At this point, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, as although Apple hasn’t revealed anything yet – and probably won’t do so until September – leaks and rumors surrounding the iPhone 16 series have been extensive.
We’ve heard details about almost every facet of the upcoming phones, from the iPhone 16 colors to the likely iPhone 16 prices, design, specs, and more. As usual, the rumored features are a mix of old and new, but in this article, we’re focusing on the key new things you can expect from the iPhone 16 series.
Below, you’ll find the most significant iPhone 16 features we’ve heard about so far, which aren’t already present on the iPhone 15 series.
A new ‘Capture’ button
Perhaps the single biggest upgrade we’re expecting on the iPhone 16 line is a new button – and unlike some of the features below, this is a button that will reportedly be present on all four iPhone 16 models.
The ‘Capture’ button, as it’s thought to be called, will allegedly be used to take photos and videos, but rather than simply being a camera shortcut, one report suggests that you’ll be able to swipe across it to zoom in or out, press it lightly to focus, and press it hard to take a photo or start recording.
That could make this button a powerful addition to the camera, and far more effective than simply setting the Action button to take pictures, which you can already do with the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as the Action button lacks all the swiping and light pressing potential of the rumored Capture button.
Reports suggest the Capture button will be housed under the power key on the right edge of the iPhone 16, and as well as that, there will still be an Action button on the left – which, according to reports, will this time be offered across the line, rather than just on the Pro models.
There are still some questions surrounding the Capture button – early reports suggested it might just be for videos rather than photos too, and there’s some disagreement over whether it will be mechanical or solid-state, so Apple could yet surprise us at the iPhone 16 launch.
Bigger screens for the Pro models
One big – literally – feature that has been rumored specifically for the Pro models is an increase in screen size, with the iPhone 16 Pro said to have a 6.3-inch display (up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro), and the iPhone 16 Pro Max reported to have a 6.9-inch screen (up from 6.7 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro Max).
So, in both cases, these phones would be 0.2 inches bigger than their predecessors, but perhaps more notably, this increase would make the Pro models larger than the non-Pro ones, which will reportedly remain at 6.1 inches for the iPhone 16 and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 16 Plus.
This increase in screen size could further widen the gap between the Pro and non-Pro models, though it would mean that if you’re a fan of compact phones, your choices will further diminish.
Still, a bigger screen will likely make the iPhone 16 Pro models superior for video viewing, and you’ll also have more space for interacting with apps and games. If the bezels are reduced (as has been rumored), too, then the overall footprint might not be vastly bigger than that of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Camera upgrades
Sadly, it doesn’t look like the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus will be in for any significant camera upgrades, but the Pro models might be.
The iPhone 16 Pro is widely rumored to be getting the same 12MP 5x optical zoom camera as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which would be an upgrade on the iPhone 15 Pro’s 12MP 3x optical zoom.
On top of this, the iPhone 16 Pro is also reportedly getting a 48MP ultra-wide camera, in place of the current model’s 12MP sensor.
But the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s cameras might be in for an even bigger upgrade, with this phone reportedly also getting a new 48MP ultra-wide camera, and potentially a new main sensor, too, which would stick at 48MP like last year’s but should still deliver improvements to photos.
There’s a chance the iPhone 16 Pro Max could even get a new telephoto sensor, with some leaks tipping a ‘super telephoto’ lens, which might offer 10x zoom or more. However, recent leaks haven’t mentioned this particular upgrade, so we wouldn’t count on it becoming a reality.
Still, even if just the main and ultra-wide snappers are improved on the Pro Max, and the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras are upgraded on the Pro, then these upcoming models could be well worth buying for photography fans.
A speedy new chipset
The final big new feature we’ve heard talked about (for the iPhone 16 Pro models, at least), is an A18 Pro chipset, which will likely provide a big power boost over the A17 Pro found in the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This chipset could also be key to powering some of the iPhone 16 line’s AI features.
However, while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will almost certainly get an A18 Pro chipset, there’s a high chance that the standard iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus will instead get a lesser A18 chipset, or inherit the A17 Pro from last year’s Pro models.
In either case, this would be an upgrade on the A16 Bionic chipset used by the current base models, but it would still leave them lagging behind the Pro models on the power front.