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iPhone 16 rumours and release date: Everything we know so far
With the iPhone 16s release just months away, The Sun has collected every snippet of gossip that has poured out of the rumour mill so far.
Apple is, of course, remaining tight-lipped about the handset that is expected to hit shelves this autumn.
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Screen and layout
The iPhone 16 Pro models were always expected to have taller display sizes than the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 15 Pro models, according to several analysts and images.
But images from the reliable leaker (formerly Twitter) suggests the new lineup might be too much of a handful.
The size of the device is rumoured to grow from the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 6.7inches to a whopping 16.9inches.
This increased size may then become the size of the standard iPhone 17, unless there are complaints from customers, suggested.
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Separate images of dummy units from in April imply the iPhone 16 will bring the return of vertically arranged camera lenses.
A vertical arrangement hasn't been seen since the iPhone 12.
Beyond its sheer size, Pro version of the iPhone 16 is to boast a 20 per cent brighter display.
Colours
Leaked dummy models, discovered on Chinese social media site Weibo by , suggest Apple is mulling seven different colours for the iPhone 16.
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The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus came in just five colours: black, blue, green, yellow, and pink.
Apple is rumoured to be keeping those same five colours but adding two more: white and purple.
White iPhones were hugely popular in the 2010s, but vanished with the iPhone 12 in 2020.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 has a number of big AI features
That's if we discount the iPhone 13's shade Starlight, which is described as a warm white.
The pastel shades of recent handsets - from Apple, as well as the likes of Samsung, Motorola and Google - suggest tech's bright tones era is over.
The iPhone 15 Pro came in four muted tones: Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.
While the iPhone 16 Pro is rumoured to be keeping most of these finishes, it may swap out Blue Titanium and Black Titanium for Rose and Space Black shades.
AI features
Following in Samsung's footsteps, Apple is set to go big on features powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Apple is reportedly looking make Siri smarter in iOS 18, the software update that will arrive hand-in-hand with the iPhone 16.
According to , Apple has been taken aback by the tech industry's AI frenzy and has been racing to make up for lost time ever since.
Apple boss Tim Cooks says the company has been working on its own generative AI technology, the same tech behind ChatGPT.
So far, Apple has only introduced AI to improve auto-corrections.
But a "smarter version of Siri" that has been integrated with AI could be ready as soon as next year, Bloomberg reported.
A separate report from Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News claimed the iPhone 16 will have an upgraded Neural Engine, which will boost performance to facilitate all these grand AI features.
For more details on Apple's possible AI features, read The Sun's coverage of iOS 18 rumours.
New volume buttons
It was rumoured that iPhone 15 Pro models would boast a 'buttonless' design - but it didn't come to fruition.
While rumours hinted that Apple would introduce this with the iPhone 16 Pro models, the leaked dummy units suggest otherwise.
The dummy units show a new capture button on the right-side on the handsets, as well as an action button on all four iPhone 16 models.
Currently, the action button is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
What does a 'buttonless' design mean?
The device wouldn't be entirely 'buttonless', but it would feel like it.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple would "likely" use solid-state buttons for the iPhone 16 Pro - buttons that don't physically move but will vibrate slightly to mimic the sensation of pressing down.
Record cost
Unsurprisingly, there is talk of the iPhone 16 becoming Apple's priciest handset yet.
The iPhone 15's production costs are much higher than those of last year's iPhone 14 models.
Apple may pass down these record high component onto customers in 2024 when the iPhone 16 is launched, according to a report.
Faster Wi-Fi speeds
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the iPhone 16 Pro models could adopt Wi-Fi 7 - the next generation of internet technology.
This means that surfing the internet on the device will be up to 2.4 times faster than on the iPhone 15.
USB-C Port
What we do know is that iPhone 16 models will have USB-C charging ports.
Now the Lighting cable has been ditched with the iPhone 15, it seems certain that USB-C ports will be the standard from here on out.
Higher quality camera
It's hard to imagine how the camera quality in iPhones can get much better, but it's up to Apple to try and pull it out of the bag before autumn next year.
One theory, which has , is that the iPhone 16 will bring in Apple's first super telephoto periscope, for a dramatically increased optical zoom.
Top-secret Ultra model
While there was a lot of talk about an iPhone 15 Ultra model from industry insiders, Apple's Wanderlust event proved the rumours were just hot air.
All that said, onlookers have pushed their expectations of a new, long-awaited Ultra model back a year to 2024.
Apple is hoped to introduce an Ultra model within its iPhone 16 lineup, which Bloomberg's Gurman says will have the best of everything: camera configuration, display and maybe even a better processor.
If dreams really do come true, then it's possible the coveted periscope camera will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Ultra.
Release date
Apple has only just banked its iPhone 15 launch day, so we won't be receiving an iPhone 16 release date anytime soon.
Autumn is the company's season of choice, with enough summer shenanigans to bust up your old iPhone enough for you consider buying a new one - and tempt folks before Christmas too.
Typically, Apple leans towards the second Tuesday in September for its annual release date.
So, we can expect the iPhone 16 - and an array of new products - to land around then.
Last year, we correctly predicted the iPhone 15 release date.
And we've tried our luck at making an official prediction for the iPhone 16 launch schedule too.
Based on our maths, we'd expect to see iPhone 16 pre-orders go live on Friday, September 13.
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We're then likely to see the new iOS 18 software roll out to existing iPhone owners on Monday, September 16.
And the official in-store iPhone 16 release date would be Friday, September 20.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best...
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
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