The iPhone 16 is ready for primetime.
Apple today sent out invitations to a “special event” that will likely include the launch of the next-generation iPhone and Apple Watch. It is scheduled for Monday, September 9, at the Steve Jobs Theatre; things kick off at 10am PT.
That’s a day later than expected, notes Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reported on a Sept. 10 event. Typically, Apple events are held on Tuesdays. That was the case for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 launches, though the iPhone 14 switched things up with an event on Wednesday, so Apple clearly likes to keep us guessing.
As for what to expect, the label on Apple’s invitation says “It’s Glowtime” below a multi-colored glowing logo. This could be a reference to the redesigned Siri, which takes the edges of an iPhone’s screen in iOS 18 with a similar color-shifting effect.
The new Siri will make the edges of the entire iPhone screen glow when you’re interacting with it. (Credit: Apple)
Apple will stream the event live on its website and Apple TV.
We scoured the web for the most reliable and up-to-date rumors to give you the best idea of what to expect at the iPhone 16 announcement. Here’s what’s likely to be on tap.
When does the iPhone 16 come out?
With an event on September 10, we’re sure to see the iPhones hit the market next week. Gurman tweeted this weekend that Apple “scheduled an unusual and mandatory meeting for employees at all Apple retail stores for the evening of September 12th or the morning of September 13th… in advance of the release of the iPhone 16 a week later. “
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence was the star of the show at WWDC, but we’ve since heard that it won’t launch with iOS 18 next month and will instead arrive as a software update in October with iOS 18.1. Siri Apple Intelligence features are not expected until 2025.
iPhone 15 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
When it arrives, you’ll need at least an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. Apparently, it will work across the entire iPhone 16 lineup, but we’ll have to wait for confirmation from Apple on that.
The new A18 chip to power Apple’s intelligence
Apple Intelligence will need an increase in processing power to run smoothly. Apple looks to power the entire iPhone 16 line with an A18 processor and at least 8GB of RAM, 9to5Mac reports.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
iPhone 15 series is used various chips; A17 Pro for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and A16 Bionic for iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. But according to the latest code found by Nicolás Alvarez, all iPhone 16 models will have the same A-series chip. MacRumors reports.
Better camera, less crashes, fun colors, new sizes
9to5Mac also says that the Ultra Wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro will be increased from 12MP to 48MP, while the iPhone 16 cameras will have a redesigned and rounded camera to potentially accommodate spatial video recording.
iPhone 15 Pro cameras (Credit: Eric Zeman)
We got a good look at the new camera bumps on the iPhone 16 after Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared a photo showing the back and colors of the iPhone 16.
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Two lenses are placed vertically in a rounded camera, while Apple will offer the phone in white, black, blue, green and pink. Dickson also posted a photo of the back of the iPhone 16 Pro, which includes a triple-camera setup, along with white, black, and tan colors.
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Finally, he showed the different sizes we can expect in the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineup.
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According to Dickson, the screen on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will remain the same at 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively, but the screen on the iPhone 16 Pro is a jump. The phone will now have a 6.3-inch display instead of the 6.1-inch size found on the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will also get bigger, as it will have a 6.9-inch screen compared to the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Action button for everyone
Last year, Apple introduced the Action button exclusively on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. It replaced the mute button and can be programmed to trigger many different actions including the camera, flashlight or a shortcut.
iPhone 15 Pro Max action button (Credit: Eric Zeman)
MacRumors reports that this button will make its way to all iPhone 16 models. At some point, Apple may also give the button new features, such as force touch, which would allow it to detect changes in pressure . There’s no indication that this particular feature will appear anytime soon, though it appears that the current version of the Action button will appear on the iPhone 16 this year.
Dedicated camera button
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
9to5Mac also reports that the iPhone 16 could see an additional button on the right side of the phone dedicated to bringing up the camera app and taking pictures. The button may also come with some kind of touch sensitivity, which will allow users to zoom in and out by sliding their fingers up and down the button.
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Longer battery life
More battery life is always better, and a report from MacRumors suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be in line for an even bigger battery. This could potentially give the device the longest battery life on an iPhone, topping out at over 30 hours of use.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Apple already claims up to 29 hours of battery life on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though it only managed 20 hours and 15 minutes in PCMag’s testing.
Apple Watch X and Ultra 3
(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)
This year will be the tenth anniversary of the debut of the Apple Watch, and Apple was originally thought to mark the occasion with a major redesign. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the watch could be slimmer but offer bigger dimensions. Kou says both models could be bigger – from 41mm and 45mm, respectively, to 45mm and 49mm.
However, newer reports from Mark Gurman suggest design changesif any, it will be minimal. “This year’s third-generation Apple Watch Ultra will have roughly the same look as the original, and other watch models still resemble the Series 4 launched in 2018,” he writes.
iPhone 17 and SE rumors
The iPhone 16 hasn’t been released yet, but that hasn’t stopped speculation about the iPhone 17. Some of these rumors, according to MacRumorsincludes an under-display Face ID technology for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. This would do away with the front camera notch altogether in favor of a small circular cutout for the camera.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
We can also see even larger screen sizes, plus the ProMotion 120Hz display coming to all phones in the iPhone 17 lineup. There’s also talk of an all-new model called the iPhone Slimwhich would be thinner and have only one rear camera.
The iPhone 17 line could also get an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, which could potentially integrate better with Apple’s existing hardware and software to get even faster Wi-Fi speeds.
Additionally, Gurman predicts that we will see the first iPhone SE as early as 2022. This new version could look similar to an iPhone 14, but with an OLED screen and even smaller bezels. He also most likely has access to Apple Intelligence.
Apple roundup: WWDC 2024 in 20 minutes
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About Sarah Lord
Analyst, mobile
