Apple has been known for releasing the same phone with different branding every year. So what makes this year’s iPhone different from the rest? What is Apple’s selling point this year?
Expected to launch in September 2024, the iPhone 16 is expected to bring revolutionary changes to the smartphone industry. We’ve already covered the bring new Apple Intelligence and iOS 18.1 developer beta, however, it is important to talk about the phone in broader details.
The series is expected to be released in “Apple’s Big 3” series; iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro & iPhone 16 Pro Max, but this time, there seems to be a new entire into the flagship with new iPhone 16 Plus.
Table of Contents
Design & Color Options
According to the latest leak, iPhone 16 colors and back panel seem to have been released. The iPhone 16 design is expected to feature some notable tweaks. The leaks have revealed that the vanilla variant of iPhone 16 will sport two vertically aligned cameras, reminiscent of the iPhone X and iPhone 11. However, the new model will reportedly house these cameras in a capsule-shaped camera island, offering a fresh look.
This pill-shaped bump houses the separate Wide and Ultrawide lenses. The microphone will be next to the lenses, while the camera flash will be located on the back of the device outside of the bump.
On the left side of the iPhone, Apple plans to replace the mute switch with the Action button, and the iPhone 16 models will adopt the same button that was introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro models. The volume buttons will be located below the Action button and on the right side of the device will feature a new Capture Button (whose function will be discussed later) which will be located where the mmWave antenna has been on prior iPhone models.
It is rumored to come in four color options:
- Rose
- Gray / Natural Titanium
- White / Silver
- Space Black
Performance and Camera
The iPhone 16 series is expected to be powered by Apple’s latest A18 Pro chip, fabricated using TSMC’s enhanced 3nm process technology (N3E). This advanced chip will enable the integration of new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, allowing for more advanced on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence functions, resulting in better overall iPhone experience.
The upcoming iPhone 16 series is also expected to have storage and memory capacity boosts. Specifically, the Pro and Pro Max models may offer an impressive 2TB of storage, twice the maximum capacity of their predecessors, while the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models are anticipated to feature 8GB of RAM, a notable upgrade from the 6GB found in the iPhone 15 series, ensuring smoother performance and multitasking capabilities.
Apple is anticipated to upgrade the camera system on the standard iPhone 16 models, adopting a vertical camera layout with a pill-shaped protrusion, a change from the diagonal design of the iPhone 15. This new configuration features distinct rings for the Wide and Ultra Wide lenses, enabling Spatial Video recording capabilities, which were previously limited to the high-end Pro models, thereby bridging the gap between the standard and Pro iPhone cameras.
Capture Button
The Capture Button is located on the same side of the iPhone as the Power button, in the space that is occupied by the 5G mmWave antenna in the United States.
With the addition of this button, the mmWave cutout has been relocated to the left side of the device, below the volume buttons. The Capture Button will be available on all four iPhone 16 models, and it will be used for taking photos and video
Display Technology
The iPhone 16 OLED panels could use micro-lens technology for both improved brightness and and reduced power consumption. Micro-lens arrays or MLA uses a uniform pattern of billions of lenses inside the panel to reduce internal reflection. The reflected light increases perceived brightness without increasing power consumption.
The OLED displays that used in the iPhone 16 lineup will be more power efficient, thanks to improved materials.
Apple is using Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology for some of the iPhone 16 models, which is expected to result in slimmer bezel sizes. BRS allows for a more compact and efficient layout of the circuitry under the display, allowing for thinner bezels without impacting display performance.
It is not yet clear if the slimmed down bezels will be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models or if it will be a change implemented across the entire lineup.
Release and Price Expectations
There are not many solid iPhone 16 price but using the same pricing as the previous iPhone 15 models, the iPhone 16 series should range from $799 to $1,199, which in Nigeria, ranges from 1,278, 400 NGN to 1,918, 400 NGN.
With Apple being very inclusive with information, it seems impossible to make model comparisons.
Conclusion
Well, it seems that Apple is continuing to push through new innovations with the Apple Intelligence AI feature being their main focus, its latest series promises an impressive blend of technology and functionality, strengthening its standing in the competitive smartphone market. Let us wait until it is officially released to be sure about our speculations.