Don’t Expect a Radical Design Change on the iPhone 16
Apple’s iPhone 16 launch is likely days away. On Monday Sept. 9, Apple is holding its Glowtime event where new iPhone models are expected to be revealed. But don’t count on the new iPhone looking very different from the iPhone 15, according to rumors, reports and leaks.
While we’re not expecting a major departure in terms of design, the iPhone 16 may include some physical changes that could end up being particularly useful. That could include the addition of the Action button for the regular model and larger screens on the iPhone 16 Pro devices.
None of these reports have been confirmed or acknowledged by Apple.
The iPhone’s design has largely remained the same over the last couple of years, aside from the iPhone 15 Pro’s titanium build and the iPhone 15’s color-infused glass. Apple also removed the SIM card slot from new iPhones in the US, starting with the iPhone 14 in 2022, meaning new iPhone buyers must rely on electronic SIMs. But arguably the biggest overhaul in recent memory came in 2020 when Apple changed the iPhone’s shape by giving it flatter edges, starting with the iPhone 12.
More significant design tweaks could be in store for next year’s iPhone. Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone 17 Slim for 2025, according to a 9to5Mac story citing analyst Jeff Pu. Bloomberg and The Information also report that a thinner iPhone could be in the works for next year, coming after Apple debuted its slim iPad Pro earlier this year.
Now, here’s what we’re expecting from the iPhone 16.
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iPhone 16 may get a new camera bump
Setting my iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Action Button to open the Camera app.
Expect your next iPhone to come with more buttons.
The iPhone 16 is reportedly getting a dedicated camera button, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, although it’s unclear if it would be available on all phones or just the Pro models. This button could allow you to trigger autofocus with a slight press, similar to a DSLR, Gurman reports. But a more recent report from Apple Insider suggests the camera button will indeed come to all new iPhone models and will be compatible with photography apps.
At the same time, Apple is expected to expand the Action button to all iPhone 16 models, Bloomberg also reports. Both buttons will be capacitive, according to MacRumors. The Action button, which can be used as a shortcut to launch the camera or turn on Do Not Disturb among other tasks, is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. In addition to extending the Action button to the standard iPhone this year, I’m also hoping Apple expands what it can do. For example, as my colleague Patrick Holland writes, the ability to trigger different actions with multiple presses could open up a bunch of possibilities.
Read more: The Rumored iPhone 16 Feature I Really Want to See
Larger sizes for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus comes in all of these different colors.
Apple may have a couple of new color options in store for the iPhone 16 Pro, if rumors turn out to be true. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max may come in space black, gray, rose and white colors, according to a leak that surfaced on the Chinese social network Weibo. The rumor was reposted by a notable leaker who goes by the alias ShrimpApplePro on X. Bloomberg also reports that the blue version of the Pro will be replaced and the Pro would also be available in a rose gold color option this year. That would differ from the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s color options, which include natural titanium, blue titanium, white titanium and black titanium.
The regular iPhone could come in pink, black, white, green and blue, according to Dickson’s photo and Kuo.
All told, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro sound like they will be an incremental upgrade over the iPhone 15. Check out our full preview of what we’re expecting from the iPhone 16 to learn more about what we may see from the camera and other key areas.