Apple’s September 9 event, ‘It’s Glowtime,’ is where the company will debut its newest iPhones. The iPhone 16 lineup will come with four models: iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. You can find new features for the 16 Pro models here. In this article, I’ll focus on the base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models. Here’s what’s coming next month for Apple’s newest iPhones.
Capture button
A new physical button is coming to all iPhone 16 models this year, on the right side of the device below the Side button. Commonly referred to as the ‘Capture button,’ this addition will offer a quick way to take photos and videos. Beyond pushing the button to capture a photo, you’ll also be able to use gestures to control camera features.
Action button coming to iPhone 16
Last year the iPhone 15 Pro ditched the mute switch for a customizable Action button. This year, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are doing the same.
The Action button can be configured to work like a mute switch, but you can also have it activate a Focus mode, launch the Camera app, turn on the flashlight, listen to Shazam music, and more. New capabilities are coming in iOS 18 too.
New colors for iPhone 16
Apple’s color lineup for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus looks significantly bolder than last year’s options. The image above features dummy units from Sonny Dickson. Yellow is being replaced by white, but the other core colors all stay the same—though with greater saturation this year.
- Black
- Blue
- Green
- Pink
- White
A18 chip supercharged for Apple Intelligence
In recent years, the base model iPhones haven’t received the most up to date chips. Instead, they usually adopt the chip from the previous year’s Pro models. That’s changing with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, which will gain the new A18 chip. The shift this year is expected to be driven by the higher processing demands of Apple Intelligence. But there are a variety of other everyday tasks that stand to benefit from a new chip. New chips often bring efficiency improvements too, which could lead to battery gains.
More RAM
One rumored reason why last year’s iPhone 15 can’t run Apple Intelligence is its RAM. The base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have 6GB of RAM, whereas the Pro models have 8GB.
With this year’s lineup, the 16 and 16 Plus will be upgraded to 8GB of RAM. This change will not only help with Apple Intelligence, but should provide better future-proofing for coming software updates too.
New and improved Siri
The A18 chip will enable all new iPhone 16 models to gain the new Siri with its glowing design. As indicated by the event teaser, Apple is planning to spotlight Siri and Apple Intelligence at its iPhone event.
Since most iPhones won’t get the new Siri, Apple is expected to use it and other Apple Intelligence features as selling points for the iPhone 16. The upgraded Siri will offer the following capabilities over the coming year:
- a fresh design when activated
- a typing interaction mode with an easy gesture
- better understanding of speaking mishaps
- knowledge retention between requests
- product support for Apple hardware and software queries
- understanding of personal context
- ChatGPT integration
- on-screen awareness
- in-app and cross-app actions
There’s one big disclaimer: since Apple Intelligence and the new Siri won’t arrive until iOS 18.1, the iPhone 16 won’t initially get any of these benefits. However, the wait shouldn’t be long. iOS 18.1 should debut by the end of October, and additional Siri features will be added in the year ahead.
All Apple Intelligence features
Beyond Siri, Apple Intelligence support on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will also enable the following features:
Since last year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and all other previous iPhones, won’t support Apple Intelligence, these features could be a big selling point.
Redesigned camera arrangement
The rear camera system on the iPhone 16 will still have Main and Ultra Wide cameras. This year, though, they’ll be repositioned to be stacked directly on top of each other. Previous models have featured camera lenses in a diagonal layout. It’s expected this change is for the purpose of bringing Spatial Video capture to the iPhone 16. Another perk: the camera bump will be more narrow.
Unfortunately, the actual camera hardware isn’t expected to change much this year. The more exciting camera upgrades seem set for exclusivity with the 16 Pro and Pro Max.
What’s not changing: iPhone 16 display sizes
Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are both getting bigger this year. The non-Pro models, on the other hand, are staying the same size. The iPhone 16 will feature a 6.1-inch display and the 16 Plus a 6.7-inch, just like last year’s models. If you want a bigger screen, you’ll have to spring for the Pro models.
What’s missing from the 16 Pro models
Apple’s iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will miss out on some of the key upgrades coming to the Pro models this year. The Pro models, for example, will have not only larger displays, but also more camera upgrades, and an even better A18 Pro chip. The Ultra Wide camera will be 48MP, up from the 12MP option on the standard 16. Both Pro models will have 5x zoom with the upgraded Telephoto lens.
iPhone 16 release date
Apple is expected to follow its typical release pattern for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. This means a three-step release schedule:
- The iPhones will be introduced at the September 9 event.
- Pre-orders should go live at the end of that week, on Friday, September 13.
- The new iPhones should then arrive in users’ hands and retail stores one week later, on Friday, September 20.
Upgrade worthy?
If you’re coming from an iPhone 15 or older, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus could be a compelling upgrade option. Even though it doesn’t boast as many advancements as its Pro siblings, there’s still a lot to like here.
The formerly Pro-exclusive Action button will be handy, as will the new Capture button. But most of all, thanks to the powerful new A18 chip, these are some of the only iPhone models to support Apple Intelligence. The new Siri, Genmoji, powerful writing tools, ChatGPT integration, and much more could be a big driver of iPhone 16 sales.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus offer a more budget-friendly alternative to the Pro models. Let’s assume the devices come in at the usual starting price points of $799 and $899, respectively. At those prices, with the standard trade-in discounts, carrier deals, and so on, Apple Intelligence and the variety of other new features could tip the scales for a lot of prospective buyers.
Are you planning to buy an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus? Let us know in the comments.
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