If you’ve resisted the temptation to upgrade to the iPhone 15, and are instead holding off for 2024’s iPhone 16, you may be wondering if your patience will be rewarded.
While it stands to reason that every year’s iPhone is an improvement on the last, the changes have sometimes been quite incremental from one generation to the next. Is this one of those years?
Here are the biggest rumored upgrades for the iPhone 16.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price and availability
The standard iPhone’s price has remained static at $799 since 2020’s iPhone 12 (albeit with the cheaper $699 5.4-inch iPhone mini being phased out in favor of the $899 6.7-inch Plus). We could be due a price increase, therefore, but Apple may decide to keep pricing competitive and reserve any bumps to the Pro models. It’s too early to tell.
Availability is far easier to predict. Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will almost certainly launch in September, as every non-SE iPhone has for over a decade (barring the Coronavirus-era iPhone 12, which launched a month later due to supply chain difficulties).
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and display
We’re not expecting “significant design changes” for the iPhone 16, according to the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. While the Pro models may be a little bigger this year, the regular models will reportedly retain the same 6.1-inch/6.7-inch screen, with the same 60Hz refresh rate.
But there are a couple of changes to be excited about. Just as the iPhone 15 inherited Dynamic Island from the previous year’s Pro models, we’re expecting the Action Button to replace the long-serving mute switch in 2024.
Additionally, all the phones are reportedly getting a dedicated Capture button for quick access to the cameras. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims this is predominantly for shooting video.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Specs and cameras
Since the iPhone 14, Apple has given the Pro models a faster processor, with the entry-level iPhones sporting year-old chips. They’re still some of the fastest phones around, just not as fast as the Pro models.
But an early rumor suggests that Apple may be abandoning this division for the iPhone 16, with both handsets getting the A18 chipset. There still could be a divide, with the Pro models getting a more powerful version of course, but it’s intriguing all the same.
The good news continues elsewhere, with the analyst Jeff Pu claiming that 2024 will see the iPhone 16 getting an extra 2GB RAM, taking it to 8GB. On top of this, there’s also talk of support for the faster Wi-Fi 6E standard, should you have a compatible router.
After the introduction of the 48MP sensor to the iPhone 15, we’re not expecting any big changes to the camera array, however — unless you consider a possible change of layout to be a big deal.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Software
It’s no secret that the iPhone 16 will arrive with iOS 18. The contents of the operating system update aren’t currently known, though there’s an assumption that Apple will go big on artificial intelligence with a substantial upgrade to Siri that’s reportedly being tested as we speak.
Of course, iOS 18 will also be available to older iPhones, but the AI features may be exclusive to the iPhone 16 if they require a hardware bump to function. Additionally, the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons the iPhone 16 will have an improved microphone to help with Siri requests.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Outlook
While the changes outlined above largely aren’t going to be revolutionary (with the possible exception of AI integration in iOS 18), it looks like a solid set of upgrades for the iPhone 16.
If Apple can keep the price static for the fourth year in a row, there’s no reason to think this will end the company’s run of excellent smartphones.
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Alan Martin
Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.
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Regarding the concepts mentioned in this article, let's discuss each one in detail:
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price and availability
- The price of the standard iPhone has remained at $799 since the iPhone 12 in 2020, with the exception of the cheaper iPhone mini being phased out in favor of the larger iPhone Plus model .
- It is too early to determine if there will be a price increase for the iPhone 16 or if Apple will keep pricing competitive.
- As for availability, it is highly likely that both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be launched in September, following the pattern of previous non-SE iPhone releases .
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and display
- According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, significant design changes are not expected for the iPhone 16. The regular models will likely retain the same 6.1-inch/6.7-inch screen size with a 60Hz refresh rate.
- However, there are a couple of changes to look forward to. The Action Button is expected to replace the mute switch, and all the phones are reportedly getting a dedicated Capture button for quick access to the cameras .
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Specs and cameras
- In previous generations, Apple has given the Pro models a faster processor, while the entry-level iPhones have had slightly older chips. However, there is an early rumor suggesting that Apple may abandon this division for the iPhone 16, with both models potentially receiving the A18 chipset.
- Additionally, there are claims that the iPhone 16 will have an extra 2GB of RAM, taking it to 8GB, and support for the faster Wi-Fi 6E standard .
- As for the camera array, no significant changes are expected, except for a possible change in layout.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Software
- The iPhone 16 is expected to come with iOS 18, although the specific features of the operating system update are currently unknown.
- There are assumptions that Apple will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) with a substantial upgrade to Siri. It is unclear if these AI features will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 or available to older iPhones as well .
Overall, while the rumored upgrades for the iPhone 16 may not be revolutionary, they still offer a solid set of improvements. If Apple can maintain a static price for the fourth year in a row, it is likely that the iPhone 16 will continue the company's run of excellent smartphones .
