The Apple iPhone 16 launch event is now live and you can stream it on YouTube or the company’s website. You can also keep an eye on our live-blog, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to see the new iPhones after the event – which will be equipped with iOS 18.
The biggest news we expect from Apple’s It’s Glowtime event is the iPhone 16 lineup. Following the last event, we’re also expecting a new Apple Watch or two. But a recent update from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that we won’t see a full refresh on the Apple Watch Ultra line – just a new Ultra 2 color. (See below for details).
In addition, rumors are flying around about several changes to the AirPods line, including new noise-cancelling models and maybe even a slight refresh to the AirPods Max.
And what about new M4 Macs, HomePods, iPad mini or even the baseline iPhone SE? Some of these could arrive later this year, while others might not see the light of day until 2025 or beyond. But until Tim Cook takes the (virtual) stage, everything else is pure speculation. Having said that, let’s take a look at the most likely leaks and rumors ahead of the Apple event.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro
Regardless of what happens, these new handsets will be the main attraction during the Apple event. That’s good news for those ready to upgrade. The bad (almost) news? Most leaks and rumors indicate that this will be another year of constant improvements, so don’t expect any game-changing new hardware features.
Four new models are expected to be announced at the event, similar to the models Apple did last year. According to industry analyst Mark Gurman, the new phones will reportedly be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
This is similar to the naming of last year’s iPhone 15, so rumors of Apple adopting the “iPhone Ultra” name seem to be greatly exaggerated.
Even if Apple doesn’t use the Ultra name, the Pro models could have slightly larger screens, which is always a good thing (if you like big phones, that is). The regular Pro is likely to be 6.3 inches from 6.1 inches, while the Pro Max should increase from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches.
Finally, there are likely to be one or two new colors, as usual. Bloomberg’s Gurman suggests Apple is set to drop the blue model in favor of a return to rose gold. Separately, 9to5Mac has reported a new “gold-color titanium” color for the iPhone 16 Pro models. Based on a source who clearly identified last year’s gray titanium color, what they’re showing appears to be more of a dusky sand color than gold.
Speaking of hardware, look for a new chipset that takes advantage of the company’s recent move towards AI, also known as Apple Intelligence. Furthermore, the upgraded A18 chip will be an iterative improvement in terms of specs. As is typically the case, the Pro and Pro Max are likely to get a more powerful chip than the standard models. It looks like the base amount of RAM here will be 8GB, to handle the aforementioned AI tasks.
It’s also rumoured that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get the Action Button, a feature introduced last year for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This multi-purpose button is a direct replacement for the mute switch by default, but it can be adjusted to control a number of different things. The Action Button can be used to change ringer settings, turn on the flashlight, launch the camera, and more.
There’s also talk of another new button, this one on the right side of the phone. This will control the camera features, working like a button on a DSLR. The report suggests that a light pressure will activate autofocus and a harder press will take a photo.
Consumers can also swipe on the button to zoom in and out while shooting photos or taking videos. This camera button is reported to come only with the Pro and Pro Max, which makes sense as the high-end models usually offer a more robust camera experience.
In that sense, new iPhones have always had a camera spec bump, but we don’t know what it will look like this time around. However, it is reported that the iPhone 16’s camera module may get a design refresh.
Apple may ditch the square shape and go with a vertical orientation. This may only apply to the base iPhone 16 and maybe the Plus, as the Pro and Pro Max phones put more emphasis on photos and videos.