We’re still getting last-minute leaks with hours to go until Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” launch event for the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and other products. One of the most exciting ones concerns the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro, which might have given some buyers reasons to worry in recent weeks.
The iPhone 16 Pro is the only model in the upcoming lineup that might see a price change, similar to last year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, a trusted insider says that Apple will not bump the starting price of the cheapest iPhone 16 Pro. He said we’re still getting the same $999 price point that Apple has used for years for this iPhone model.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman posted on X the following tweet late on Sunday:
I expect the touch sensitive camera button to be on all iPhone 16 models tomorrow. The slimmer bezels on the Pro line are noticeable, as are battery life improvements. I don’t expect the Pro entry price to be raised from $999. Big focus will be on AI & A18 chip across the board
In a few last-minute reports, Gurman shared many details about the upcoming iPhone 16 series, and the tweet above is of particular interest.
Gurman said the Capture button should be available on all four iPhone 16 models, not just the Pro. That’s an important detail for yours truly. The Capture button is one reason I want an iPhone 16 model.
Battery life improvements being “noticeable” is another exciting teaser. Battery life hasn’t always been great for all iPhone models or all iPhone users. I’m on the iPhone 14 Pro, but I didn’t experience the battery issues many other owners did in the first year of use. After two years, my iPhone doesn’t last more than a day, however.
Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro entry price is the most important detail in Gurman’s tweet. If accurate, the cheapest iPhone 16 Pro will start at $999. But it’s unclear whether Apple will upgrade the base iPhone 16 Pro to 256 GB storage, as had been rumored. If that happens, and Apple keeps the $999 price tag in place, the iPhone 16 Pro becomes a tremendous deal.
Last year, Apple removed the 128GB storage tier from the iPhone 15 Pro Max, bumping the model’s starting price to $1,199. Reports a few days ago suggested that Apple could pull off the same move with the iPhone 16 Pro price. Before that, others speculated that the iPhone 16 Pro price might start at $1,099 this year, with users getting 256GB of storage.
