iPhone 16 Pro : possible pricing, release date rumors, recent leaks, AI forecasts, and more
September is getting closer and closer, which means the anticipated release date of the iPhone 16 is getting closer. The release of the next-generation iPhone is predicted to occur in the latter half of 2024, much like day follows night.
Based on current speculations and my extensive expertise monitoring Apple products for over eleven years, we can anticipate minor adjustments and possibly substantial enhancements with the iPhone 16. Fundamentally, the iPhone 16 is probably going to be a platform for iOS 18 and its intelligent features, which include a redesigned Siri and Apple Intelligence.
The standard next-generation iPhone and the iPhone 16 Plus don’t seem to be getting any significant changes, such as supercharged cameras, a 120Hz display, or even a completely new design; instead, the headline-grabbing upgrades will likely be found in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Read on for all the updates, disappointments, and changes we anticipate from the iPhone 16 as well as what we now know. Despite everything, the iPhone 16 will still be a smartphone to watch this year.
iPhone 16: What You Need to Know
- It is anticipated that the iPhone 16 series will launch in early September.
The iPhone 16 is anticipated to launch at $799, £799, or AU$1,499 - The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max are the four variants that are anticipated.
- Anticipate a design akin to that of the iPhone 15, albeit with a dedicated camera capture button and an Action button on all versions.
- The A17 Pro or A18 Pro chip will probably be included in the iPhone 16 series.
- For the Pro phones, storage will probably start at 256GB and go up to 1TB, while RAM will likely come in at 8GB.
- The iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to feature significant improvements over the normal and Plus iPhone 16 models, although the camera hardware may remain the same.
- In addition to hardware modifications and battery upgrades, we also anticipate some software optimization.
- iOS 18 will be included with every new iPhone.
- Potentially some of the first Apple Intelligence AI features and a more intelligent Siri could be included with all iPhone 16 models.
- Though we might see a purple colorway and a white alternative, the color possibilities appear to be similar to the iPhone 15’s mix of green, pink, yellow, and other colors.
- Regarding the price of the iPhone 16, tipsters dispute.
- However, the iPhone 16 should launch at roughly $799, £799, or AU$1,499
- Likely to begin operations in September 2024’s first half
- The estimated shipping date is going to be a week or so later.
Though it’s unclear how much, several tipsters have suggested that the iPhone 16 would cost more than its predecessor. One possible explanation for this kind of pricing increase is that Apple is facing higher manufacturing costs.
The starting price of the iPhone 15 is currently $799 / £799 / AU$1,499, so it wouldn’t be out of the question if Apple increased the price by $100 / £100 on all models. Nevertheless, it might provide a challenge for Apple, as a survey indicates that the primary motivator for prospective iPhone 16 buyers is low cost. See our guide on the pricing of the iPhone 16 for a complete breakdown of costs.
Since Apple usually releases its new iPhones in September, we will probably find out the actual price then. According to my estimate, Apple will host an event during the second week of September, and the iPhone 16 will go on sale approximately one week after.
That’s consistent with remarks made by Mark Gurman, who said that September 10 is the most likely date and added that the iPhone 16 will reportedly still ship in September even though Apple Intelligence is probably not going to arrive until October.
Are These Rumors Reliable?
I don’t think Apple will increase the cost of the iPhone 16 series—at least not for the regular or Plus versions. Even though Apple has a devoted following of iPhone users, the cost of its cellphones is frequently more than that of the best Android phones. For this reason, I believe the price of entry-level iPhones shouldn’t increase too much, as this could reduce their appeal.
Therefore, I anticipate that the iPhone 16 will launch in September at the same pricing as the iPhone 15.
Action Buttons for All
- A new ‘Capture’ button might be included in every model.
- White, pink, blue, green, and black seem to be appropriate for the conventional models.
With the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple introduced the Action button, which, despite its limitations, is still a useful button to have. I personally use mine to activate the “torch” feature on my iPhone 15 Pro Max without having to look down at my phone.
Because of this, it has been suggested that all iPhone 16 models would include the Action button, which would be a helpful improvement over the basic and Plus models’ predecessors. Nevertheless, a button dubbed “Capture” has also been tipped; it appears that this is done to act as a fast trigger for the shutter of the camera app.
Based on current speculations, it appears that these will be the most significant design changes for the iPhone 16. There are also rumors of new colors for the phone, which include blue, green, pink, blue, and white.
In addition to revealing a new camera design with vertical rather than diagonal lenses, the leaked iPhone 16 image also gives you a preview of how all five of these tints might appear.
One has grown accustomed to expecting evolution rather than revolution in Apple phone design, as evidenced by the latest iPhone models.
Are These Rumors Reliable?
Overall, I think it makes logical that the Action button is rumored to be coming to all iPhone models. Apple has a habit of adding capabilities to its Pro phones one generation and then making them available to non-Pro iPhones the next.
The rumor about the Capture button seems less credible to me because the Action button may already be configured to activate the cameras.
Business as Usual for the Cameras
- The same cameras used in the ordinary variants were tipped.
- Anticipate intelligent features and software updates.
Rumor has it that the 48MP primary and 12MP ultra-wide dual-sensor combination of the iPhone 16 is the same as that of the iPhone 15. While it may not cause heart palpitations, Apple has only used the 48MP primary camera on the iPhone for the last two generations, so there is still room for improvement in terms of software.
Improved image signal processing and a few clever editing tools, such to those found on the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8 phones, are anticipated improvements on the camera front.
Are These Rumors Reliable?
When the iPhone 16 comes out, I’m very sure Apple won’t change the dual-rear-camera configuration that the basic and Plus iPhones use. However, I do anticipate that software will advance, offering greater video stabilization as well as sharper portrait and low-light images.
Anticipate an A18 or A17 Pro Chip.
- Probably an A17 Pro or A18 chipset for the iPhone 16
Apple may use the reported A18 chip to provide the previously mentioned photo improvements, as well as increase the power and efficiency of the iPhone 16 compared to its predecessor.
There is currently a split in the chips that the iPhone uses: the Pro phones feature the A17 Pro, which allows for console-quality gaming on a phone. The iPhone 15 Pro is able to run Death Stranding, but the normal and Plus models are unable to. The standard phones use the A16 Bionic chips.
Apple Intelligence AI features are believed to require a lot of processing power, therefore the iPhone 16 is projected to either inherit the A17 Pro or have an A18 chipset. The catch is that the Pro phones might receive additional RAM and processor optimization to make the upgrade worthwhile.
Are These Rumors Reliable?
I believe that the iPhone 16 will get a chip upgrade, albeit it’s unclear whose chip it will get. In order to fuel AI workloads similarly across all next-generation iPhones and pave the road for the general adoption of practical and helpful AI tools and capabilities, I’d want to see Apple implement some level of standardization in the chips it supplies.
Having said that, there is a rumor highlighting the iPhone 17’s potential features, so it might be a phone worth waiting for despite the appealing enhancements for the iPhone 16.
Potentially a lot of AI
- There will be multiple updates to essential iPhone apps with iOS 18.
- The iPhone 16 series will get features akin to those of Google Gemini thanks to Apple Intelligence.
Apple plans to release iOS 18 soon, adding a number of improvements to iPhones made today and in the future. However, the utilization of Apple Intelligence features—most notably, a more intelligent Siri—may be the software’s more intriguing aspect.
The only question around this possible iPhone 16 feature is whether or if clever AI-focused features will be developed in time to be compatible with the phone, and whether or not the chip that powers the phone will be strong enough to handle potentially taxing workloads while in use. If nothing else, I anticipate that all iPhone 16 models will come with an enhanced version of Siri that is more adept at comprehending complex queries and natural language.
Better Batteries
- Larger battery tips for every model, with the exception of the Plus
With the exception of the Plus, larger batteries are expected for all iPhone 16 variants; the regular model is expected to receive a 6% larger battery. This resulted in an increase to 3,561mAh from the iPhone 15’s 3,349mAh.
I would anticipate that the iPhone 16 will have enough battery life to last through a full day of use, including accessing AI features, despite this slight increase in capacity.
According to another speculation, graphene heat sinks—which would help the phones operate cooler for longer—will be included in the upcoming iPhone 16 series. Better cooling can also aid in more effective battery life management.
Anticipate charging to be similar to that of the iPhone 15.
Are These Rumors Reliable?
There seems to be no reason why Apple couldn’t increase the iPhone 16’s battery capacity. Apple may increase the size of the batteries in addition to optimizing software and enhancing chip efficiency to provide an overall longer battery life, but the company never really states the milliamp hours of its phone batteries.
A Disappointing Display
- Anticipate a 6.1-inch screen with a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
There have been no reports indicating that the iPhone 16’s display will be upgraded. It appears that a 6.1-inch screen will be used, and more significantly, the screen will most likely refresh at a rate of 60Hz.
That will upset me a little bit because I believe that even the best inexpensive phones in 2024 will not be able to boast a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Though I’m not holding my breath, I hope that as September draws closer, there will be reports of a faster refresh rate for the basic and Plus models of the upcoming iPhone.
My Final Words
All things considered, it appears that the iPhone 16 will only get a slight cosmetic makeover along with a few modest mechanical tweaks, most notably a new chip. However, the phone’s software and the sheer number of clever functions it supports will undoubtedly be its greatest assets.
In the age of the “AI phone,” Apple needs to come up with a response to Android’s more intelligent handsets. For an Apple phone, the iPhone 16 might provide that at a competitive price point, giving the Pro models room to add a little bit more.
When it comes to the iPhone, I’ve become used to Apple favoring progression over revolution. All I can hope for is that the iPhone 16 will make a run at the top phone place and that all these little tweaks add up to something substantial.