The iPhone 15 lineup has been out for about a month, so you know what that means: rumors about next-gen iPhones.
It’s been a bumpy rollout for the Pro versions of the iPhone 15, most notably with an overheating issue that made these premium smartphones too hot to handle, as well as reports of burn-in and wonky location settings. Apple seems to have fixed these problems with iOS 17 updates.
Will the iPhone 16 have a smoother release? And what types of upgrades will it feature? Rumors are already flying. Here’s what we’ve heard so far; check back as more details emerge.
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4.0 Excellent See all (4 items)Both Pro Models to Get Tetraprism Zoom Lens
The iPhone 15 Pro did not get the tetraprism lens found on the iPhone Pro Max (it comes with the same 3x optical zoom as the iPhone 14 Pro Max). But according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that will change on the iPhone 16, with the tetraprism feature landing on the iPhone 16 Pro as well as the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
As PCMag’s Eric Zeman explains, “the tetraprism is basically a periscope, or a way to bend light multiple times through glass, which is a tool other phone makers have used in their cameras since 2017 to bring faraway subjects closer to your smartphone.”
Getting that option on the lower-end Pro model, which currently runs $200 less than the Pro Max, would be a nice money-saving perk. If Apple doesn't raise iPhone prices, that is. Kuo suggests we might end up paying more for the iPhone 16 to cover the camera upgrades. (There were rumors about $200 iPhone price increases ahead of the iPhone 15 launch, but we only saw that on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is $100 more expensive than its predecessor.)
All 4 iPhone 16 Models Get an A18 Chip
Continuing this theme, all four iPhone 16 models will reportedly run next-gen A18 chips from Apple, according to analyst Jeff Pu. “We view A17 Pro as a transition design and now expect all the iPhone 16 models to feature A18, on TSMC's N3E,” Pu wrote in a research note.
That said, Pu tells MacRumors that there will be some differentiation between the chips. Namely, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will run an A18 chip while the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max get an A18 Pro chip. N3E means the chips will be made using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, which is cheaper and easier to produce than the first-gen process, MacRumors notes.
On the current iPhone lineup, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max run the A17 Pro chip, while the the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus both have the A16 Bionic chip also found in the iPhone 14 Pro.
iPhone 16 Ultra
In 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was working on an "Ultra" branded device to replace the Pro Max. In February, he followed that up to say it probably won't happen until 2024, and the Ultra version may actually be a new top-tier phone versus a Pro Max replacement.
"But instead of renaming the Pro Max 'the Ultra,' Apple could add an even higher-end iPhone above both Pro models. Internally, the company has discussed doing just that — potentially in time for the 2024 iPhone release," Gurman said at the time.
That came after Apple CEO Tim Cook said "people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can" in terms of smartphone specs.
What would make a phone Ultra? Gurman suggests "it will probably offer further camera improvements, a faster chip and perhaps an even larger display. There also may be more future-forward features, such as finally dropping the charging port."
Capacitive Capture Button
Apple iPhone SE (Credit: PCMag/Molly Flores)According to MacRumors, Apple toyed with a capacative touch button on the exterior of the iPhone 15, but the project didn't come together in time. It may try again with the iPhone 16, however, adding a button that's similar to the iPhone SE's home button below the power button. It's not entirely clear what this button will be used for, but it'll have haptic feedback and force-touch capability, MacRumors says. The Action button that rolled out for the iPhone 15 Pros will reportedly come to the base iPhone 16, too.
Wi-Fi 7 Support on iPhone 16 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro lineup gets a Wi-Fi 6E upgrade, while the base models stick with the Wi-Fi 6 found on the iPhone 14. And according to analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone 16 Pro will support Wi-Fi 7. It's an emerging standard, but it should be further along by the time the iPhone 16 debuts.
Screen Sizes
iPhone 15 Pro Max (Credit: Eric Zeman)Rumors point to larger screen sizes on the iPhone 16 lineup. We're talking 6.3 inches versus 6.1 inches on the smaller phones and 6.9 inches versus 6.7 inches on the Pros, so it's unclear if the average person will notice a major difference. Still, we're potentially creeping back into phablet territory. (Remember those?)