The iPhone 16 is ready for primetime.
Apple today sent invitations for a “special event” that is likely to include the launch of its next-gen iPhone and Apple Watch. It’s scheduled for Monday, Sept. 9, at the Steve Jobs Theater; things kick off at 10 a.m. PT.
That’s a day later than expected, notes Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who had tipped a Sept. 10 event. Typically, Apple’s events are held on Tuesdays. That was the case for the launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13, though the iPhone 14 switched things up with a Wednesday event, so Apple clearly likes to keep us guessing.
As for what to expect, the tagline on Apple’s invite says “It’s Glowtime” below a glowing, multi-colored logo. That could be a reference to the redesigned Siri, which takes over the edges of an iPhone’s screen in iOS 18 with a similarly color-changing effect.
The new Siri will make the edges of the whole iPhone screen glow when you’re interacting with it. (Credit: Apple)
Apple will livestream the event on its website and Apple TV.
We scoured the web for the most reliable and up-to-date rumors to give you the best idea of what to expect at the iPhone 16 announcement. Here’s what’s likely to be on tap.
When Does the iPhone 16 Come Out?
With an event on Sept. 10, we’ll probably see the iPhones launch the following week. Gurman tweeted this weekend that Apple “scheduled an unusual and mandatory meeting for employees at all Apple retail stores for the evening of Sept. 12 or morning of Sept. 13…ahead of the iPhone 16 release a week later.”
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence was the star of the show at WWDC, but we’ve since heard that it won’t launch with iOS 18 next month and will instead arrive as a software update in October with iOS 18.1. Siri Apple Intelligence features aren’t expected until 2025.
iPhone 15 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
When it does arrive, you’ll need at least an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. Presumably, it will work across the iPhone 16 lineup, but we’ll need to wait for confirmation from Apple on that.
New A18 Chip to Power Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence will need a boost in processing power to run smoothly. Apple looks to power the entire iPhone 16 lineup with an A18 processor and at least 8GB of RAM, 9to5Mac reports.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
The iPhone 15 series uses different chips; the A17 Pro for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the A16 Bionic for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. But according to back-end code found by Nicolás Alvarez, all iPhone 16 models will have the same A-series chip, MacRumors reports.
Better Camera, Less Bump, Fun Colors, New Sizes
9to5Mac also says the Ultra Wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro will increase from 12MP to 48MP, while the iPhone 16 cameras will get a redesigned and rounded camera bump in order to potentially accommodate the recording of spatial video.
iPhone 15 Pro cameras (Credit: Eric Zeman)
We got a good look at the new camera bumps on the iPhone 16, as Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared a picture that showcases the backs and colors of the iPhone 16.
Two lenses are stacked vertically on a rounded camera bump, while Apple will offer the phone in white, black, blue, green, and pink. Dickson also posted a photo of the backs of the iPhone 16 Pro, which include a three-camera setup, along with white, black, and tan colorways.
Finally, he showed the different sizes we can expect across the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineup.
According to Dickson, the display on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will remain the same at 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively, but the screen on the iPhone 16 Pro is in for a jump. The phone will now feature a 6.3-inch display instead of the 6.1-inch size found on the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will also get bigger, as it will have a 6.9-inch screen compared with the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Action Button for All
Last year, Apple introduced the Action button exclusively on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. It replaced the mute button and can be programmed to activate many different actions including the camera, the flashlight, or a shortcut.
iPhone 15 Pro Max action button (Credit: Eric Zeman)
MacRumors reports that this button will make its way to all iPhone 16 models. At some point, Apple might also give the button new features, such as force touch, which would allow it detect pressure changes. There’s no indication that this particular feature will appear any time soon, though it does seem likely that the current version of the Action button will make its appearance on the iPhone 16 this year.
Dedicated Camera Button
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
9to5Mac also reports that the iPhone 16 could see an additional button on the right side of the phone dedicated to bringing up the camera app and taking pictures. The button could also come with some kind of touch sensitivity, which would allow users to zoom in and out by sliding their fingers up and down the button.
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Longer Battery Life
More battery life is always better, and a report by MacRumors suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro Max might be in line for an even larger battery. This could potentially give the device the longest-ever battery life on an iPhone, topping over 30 hours of usage.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Apple already claims up to 29 hours of battery life on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though it managed only 20 hours and 15 minutes in PCMag’s testing.
Apple Watch X and Ultra 3
(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)
This year will be the tenth anniversary of the debut of the Apple Watch, and Apple was originally thought to be marking the occasion with a big redesign. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that the watch could be thinner but offer larger sizes. Kou says that the two models could be larger—from 41mm and 45mm, respectively, to 45mm and 49mm.
However, newer reports from Mark Gurman suggest design changesif any, will be minimal. “This year’s third-generation Apple Watch Ultra will have roughly the same look as the original, and the other watch models still resemble the Series 4 launched in 2018,” he writes.
iPhone 17 and SE Rumors
The iPhone 16 has yet to be released, but that hasn’t stopped speculation about the iPhone 17. Some of these rumors, according to MacRumorsinclude an under-display Face ID technology for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. This would remove the front camera cutout altogether in favor of a small, circular cutout for the camera.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
We could also see even larger display sizes, plus the 120Hz ProMotion screen coming to all the phones in the iPhone 17 lineup. There’s also talk of an entirely new model called the iPhone Slimwhich would be thinner and only have one rear camera.
The iPhone 17 lineup could also be getting an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, which could potentially better integrate with Apple’s existing hardware and software to get even faster Wi-Fi speeds.
Additionally, Gurman predicts that we’ll see the first iPhone SE since 2022. This new version could look similar to an iPhone 14, but with an OLED display and even smaller bezels. It will also most likely have access to Apple Intelligence.
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About Sarah Lord
Analyst, Mobile
I’m a Mobile Analyst at PCMag, which means I cover wireless phones, plans, tablets, ereaders, and a whole lot more. I’ve always loved technology and have been forming opinions on consumer electronics since childhood. Prior to joining PCMag, I covered TVs and home entertainment at CNET, served as the tech and electronics reviews fellow at Insider, and began my career by writing laptop reviews as an intern at Tom’s Hardware. I am also a professional actor with credits in theater, film, and television.
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