iPhone 16 Pro: Leaks, rumors, and what we would like to see

Though the iPhone 15 Pro Max is still a fairly new smartphone, we’re already looking ahead to what the iPhone 16 Pro lineup might bring. Apple added a few key features to the iPhone 15 Pro series, like an overhauled titanium exterior, a customizable Action button, and a USB-C port. That makes it the best iPhone you can buy today, but Apple is already planning its upgrades for the iPhone 16 Pro smartphones. As the release date approaches, rumors and leaks shed light on what changes might be coming our way this fall. Below, we’ve rounded up what we know so far, and we’ll continue to update this article as more news about the iPhone 16 Pro series is revealed.

Design and display

Capture button with capacitive elements and larger screens

Apple typically makes major iPhone design tweaks once every three years or so. Considering the iPhone 15 Pro models just adopted the titanium frame with round edges, we don’t expect the iPhone 16 Pro to jump to a different material or feature a drastically different design. And just like the 15 Pro models, we expect the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max to offer an Action button.

New to the iPhone 16 Pro series will be a “Capture” button, which will be used when snapping photos or recording videos. According to The Information, this button will be mechanical rather than capacitive. However, the “Capture” button will still be able to sense pressure and touch, allowing users to control things like optical and digital zoom without using the display. If this rumor pans out, the “Capture” button will serve two goals. First, it’ll differentiate the Pro-series iPhones from the regular models in another way. It’ll also make the iPhone an even better option for professional photography. Since this button will be located near where the mmWave cutout is on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’ll have to be shifted to the left side of the phone on the iPhone 16 Pro.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED display 

The big change, however, could lie in its size. Unlike the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7-inch 15 Pro Max, there have been rumors that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max could go for 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively. Furthermore, the OLED panels may rely on micro-lens technology, which could contribute to a higher brightness and more power efficiency. According to a report from The Elec, suppliers have offered to apply micro-lens tech to the iPhone 16 Pro’s OLED display panels, but Apple has not green-lit the move yet.

What we want to see

While there are still no credible rumors revolving around the finish options, we hope Apple introduces some more vibrant colorways. Despite Pro devices typically sticking to darker, duller options, there have been exceptions in the past, such as the Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro. While the 2023 Pro models feature two similar dark shades and two bright variants, none of the iPhone 15 Pro finishes really offer a vibrant shade that stands out. Blue Titanium is cool, but only under very specific lighting conditions.

Cameras

We could be seeing a further improved zoom

In the camera department, the ultrawide lens may finally receive a boost from 12MP to 48MP. This change was first applied to the main lens when the iPhone 14 Pro launched. Furthermore, Apple may bring the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s exclusive (77mm) tetraprism lens to the smaller iPhone 16 Pro. This would enable those with the smaller iPhone 16 Pro to utilize the 5x optical and 25x digital zoom. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro Max may offer a (300mm) super telephoto lens, allowing users to zoom beyond 5x in the optical department or 25x in the digital one. However, this 300mm telephoto periscope lens has only been predicted by a single source right now, so it’s far from confirmed.

What we want to see

While all of this would be good, what we really want in the iPhone 16 Pro camera is a Pro mode with manual controls to take advantage of the advanced sensors. While third-party apps exist for this purpose, the native one has become somewhat limited in this age. It currently supports shooting in RAW and adjusting the exposure, but not much beyond that. The iPhone’s camera hardware has potential, and it’s already one of the best, particularly when shooting video. Still, Apple could further push its limits by being more creative with the software that operates it.

Related

How to use the Pro camera mode on your Apple iPhone

Recent iPhone models have upped their photography game noticeably. Here’s how to use the Pro camera mode on your Apple iPhone.

Performance

It’s all about AI

Considering the iPhone 15 Pro models pack the A17 Pro chip, we expect the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max to introduce the A18 Pro chip. However, we still have no idea how capable and power-efficient it’ll be. It’s safe to assume, though, that it’ll be manufactured through the 3nm process. Additionally, it could exclusively support iOS 18 AI features if the whispers turn out to be accurate. Otherwise, we expect the iPhone 16 Pro models to feature a connectivity boost, with rumors pointing to Wi-Fi 7 support.

What we want to see

The AI is all but expected, but what would be a pleasant surprise is a mode similar to Samsung’s DeX. While the current A17 Pro can run some AAA games, iOS and the relatively small phone display really restrict these chips’ potential. A welcome feature would be proper external display support, which triggers an interface that is similar to that of iPadOS. This would unlock Stage Manager, resizable app windows, and improved multitasking on the iPhone.

Battery

Superior cooling, charging, and capacity

Regarding power, the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to feature stacked batteries, which could increase their capacity and lifespan. Furthermore, users may be able to utilize faster 40W wired and 20W MagSafe charging, an increase from 20W and 15W, respectively. To combat overheating, Apple could also introduce a new graphene thermal system, which would replace the inferior copper-based one.

What we want to see

While there are still no relevant rumors regarding the matter, we’re still hoping for reverse wireless charging support. With the 2023 models, Apple unlocked reverse wired charging support for smaller devices and accessories. Expanding this support to include wireless charging would make charging AirPods on the go even easier. Many of us don’t carry cables around, and reverse wireless charging support would make emergency charging easier in a pinch.

The bottom line

A refresh as big as incremental upgrades get

With the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max months away from a proper release, there’s still plenty of time for more leaks to surface. This means that the existing details we’ve listed may turn out to be inaccurate. Either way, it appears that the upcoming Apple flagships will at least introduce some welcome changes, such as the new “Capture” button, larger displays, superior Wi-Fi connectivity, sharper ultrawide lens, advanced AI features, and more. Of course, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max remain the best smartphones from Apple for the time being, and you may want to grab a unit if you can’t wait until September.