While not as flashy as the iPhone 16 Pro, Apple’s fall debut of the iPhone 16 is notable for the addition of Apple Intelligence. Here are the key features that will make the difference for those looking to upgrade.
Renders of what the iPhone 16 might look like
Rumors never stop about the iPhone, but lately they’ve been focusing more on the changes to the iPhone 16 Pro models. However, there will still be changes for the non-Pro models arriving at the same time.
With less than three months until Apple launches its new models, these are the features to look out for in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
iPhone 16 Upgrades: A17
One thing that will almost certainly happen is a chip upgrade. After the iPhone 14, Apple switched to a system where the latest chip versions would apply to the Pro models, while the non-Pros used the previous one.
The Pro models of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 used the A16 Bionic and A17 Pro, respectively, while the non-Pro models used the A15 Bionic and A16 Bionic.
The change allowed the Pro models to have a significantly more powerful chip than the non-Pro ones without Apple having to design two different tiers of chips each year.
If this continues for the iPhone 16, chances are the A17 Pro chip will be reused for the iPhone 16, while the iPhone 16 Pro line will move to the A18 chip. Also, there were rumors that the A18 would be used everywhere.
Apple Intelligence can help encourage iPhone upgrades
No matter what it gets, the chip change will be significant for the iPhone 16. The A17, accompanied by 8GB of RAM, is the first iPhone chip to be compatible with Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence is the company’s big push into machine learning, with generative AI and more contextual responses a big part of the initiative. Since the A17 is able to get the job done and the A16 can’t, moving to the A17 is at least imperative for the next versions of the iPhone.
For reference, the A16 Bionic’s 16-core Neural Engine can handle up to 17 trillion operations per second. The A17 Pro version can reach up to 35 trillion operations per second.
iPhone 16 upgrades: Display
A core part of any smartphone experience, the display is how people primarily interact with the device – the screen. While the main rumors are about the Pro models, the iPhone 16 is also expected to undergo several changes.
Since the launch of the iPhone 15, there have been rumors that displays are getting bigger overall. However, while the Pro models are expected to grow by around 0.2 inches each, the non-Pro models are believed to be the same size and weight as the iPhone 15 generation.
In theory, this means that the iPhone 16 should get a 6.1-inch display and a 6.7-inch one for the Plus version.
Although it has the same physical dimensions, there is one more change to the screen that can improve the device.
iPhone 16 may have very thin display bezels
In March
, it was claimed that members of the iPhone supply chain were working on displays with Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology. In April, there were reported supply chain issues related to the introduction of these reduced frames.
By June, the rumors had turned to claims that the Pro models would feature the “world’s thinnest bezels.” If true, this will ultimately create a better end-to-end display for users.
Although the Pro models are again mainly discussed here, there is at least a chance that the non-pro models will also get it.
iPhone 16 upgrades: Camera
Again, the lion’s share of camera rumors concern the Pro models. There is intense discussion about moving the Tetraprism lens to both Pro models, but this is not yet likely to move to the non-Pro model.
What is expected in the non-Pro iPhone 16 is a change in the camera. Various leaks of a mold and a handset dummy promote the idea of a vertical camera placement for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, instead of the square diagonal positioning.
iPhone 16 camera positioning can help create spatial video.
Such a change would arrange the cameras vertically, which would theoretically make it possible for the iPhone 16 to capture spatial video for Apple Vision Pro.
On the less likely side, rumors discuss the possibility of new lens coatings to reduce flare and other artifacts. Thinner lenses can also be used, which helps reduce weight.
Rather than any specific rumors indicating any sensor changes for the non-Pro models, it’s probably safe to assume that Apple won’t be making many changes to these specs.
iPhone 16 Upgrades: Action Button
The addition of the action button to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max meant that the mute switch was replaced with a multifunction button. However, the iPhone 15 kept the switch for at least one more generation.
The iPhone 15 Pro action button control interface
For the iPhone 16, the current expectation is that the Action Button will make its way from Pro models to non-Pro models. A rumor from December made this claim, which could also be guessed based on Apple’s penchant for passing features from Pro-level devices to non-Pro variants.
There are rumors that the iPhone 16 Pro may have a capture button. While the claims did not discuss its inclusion in the iPhone 16, it is still possible.
iPhone 16 Upgrades: Battery
Although not a mainstream feature for consumers, battery life is still an underrated but very important feature. Apple is constantly trying to increase battery life over time, either through increased capacity or energy efficiency measures.
Rumors discuss the possibility of improved battery capacity for most models, including both Pro units and the standard edition.
The iPhone 16 is believed to have a battery capacity of 3,561 mAh, compared to 3,367 for the iPhone 15.
However, the iPhone 16 Plus is said to go the other way. It is expected to have a 4,006 mAh battery, lower than the 4,407 mAh version of the iPhone 15 Plus. However, it is not clear at this stage how accurate this rumor is.
The longer the battery life for the iPhone 16, the better.
The changes are not really seismic. When combined with other power-saving initiatives, these could lead to improved battery life for the iPhone 16. Time will tell for the iPhone 16 Plus.
Other changes could include the technologies used to create the batteries in the first place. Apple has reportedly looked into using a graphene heatsink and using high-performance cathode technology in the devices.
They may also be greener, as Apple has previously announced that all batteries it designs will use 100% recycled cobalt by 2025.
