What to expect from the upcoming iPhone 16

The upcoming inclusion to Apple’s signature line of iPhones, the iPhone 16, is rumoured to make its debut next month, as per reliable Apple analyst Mark Gurman. Gurman, in his latest report on Bloomberg News, has outlined a few other predictions for the iPhone 16 and its models: 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. Here is a brief breakdown of the expectations so far. Please keep in mind that these details are currently not officially confirmed by Apple.
The iPhone 16 and its variants are expected to be debuted “around the same date as last year”, marking September 10 as the most likely date for Apple’s next big announcement event, states Gurman.
Additionally, the new models — likely to be named iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max — may not look drastically different from their predecessors. Instead, Apple is focusing on several key upgrades, particularly in AI capabilities.
Apple will ship the new iPhone lineup with its latest iOS 18 operating system, but users will not get Apple’s initial set of AI features, collectively dubbed Apple Intelligence, until the release of iOS 18.1 a few weeks later in October.
Gurman says that despite the new iPhone models being launched with the new iOS 18, the smartphones will not be able to access Apple Intelligence, the company’s recently announced suite of AI-driven tools, until the operating system is upgraded to iOS 18.1 – which will likely be released in October.
Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro models are capable of running Apple Intelligence.
As for design tweaks, Gurman suggests that the new iPhone models will have slightly larger screens, with the Pro moving from 6.1 to 6.3 inches and the Pro Max from 6.7 to 6.9 inches.
Additionally, these models is rumoured to feature a new pressure-sensitive camera button, similar to those found on DSLR cameras. This button will allow users to press slightly to focus and press harder to capture photos, with the added ability to swipe along the button for zooming while shooting.
Aesthetically, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to see the return of the popular rose gold colour, replacing the current blue option, states the report by Gurman. Under the hood, the new A18 chip and 8 GB of memory, standard across all models, will power these devices – as that is the minimum required for running Apple Intelligence.
The report further adds that for non-Pro users, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will finally include the Action button, a feature previously exclusive to the Pro models. However, with iOS 18 introducing a more customisable Control Center and Lock Screen, the Action button may feel less revolutionary than it did on the iPhone 15 Pro.
While these upgrades are noteworthy, Gurman suggests they may not be enough to drive a surge in iPhone sales. Apple’s “cautious” financial guidance for the current quarter reflects this, as the company did not project significant growth in iPhone sales. Nonetheless, he says that for those with older iPhones, the iPhone 16 should offer a solid set of enhancements, particularly for users interested in AI and photography advancements.