It may be months until release, but there is still plenty to break down surrounding Apple's iPhone 16.
17 years after its arrival, the iPhone continues to be a dominant force in the smartphone game, with over 2.1 billion total units sold to date (via Demand Sage)
Apple's cellular handset still makes up nearly 50% of the tech giant's total revenue (per Statista), proving the company has no plans of slowing down on the iPhone front any time soon.
When Will the iPhone 16 Release?
No release timing has been made public as of yet for the iPhone 16, and information on that front is still likely months away.
Apple is just coming off the successful iPhone 15 launch to close out 2023, marking the 12th straight year the tech juggernaut has had a new phone for the fall.
Since Tim Cook took over as Apple CEO in 2011, flagship iPhone announcements and releases have taken place in either September or October, so one can likely expect the same to happen for the iPhone 16.
Usually, the new iPhone is first officially unveiled at an announcement event taking place at Apple's Cupertino, California headquarters before hitting store shelves mere days later.
Last year's iPhone 15 models were first revealed on September 12 before being available for purchase on September 22.
The 13 and 14 lines of phones also followed similar release timing, so one should expect the iPhone 16 to be announced sometime in the second or third week of September 2024 before being released seven or so days later.
Is There Going To Be an iPhone 16 Pro?
Gone are the days of one iPhone being the device to rule them all.
Now, instead of Apple pulling back the curtain on a single new device every year, the company reveals a whole swath of phones sporting the new number along with some sort of defining tag.
It looks like it will be the case again for the iPhone 16.
Not only will the iPhone 16 be released this coming fall, but also the 16 Plus (the base model with a bigger screen), the 16 Pro (a technically beefed-up version of the 16), and the 16 Pro Max (Apple's top of the line ultra-premium device).
According to leaks uncovered by MacRumors, Apple will opt to continue with its multi-tiered iPhone strategy in 2024.
This year's Pro and Pro Max devices will reportedly sport massive 16.3 and 16.9-inch displays respectively, as well as an exclusive tetraprism Telephoto camera lens.
Other than that, the 16 Pro models will look similar to the 15 Pro and Pro Max, being built with Grade 5 Titanium and featuring the curved corners of last year's model.
How Much Will the iPhone 16 Cost?
Fans will not know for sure what the exact pricing specifics for the iPhone 16 will look like until the device is officially unveiled.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max notoriously sported an elevated price point, coming in at $100 more than the phones from a year prior.
Because of the public outcry behind this move, insiders believe Apple could opt to decrease their prices for the upcoming iPhone 16.
At launch, the baseline iPhone 15 and 15 Plus cost users $799 and $899, while the Pro and Pro Max were $999 and $1199.
The 16 could mimic these prices, with Apple marking down last year's models in the process.
According to analysts (via TechRadar), as Apple changes the way it manufactures iPhone chipsets in 2024, this could ultimately result in savings for the customer.
This news comes as conflicting reports say the iPhone 16 may be more expensive than the 15.
It has been rumored the iPhone 16 could be getting a bit of a camera upgrade, with the new devices sporting advanced molded glass lenses, which cost more than the materials currently used (per MacRumors).
If that is the case, then a more expensive iPhone compared to 2023's 15 line could be on the cards for Apple's 2024 release.
iPhone 16 Features to Expect
From the looks of leaks (at least on the outside), the iPhone 16 will look very similar to the 15.
The phone will reportedly feature an identical titanium chassis to last year's phones with a stunning screen that nearly bleeds over the edges of the device.
However, despite looking the same, there are some major innovations supposedly coming to the iPhone 16.
On the outside of the phone - at least in the Pro models - will be a new 'Capture' opposite the newly introduced action button (via Forbes).
This new flush-to-the-phone pressure-sensitive button will seemingly be for capturing photos and video quickly, putting a focus on some of the camera upgrades the 16 is set to get.
Another place the iPhone 16 is set to innovate is in its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning within its software experience.
Like many of its competitors, Apple is pushing further and further into having AI be a part of nearly every aspect of its mobile interface.
While no specifics on how the use of AI in the iPhone 16 have been made public, according to Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter (via CNET), one use of generative AI technology within the iPhone could be to "improve how both Siri and the Messages app can field questions and auto-complete sentences."
The iPhone 16 is expected to be released sometime in fall 2024.
