iPhone 16: Action button, AI and larger screens. What you can expect from Apple’s next flagship

It has been more than nine months since the iPhone 15 was launched, and Apple’s worldwide developer conference June 10th is approaching and we are excited to see what great news the next iPhone will bring.

We’ve heard rumors about the iPhone 16’s features, which are said to range from a new energy-efficient display to larger screens, better zoom lenses, an action button, and – perhaps not surprisingly – a number of new AI-powered features.

Read more: Best iPhone of 2024

However, the iPhone 16 will likely be four months away and nothing will be confirmed until Apple’s iPhone event this fall. Still, these rumors might give us an idea of ​​what to expect from the next iPhone.

Here are the most credible rumors about the iPhone 16.

Will the iPhone 16 be foldable?

Probably not. The latest rumors suggest that Apple is working on iPhone Flip models in two different sizes, although it has struggled to manufacture the devices to Apple’s standards. The company may also be working on a foldable tablet with a screen the size of an iPad Mini. Although virtually every major phone maker – from Google to Oppo to OnePlus and Samsung – has launched its own bendable devices, Apple has remained tight-lipped as usual about whether there will ever be an iPhone Flip or an iPhone Fold.

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Previous rumors suggested that Apple might not launch its own flexible-screen device until 2025. But Samsung isn’t letting phone fans forget this – and has released an app that lets Apple phone owners get a Z-Fold-like experience by placing two iPhones side by side.

iPhone 16 design with narrower bezels

Rumors of larger screens are piling up, at least for select iPhone 16 models. The latest comes from Korean publication Elec, which published a report in April saying that select iPhone 16 models are close to adopting an innovative screen technology that will result in thinner bezels, or a thinner 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 models.

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

iPhone 16 Pro models with larger screens

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

The iPhone 16 will have more AI tricks

AI is perhaps the biggest tech buzzword this year, and Apple is expected to follow in the footsteps of its rivals Samsung and Google, who all touted the new AI tips and tricks on their flagship phones. In early May, CEO Tim Cook even went so far as to say he expected Apple to come out on top when it came to AI, even though the company is generally considered to be lagging behind in the AI ​​race.

According to a January edition of Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple’s iOS 18 could bring the “biggest” software update in iPhone history. Gurman also reported that iOS 18 will feature generative AI technology that is designed to “improve the way both Siri and the Messages app can answer questions and autocomplete sentences.”

According to a September report from The Information, Apple plans to use large language models, a crucial part of generative AI, to make Siri smarter. The feature is expected to be released with an iPhone software update next year, according to the report.

Read more: iPhone iOS 18: A possible big leap in AI

iPhone 16 design: New action button?

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.

Could this iPhone 16 have a more energy efficient display?

Another change that could be reflected in the iPhone 16’s displays is greater energy efficiency. According to a report from TheElec, 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.

iPhone 16 cameras could get a longer zoom

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

iPhone 16 Pro: Less lens reflections?

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 models?

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

Will the iPhone 16 get new colors?

Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has color predictions for the iPhone 16 lineup. In a post on X in May, he said that the iPhone 15 Pro’s blue color option would be discontinued and replaced by a new pink model that would 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.

When will the iPhone 16 be released?

Apple holds its annual iPhone event almost every September, so we expect the iPhone 16 schedule to remain the same. New iPhones are usually released shortly afterward, usually on the Friday of the following week. Sometimes Apple staggers release dates for certain models, especially when a new design or size is introduced, so it’s possible the iPhone 16 lineup could have more than one release date.

What we know so far

Apple typically holds its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The iPhone 15 event took place on Tuesday, September 7. The iPhone 14 event took place on Wednesday, September 7. And the iPhone 13 event took place on Tuesday, September 14.

iPhone release dates are usually a week and a half after Apple’s announcements.

Typically, new iPhones are released on a Friday, around the third week of September. For the iPhone 13, pre-orders began on September 17, and the phones went on sale on September 24.