft pink hue, a clean white, and a vibrant green color.
Capture and Action Buttons
Last year, the Action Button made its appearance in the iPhone 15 Pro phones — a button that can be programmed to a specific function that can be accessed with just one click. This year, the Action button is rumored to be making its way on the base models as well, replacing the Silent toggle at the side of these phones.
Another button that is expected to be on the new iPhones is the Capture Button. It is said to be located at the lower right side of all iPhone 16 phones and will be able to open and control the camera app. This is supposed to make taking selfies and photos easier, no more struggles in looking for the app when you’re in a hurry!
The Bigger, The Better?
One other rumor that’s been going around is that the iPhone Pros will have slightly bigger display sizes. This means the new phones could have thinner bezels or bigger sizes. Recently, MacRumors said that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a display size of 6.3 inches, a 0.2 upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro’s 6.1 inches.
Similarly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch screen, a bit bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch display. We can also expect a slight change in these phones' weights, with the 16 Pro being 7 grams heavier and the 16 Pro Max being 4 grams heavier than their counterparts.
Meanwhile, no changes in size are expected from the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus phones.
Prices
Given the rising costs, the increasingly competitive smartphone market, and the upgrades done to the iPhone 16 lineup, a price increase may be expected. Several sources say that the iPhone 16, the most basic model, will still have a starting price of US$799, while some say that a US$100 increase is possible.
On the other hand, the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models may have a base price of US$1,099 and US$1,199, respectively, but mainly because Apple is reportedly ditching the 128GB variation.
Now, the ultimate question — is it worth upgrading to the iPhone 16? Sure, there are quite a lot of things to look forward to, but we still have to watch out for what will be unveiled at the upcoming Apple event. If you’re anything like us who are pumped to find out, make sure to watch the event via Apple’s website, Apple TV+, or YouTube channel!
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