Ready for all the iPhone 16 rumours that have been floating around online?
Yes, you read that correctly. The iPhone 16: a discussion we’re already having before the iPhone 15 is released on Friday, September 22nd. Premature? Sure. A bit of fun speculation? Definitely.
Why? Because that’s generally how ravenous these Apple rumours are each year. As soon as one product is announced, various notable Apple leakers already start to look towards the following generation.
As you may have read in the iPhone 15 rumours round-up that we published before the 2023 iPhone lineup was announced on Tuesday, September 12th, there were a few speculations that were proven wrong by the official iPhone 15 announcement.
As an example, the headline changes for the iPhone 15 Pro models – the long-awaited switch to USB-C, a new Action button for the Pro models, a titanium chassis and the A17 Pro chip – didn’t include the suggested introduction of solid-state buttons. Now, current rumours suggest that solid-state buttons are on the cards for the iPhone 16 instead, as well as a significant boost in memory for the base models and a bunch of other features that I’ll discuss below.
This is a rolling list and will be updated every few months as more iPhone 16 rumours and leaks are released.
In This Article
iPhone 16 Release Date In Australia
Apple announced the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, September 12th live from its Wonderlust streaming event at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino, California. The iPhone 15 lineup will be available in Australia from Friday, September 22nd.
Apple has stuck with the month of September for both the announcement and the release, the two dates typically being two weeks apart. Therefore, unless Apple changes things dramatically, the iPhone 16 lineup will be announced in early September 2024 and released mid-to-late September 2024.
It ain’t rocket science folks.
iPhone 16 Rumours
Solid-State Buttons For Pro Models
This was going to be one of the big changes for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. For years, Apple has been trying to get rid of the traditional physical buttons so it can introduce solid-state volume, power and mute buttons. Vague “unresolved technical issues” got in the way this year, according to MacRumours.
So now it seems likely solid-state buttons could be one of the big design changes for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, one of the most prescient Apple speculators out there, says that it’s “likely” Apple will be introducing these digital buttons with haptic feedback next year.
What are solid-state buttons? Well, they are simply a future-forward way of giving you buttons to press without actually giving you any buttons at all. When you touch it, you’ll get some mild haptic feedback that mimics a button press. This gives you the sensation of pressing down even where there is no actual physical button to depress.
A good example of this is the Touch ID Home button on the iPhone SE. This button uses solid-state technology, similar to the trackpad on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
So what are the benefits? Well, for one, there are no physical buttons. This would allow designers to work up better production against dust and water since there would be no button requiring a physical depressing mechanic. That further tightens up the display so no fine droplets of water or dust can enter the phone and cause issues.
Of course, that means we can expect to see an iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max with a higher IP rating. The two iPhone 15 Pro models are already rated IP68, which is impressive enough. Could we be seeing an iPhone with an IP69K rating (that is the top rating available for water and dust protection)? Unlikely, but I’m sure there’s always room for improvement.
Under-Display Face ID For Pro Models
Will we finally get a full-screen iPhone? The notch has always been a necessary black hole when it comes to the display because it’s where the selfie camera sits for Face ID and photos. Having a fully-embedded sensor for Face ID would mean Apple would finally be able to offer an iPhone with maximum screen real-estate.
In this case, we might see a higher-end iPhone model (the ‘iPhone 16 Ultra’ perhaps?) that would likely be more expensive than the Pro models. That or the Pro models will get the under-display Face ID sensor and selfie camera while the two base models will just get the standard iterative upgrades.
According to MacRumours, Apple will indeed have an under-face ID scanner on the iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. However, an under-screen front camera might not be workable until 2026, which means we’ll see that on the iPhone 18 Pro models.
This is because in order to put the selfie sensor under the display and have it work well, Apple will need to use technology that helps external light reach under the display and enter the TrueDepth camera system. The sensor needs a light source significant enough to take quality photos.
However, it feels like getting rid of the notch will also get rid of Apple’s Dynamic Island. Not that I care too much; the Dynamic Island was just a neat way to utilise the notch and actually milk some functionality out of it. I won’t miss it. I don’t think anyone else would miss it either.
Action Button For Base Models
This one is almost a given. Each year, the two base models of the new flagship iPhone lineup get a trickle-down effect from last year’s Pro models. For example, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max both introduced the Dynamic Island. This year, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus also have Dynamic Island.
It’s then very reasonable to assume this year’s Pro-exclusive will trickle down to the two base models next year.
I think it’ll be the Action button but Apple could just as easily make it so that both base models get a titanium chassis. We might also see the A17 Pro chip used for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
Super Periscope Camera For Pro Models
The biggest upgrade for Apple’s approach to smartphone photography this year is that the 15 Pro Max has a telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom.
And it seems this is a big focus for Apple moving forward. That is, the company wants you to be able to zoom close without worrying about the quality. An optical zoom helps with that because it uses the hardware, whereas digital zoom uses the software and results are generally less impressive.
As per MacRumours, a Weibo account called Digital Chat Station, which has been correct about Apple rumours before, is pointing to a Super Periscope Zoom for iPhone 16 Pro models.
For context, the iPhone 14 Pro has a telephoto lens with a focal length of around 77mm. A Super Periscope Zoom would have a focal length of at least 300mm. That’s a huge increase.
Bigger Displays For All Models
This is an interesting one. With the iPhone 14 lineup, Apple finally got rid of the iPhone mini in the traditional series as it wasn’t performing as well as expected. Instead, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 Plus so that we still had two base models and two pro models.
This convention carried on over to the iPhone 15 lineup, so the current sizes are as follows:
- iPhone 15 – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 15 Plus – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro Max – 6.7 inches
It seems Apple wants to have another significant switch-up on the sizes next year, offering not two different sizes, but four.
According to current rumours, the iPhone 16 lineup might actually look like the following:
- iPhone 16 – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 16 Plus – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro – 6.3 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro Max – 6.9 inches
I already find the iPhone 15 Pro Max too big at 6,7-inches. Some people prefer it, however, I like the way 6.1 inches feels in my hands [stop laughing]. Having a 6.9-inch phone is not for me but I could definitely see people appreciating an even bigger screen, especially if the under-display Face ID shrinks the notch.
Portless Design
I feel like this is the weakest iPhone 16 rumour. I do, however, feel like Apple would eventually like to create a phone that has no ports whatsoever and relies purely on wireless connections to charge and transfer data.
I think the company making such a big deal about switching over to USB-C means that the company isn’t in a rush to completely remove a port just yet.
What are the benefits? A more simplified design, sure. The biggest benefit would be extra durability since having no port would eliminate a big opening in the hardware. Fewer openings mean better protection against water and dust.
But with the Solid-State Buttons and a current IP68 rating, I don’t see how increasing water protection any further would make much of a difference to most customers. Having a fully waterproof phone could be cool though, especially for those who like a bit of water sports.
My Thoughts On The Current iPhone 16 Rumours
Solid-state buttons and an under-display Face ID? Neither of those sound like massive deals to the casual consumer on paper, but if these are actually implemented then that gives Apple’s designers more freedom. These are also two things that will help Apple’s flagship smartphone feel much more futuristic, rather than the standard iterative upgrade we get each year.
That being said, these rumours pop up every year. And they are always the same. Yet there seems to be more weight to these ones given Apple has reportedly been working on these technologies for a while now. Solid-state buttons, for example, were supposed to be introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models. That means the company is closed.
I still haven’t even gone hands-on with the iPhone 15 Pro so I don’t know if the Action button will just be a cute little gimmick I forget about in a few weeks, or if it’s a game-changer. In the case of the latter, finally having a Pro exclusive worth the upgrade will make next year’s Base models very enticing.
However, it’s just as likely that Samsung or Google are already steps ahead of Apple and could improve upon this feature. We already know that Google’s Pixel 8 series will be announced on October 4th, so I’ll wait to see what the company is pushing before I get too excited about Apple’s next-generation smartphones.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Apple announce the iPhone 16?
The iPhone 16 series will be announced in September 2024 with availability following one or two weeks later.
What are the main features of the iPhone 16 Pro models?
Rumoured features to be introduced for the iPhone 16 Pro models include solid-state buttons, an under-display Face ID scanner and an improved telephoto lens.
Will the iPhone 16 have an under-display Face ID scanner?
It is rumoured that Apple has found a way to put the Face ID scanner under the display so it’s likely that the iPhone 16 Pro models will be the first-ever Apple flagships to have this feature.
