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iPhone 16: All the features Apple is expected to announce at tomorrow's event

Tomorrow is the big day. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 series at its “Glowtime” event on Monday, September 9th.

Apple's new iPhone, a successor to the iPhone 15, comes hot on the heels of Google's new Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. The iPhone 16 will be a platform for Apple Intelligencewhich is now available for testing as part of a developer beta for iOS 18.1 on last year's iPhone 15 Pro. And if the rumors are true, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will each receive a number of important updates, from new power-efficient displays and larger screens to better zoom lenses and the inclusion of an Action button on all 2024 iPhone models.

Read more: Apple iPhone 16 event invites are here: What we might see on September 9

The iPhone 16 series is as much about revamped hardware as it is a platform for Apple's suite of new AI-powered features. All of this comes at a time when rival phone makers like Samsung and Google have phones packed with AI that make everything from writing messages to removing objects and people from photos super easy.

That's not to say the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are all about AI and Apple Intelligence. Expect new colors, improved cameras, and larger screens. Here are the most credible iPhone 16 rumors.

iPhone 16 release date

Apple is hosting an event at Apple Park on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT. New iPhones typically go on sale shortly after the event, usually on the Friday of the following week. That would mean the iPhone 16 release date could be Friday, September 20, with preorders starting on Friday, September 13. (For the iPhone 13, preorders started on September 17, and the phones went on sale on September 24.)

Check this out: What you think about Apple's iPhone 16 event

iPhone 16 design

Apple iPhone event in September

James Martin/CNET

Rumors of larger screens are piling up, at least for select iPhone 16 models. Korean publication Elec published a report saying that select iPhone 16 models are close to introducing an innovative screen technology that will result in thinner bezels, the frame around the phone's screen. This development could result in a slightly larger screen area on some iPhone 16 models, though it's not clear which ones.

Apple has introduced display upgrades in its Pro line in the past, sometimes later incorporating them into cheaper models. Display manufacturers have reportedly adopted a novel bezel-reduction technology that allows for more compact control circuits and ultimately leads to narrower bezels.

The last iPhone Plus

The iPhone 16 Plus could be Apple's last larger standard iPhone. Apple is reportedly planning to discontinue the larger-screen Plus model of its standard iPhone next year and instead introduce a new ultra-thin premium iPhone, rumored to be called the iPhone 17 Slim, according to reports from two analysts known for their Apple predictions: Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities and Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities (as reported by 9to5Mac).

iPhone 16 Colors

All different colors for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

Apple/Gif by Arielle Burton/CNET

Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has color predictions for the iPhone 16 lineup. In a post on X, he said that the blue color option of the iPhone 15 Pro will be discontinued and replaced by a new pink model that will be available on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. He also predicted that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in white, replacing the yellow model.

Possible colors of the iPhone 16 series

iPhone16 Black, Blue, Green, Pink, White
iPhone 16 Plus Black, Blue, Green, Pink, White
iPhone 16 Pro Black, natural, pink, white titanium surfaces
iPhone 16 Pro Max Black, natural, pink, white titanium surfaces

Screen size of the iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 14 family

Since 2022, the iPhone range has included a regular and a Pro model with 6.1 inches as well as 6.7-inch versions as Plus and Pro Max.

James Martin/CNET

Speaking of screen sizes, Apple has kept 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, but rumors suggest that this will change with the iPhone 16 Pro models, which may get larger screens.

Display analyst Ross Young suggested earlier this year that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have larger screens, estimating the size at 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This rumor was later confirmed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who said the iPhone 16 Pro models could grow by “a few tenths of an inch” diagonally.

Read more: How the design of the iPhone 16 could change

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will likely remain at the current 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes. If the size increase is true, it would be another step by Apple to differentiate its Pro iPhone models from the regular models.

iPhone 15 screen sizes

  • iPhone 15: 6.1 inches
  • iPhone 15 Plus: 6.7 inches
  • iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1 inches
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: 6.7 inches

Rumored screen sizes for the iPhone 16

  • iPhone 16: 6.1 inches
  • iPhone 16 Plus: 6.7 inches
  • iPhone 16 Pro: 6.3 inches
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max: 6.9 inches

Another change that could be reflected in the iPhone 16's displays is greater energy efficiency. According to a report from The Elec, Samsung Display is apparently developing a new set of materials called M14 specifically for Apple. According to the report, the new technology will be available on iPhones that launch next year. M14 will replace the blue fluorescence technology currently used with blue phosphorescence technology, creating an even more energy efficient screen than the current LTPO screens used on Pro models, the report says.

The iPhone 16 will have more AI tricks

A man in front of a screen with the inscription “Apple Intelligence”

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, introduced Apple’s AI offensive as “Apple Intelligence” during WWDC 2024.

Apple

AI is perhaps the biggest buzzword in tech this year, and Apple has followed in the footsteps of its rivals Samsung and Google, all of whom touted the new AI tips and tricks on their flagship phones. Apple Intelligence made its debut during the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

It offers ChatGPT integration, tools for proofreading and rewriting texts in a different tone, new Siri features for technical support and answering more personalized queries, and the ability to generate images and emojis, among other things. These new AI features are expected to be available out of the box on all models in the upcoming iPhone 16 range running iOS 18.

iPhone 16 record button?

The upcoming iPhone 16 is making waves with its rumored Capture Button – a feature that MacRumors says will make taking photos and recording videos easier, especially when held in landscape mode. The button, which could be located on the right side of the iPhone where the mmWave antenna is (on iPhones sold in the US), would be pressure-sensitive, the report says. That means a firm press will take a photo, a light press will auto-focus while capturing content, and it also appears to detect swipes left and right. As Apple did with the Action Button, it's possible that this button will be introduced on the iPhone 16's Pro models before it comes to the cheaper models.

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get an action button

Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro Max

The Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro models does more than just mute and unmute your phone.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

In March, AppleInsider published a collection of photos purportedly showing 3D-printed dummy models of the rumored iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. The images revealed that the iPhone 16 may have a vertical camera stack instead of a diagonal one and an action button similar to that of last year's iPhone 15 Pro.

Camera features of the iPhone 16

iPhone 15 ProRes Log Video Tutorial

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could have 5x telephoto lenses next year. According to Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo, a tetraprism lens will come to both Pro models next year, not 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 camera with 5x optical zoom, which is equivalent to the 120mm lens of a full-frame camera.

If this rumor is true, it could represent a breakthrough in design. When Apple launched the 15 Pro Max with its 5x telephoto lens, the reason given was that the Pro Max had this lens and the Pro didn't.

Read more: iPhone 16 camera: What Apple could change

According to a recent leak discovered by MacRumors, Apple could be testing a novel approach to improving photo quality. The rumor suggests that the company could add anti-reflective technology to the manufacturing process of its cameras. If successful, it could potentially eliminate unwanted artifacts like lens flare, resulting in more realistic photos.

iPhone 16 processors: A18 chip for all

Unlike the past two years, all four iPhone 16 models will apparently get a next-generation Apple chipset, all of which will carry the A18 branding. According to a MacRumors report citing Jeff Pu, a senior analyst at Haitong International Securities, all four models will have 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 feature an A16 Bionic, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max in 2022, while the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on the A17 Pro processor. Pu says the A18 chip will be manufactured using TSMC's cutting-edge 3-nanometer process.

Read more: Apple iPhone SE 4 rumors: iPhone 14 design, Face ID and more

Apple Event new iPhone 13

Tim Cook will unveil the iPhone 13 in 2021.

Screenshot/CNET

Will the iPhone 16 be foldable?

Probably not. Nearly every major phone maker – from Google to Oppo to OnePlus to Samsung – has released multiple generations of bendable handsets, but Apple has remained tight-lipped as usual about whether it will ever have a foldable iPhone. The latest rumors suggest that Apple is working on a “clamshell” designed iPhone that could be ready as soon as 2026, according to a report from The Information last Tuesday.

The new design will coincide with Apple's plans to release new improved camera technologies, including a variable aperture, the report added. It's not clear what has stopped Apple from releasing a foldable iPhone in recent years. The company has reportedly been working on foldable iPhone designs since at least 2019.

Read more: iPhone 17 Slim: The biggest leaks about Apple's supposedly super-thin phone

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