Apple will launch the iPhone 16 series in mid-September, but we already know just about everything there is to know about the new handsets. We can still expect surprises when it comes to the software running on the new iPhone models. But the designs Apple will use for the Pro and non-Pro models are almost certainly finalized.
Design details have leaked repeatedly in the past few months, giving us a rather complete picture. Then, the first iPhone 16 mockups started appearing online. Those are the dummy units that accessory makers rely upon to manufacture cases and screen protectors for the next-gen iPhones.
This brings us to the iPhone 16 design concept you’ll see below, which is the closest thing we have to a video of the upcoming iPhone generation in real life. As you’re about to see, the clip gets a lot of details right. That is, they match the iPhone 16 rumors to give us a good general picture of what Apple’s new iPhones look like. But the concept also gets some things wrong, and I’ll explain all of the designer’s mistakes.
Creator 4RMD posted the following “introduction trailer” for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus on YouTube. If you’ve been following iPhone 16 rumors, it’ll be easy to separate the details that match the leaks from wishful thinking.
The designer gets many things right. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will look like their predecessors. They’ll feature all-screen designs with Dynamic Islands at the top. But the screens will not increase in size.
I wouldn’t expect a 6.2-inch screen on the iPhone 16 model. It’ll stick with the current 6.1-inch size. The display on the iPhone 16 Pro will increase to 6.3 inches. Also, only the Pros will feature slimmer bezels. The regular iPhone 16 and 16 Plus should have standard bezels.
As for the iPhone 16’s OLED panel’s capabilities, the concept video lists a 90Hz refresh rate for the handset. I don’t think Apple will go that way. Instead, it’ll stick with a 60Hz refresh rate. Eventually, all iPhones will support ProMotion (120Hz refresh rate), which is currently exclusive to the Pro models.
The sides of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will be made of aluminum rather than titanium, as 4RMD proposes. Titanium will probably continue to be exclusive to the Pros. But the phones will probably feature vertical camera modules that will support spatial photography.
The clip also shows the iPhone 16 in various muted colors. We’ll probably know the actual iPhone 16 color options by the time Apple unveils the series.
The concept images also show an Action button on the left side of the iPhone 16. All rumors say the button Apple introduced with the iPhone 15 Pros will come to all new iPhones this year. But the renders miss out on a crucial button detail. There should be a brand-new Capture button on the right side. The same rumors say Apple will give all iPhone 16 variants a camera-centric Capture button.
If rumors are accurate, all iPhone 16 phones will come with USB-C ports on the bottom, and most should feature larger battery capacities. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple stuck with the current charging speeds for the iPhone 16 series. That is up to 20W wired charging and up to 30W unofficially.
Finally, the concept clip also says that the iPhone 16 will feature new AI capabilities, with the A18 chip powering the experience. These claims are in line with recent reports. Apple will likely confirm many of the generative AI features coming to iOS 18 next month when it unveils the iPhone’s upcoming operating system at WWDC.
As for the iPhone 16 chips, Apple is rumored to use the A18 and A18 Pro chipsets for the non-Pro and Pro versions of the upcoming iPhone generation.
