The 2024 iPhone 16 Lineup
Unveiled at Apple’s “It’s Time” event on September 9, the iPhone 16 will bring significant changes to the iPhone lineup. Apple is expected to increase the size of the iPhone 16 Pro to 6.3 inches and the iPhone 16 Pro Max to 6.9 inches, the first size upgrade in years. The size change will be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models, with the iPhone 16 models remaining the same size as the iPhone 15 models. While the iPhone 16 models won’t be as big, there will be some minor changes to the design of the new buttons, but for the most part, both the standard iPhone 16 models and the Pro models will look similar to the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro models.
Apple is designing new A-series chips for the iPhone 16 lineup built on the latest N3E 3-nanometer chip. We may see some improvements in performance and performance, but we haven’t yet got the details of what we expect. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro may use different chips, with the high-end chip limited to the Pro model, but all models are expected to support iOS 18 Apple Intelligence features.
The action button, which was limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models, will expand to all four iPhone 16 models in 2024, and the iPhone 16 lineup is said to have a new “capture button” that can be used to take photos and videos. The capture button works like the shutter button on a digital camera, detecting multiple levels of pressure to focus and then capture an image.
For the iPhone 16 models, Apple is planning a new vertical camera lens arrangement, which is different from the previous diagonal lens arrangement. The new orientation will allow the standard iPhone 16 models to record spatial video for the Vision Pro headset. Apple is expected to bring the tetraprism 5x optical zoom lens to the iPhone 16 Pro, so it may not be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro Max this year.
iPhone 16 Design
Apple tested several designs for the standard iPhone 16 model, but ultimately decided on a vertically aligned camera setup with a pill-shaped camera bump. Previous iPhones used square-shaped camera bumps to accommodate diagonal lenses, but Apple may make the camera bump thinner with the new lens arrangement.
The pill-shaped pump houses separate wide and ultrawide lenses. The microphone is next to the lens, while the camera flash sticks out of the bump on the back of the device.
On the left side of the iPhone, Apple plans to replace the mute switch with an action button, and the iPhone 16 models will adopt the same button introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro models. The volume buttons are below the action button.
There will be a new capture button on the right side of the device, which will be located where the mmWave antenna used to be on previous iPhone models in the US, making it easier to press when the iPhone is in landscape orientation. Apple plans to move the mmWave antenna to the bottom left of the iPhone 16.
Apart from the new vertical lens arrangement and capture button, the iPhone 16 models will have the same general design as the iPhone 15 models, with no significant changes to the body size or shape.
Colors
There are mixed rumours about the colour options for the iPhone 16 models. One rumour suggested seven colours, including blue, pink, yellow, green, black, white and purple.
However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Guo believes the iPhone 16 will be available in black, green, pink, blue and white, with no purple or yellow options. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested the iPhone 16 models will be available in green, blue, pink and white without yellow.
iPhone 16 mockups have showcased colour options for the iPhone 16, including light pink, a dark blue-green shade and vibrant blue, black and white.
The iPhone 16 models are also expected to adopt the same tinted back glass used for the iPhone 15 models. The rear glass layer has a frosted effect that contrasts with the main frame colour.
MagSafe
The MagSafe alignment magnets on the iPhone 16 models may be thinner than before, reducing the size of the magnetic ring required for MagSafe-compatible cases.
Dummy Models
Before the launch of new iPhone models, case makers receive leaked dimensions and specifications of the upcoming devices from Apple suppliers. This information is used to create mock-ups for case manufacturing, and since there is a lot of money involved in releasing a case for a new device for the first time, mock-ups are often an accurate representation of what we can expect from new iPhones.
Several versions of the iPhone 16 dummy models that leaked in April clearly show the differences in size we can expect from the iPhone 16 lineup. The Pro models are slightly taller and wider, and the standard iPhone 16 models have a redesigned camera cutout that’s vertical rather than diagonal to those iPhones’ two-lens camera setup.
There are some changes to the external camera design of the iPhone 16 Pro models, with Apple continuing to use a square camera bump with three lenses.
The left side of the mockup shows the action button on all four models, which is in line with rumors. The right side highlights the new capture button, which is attached to the side of the device rather than sticking out like the volume and power buttons.
Size Changes for iPhone 16 Pro
Multiple sources suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have larger display sizes. The iPhone 16 Pro is expected to have a 6.27-inch (6.3 circular) display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to have a 6.85-inch (6.9 circular) display.
As the display size increases, the dimensions of the iPhone’s body also increase. Both models are expected to be taller and wider than the iPhone 15 Pro models, and the thickness will be similar, with a slight increase in weight due to the larger size. The general shape and design will not be updated, but the bezels will be thinner.
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
The comparison images with the mock-up next to the iPhone 15 Pro Max show just how much bigger the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
We don’t expect any changes to the size of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, and the devices will be the same size as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
Display Technology
The iPhone 16 OLED panels use micro-lens technology for both improved brightness and lower power consumption. Micro-lens arrays, or MLAs, use billions of lenses in a uniform pattern inside the panel to reduce internal reflections. The reflected light increases perceived brightness without increasing power consumption.
The OLED displays used in the iPhone 16 lineup will be more energy efficient with better materials.
Apple is using Border Reduction Structure (PRS) technology for some iPhone 16 models, which is expected to result in thinner bezel sizes. The technology allows for thinner bezels without affecting display performance.
It is not yet clear whether thinner bezels will be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models or whether this will be a change implemented across the entire lineup.
The iPhone 16 models may have some small changes to the Face ID system, but it is unclear what will be different. An Apple supplier in the UK has reportedly lost a distribution deal with Apple as Apple plans to “resurrect” Face ID with the launch of the iPhone 16.
Buttons
Apple plans to add two new buttons to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, one to replace the mute switch and one entirely new button.
Action Button
The iPhone 15 Pro models have an action button, and in 2024, the action button is expected to expand to the standard iPhone 16 models. The action button used in the iPhone 16 lineup is similar to the iPhone 15 Pro action button.
The action button replaces the traditional mute switch and can perform multiple functions such as activating the flashlight, activating the camera, launching shortcuts, enabling or disabling focus mode, applying translation, and turning on/off silent mode.
Capture Button
An additional issue is that this button is located on the same side of the iPhone as the power button, in a space occupied by the 5G mmWave antenna in the US.
The addition of this button moved the mmWave cutout to the left side of the device, below the volume buttons. Although the button is expected to be mechanical rather than capacitive, it will respond to pressure and touch, and have a number of other capabilities.
- Lightly press the button to autofocus while capturing pictures or videos.
- Press the More button to take a photo.
- Swipe left and right on the Zoom Out button.
- Just like capturing videos by pressing and swiping in the iPhone Camera app, there can be a gesture to switch between photo mode and video mode.
- The capture button is available on all four iPhone 16 models and can be used to take photos and videos.
