The iPhone 16 Pro launch is just weeks away. Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone event early next month—likely September 10. The iPhone 16 line will then arrive in users’ hands shortly thereafter. Here are all the new features expected to come to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
Larger displays
This year’s iPhone 16 Pro line is getting bigger than ever. Though the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will stay the same size as their predecessors, the 16 Pro and Pro Max will both feature larger displays.
- 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch display, up from the 15’s 6.1-inch
- 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch display, up from the 15’s 6.7-inch
It’s been five years since Apple set the current standard of 6.1 and 6.7-inch displays—and customers appear ready for something bigger. Even though these increases are relatively minor, all size boosts for the iPhone have historically been well received.
AI-focused A18 Pro chip
Apple is bringing the A18 chip to its full iPhone 16 lineup. But only the 16 Pro and Pro Max will get the best version of that chip: the A18 Pro.
Like every chip upgrade, expect to see improved CPU and GPU performance from the A18 Pro. But Apple’s main focus for this year’s upgrade appears to be the Neural Engine.
The A18 Pro is expected to include a greatly improved Neural Engine to provide even better performance of AI tasks. I’ve had no complaints running Apple Intelligence on my iPhone 15 Pro, but better AI performance seems like a safe future-proofing move.
New color options
Last year Apple introduced titanium to the iPhone Pro line. While titanium makes for a nice finish, the 15 Pro’s color options felt like four different shades of grey.
This year expect a better color lineup from Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro. The current Blue Titanium will be replaced by a bronze-like ‘Desert Titanium,’ possibly with some rose accents. Black Titanium is also expected to get darker this year, for a more Midnight-like finish. There will also be revised versions of Natural Titanium and White Titanium.
Capture button for camera use
All iPhone 16 models will gain another new physical button, joining the Action button introduced last year on the 15 Pro line.
This new button, often called the ‘Capture’ button, will be geared toward camera use. It will be placed on the right side of the device, below the Side button.
The Capture button will enable you to quickly snap photos in the Camera app. It may also support gestures for zooming in and out, and bringing subjects into focus.
Upgraded Ultra Wide camera
Speaking of cameras, the iPhone 16 Pro’s Ultra Wide (0.5x) camera is making a big leap to 48MP. The current Ultra Wide is only 12MP. This change will provide better feature parity with the 48MP Main camera, and could enable improved capture of Spatial Video.
5x optical zoom on smaller 16 Pro
Last year, the iPhone 15 Pro Max gained 5x optical zoom with its Telephoto lens. That marked the first time recently that the larger Pro Max had a significant camera advantage over its smaller sibling.
Fortunately, this year the smaller 16 Pro is getting 5x optical zoom too. Its upgraded Telephoto lens will enable both sizes of Pro to offer the same zoom capabilities.
Better low light photography
Although the most noteworthy 16 Pro camera upgrades involve the Ultra Wide and Telephoto lenses, the Main camera stands to benefit from a new sensor that should enable improved low light photography. Expect to see Apple highlight improved night mode photos, too, during its keynote.
Bigger battery and improved thermals
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are getting battery upgrades this year. According to the most recent leaks:
- 16 Pro battery capacity: 3,577mAh, up from the 15’s 3,274
- 16 Pro Max battery capacity: 4,676mAh, up from the 15’s 4,422
Additionally, improvements to the 16’s thermal design are expected to help reduce battery overheating issues.
Connectivity improvements
Apple is planning to introduce connectivity upgrades with the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. These are expected to include supporting the recently debuted Wi-Fi 7 standard, and offering a faster 5G modem for better cellular speeds too.
iPhone 16 Pro wrap-up
The iPhone 16 Pro lineup doesn’t have one single killer feature. It does, however, offer incremental improvements across a variety of areas users care about most.
Larger displays, better cameras, and improved battery performance should all be well received. Apple Intelligence is also an X factor that could drive upgrades. And like every year, we’ll have to wait until the official unveiling to see if Apple has any surprises in store.
Are you looking to upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro? What features are most important to you? Let us know in the comments.
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