The iPhone 16 series has bigger screens, longer battery life and new machine-learning abilities, and it’s available to buy right now
The annual iPhone event in Apple Park took place in September, with the team finally lifting the lid on the iPhone 16 series.
As good as the iPhone 15 range is, there’s definitely still room for improvement. Apple has absolutely nailed some aspects of the iPhone, yet it still falls behind Android competition in other areas, especially when it comes to AI features.
So, understandably, many people are excited for the next iteration of the iPhone, which is finally available to buy outright. If that includes you, here’s everything you need to know about it.When was the iPhone 16 released?
Apple launched the next iPhone on 9 September 2024 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. The new phones were revealed alongside the Apple Watch Series 10 and new AirPods.
All four phones are on sale now, having been released on 20 September 2024.
If you’re interested in buying one, see our where to buy the iPhone 16 guide for all the options in the UK and US.How much does the iPhone 16 cost?
Here are the launch prices for the iPhone 16 range:
iPhone 16 (128GB) – $799/£799
iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) – $899/£899
iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) – $999/£999
iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) – $1,199/£1,199
These are the same prices as the previous iPhone 15 range – leaker yeux1122 on South Korean platform Naver suggests that the titanium frame on the iPhone 16 models was cheaper to produce, which could be why there have been no major price increases.
The phones are available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage sizes, with the usual 1TB option for the Pro variants. What specs and features does the iPhone 16 have?
Apple is going big on AI this generation, with supporting software enhancements for its photo editing, productivity tools and voice assistant. Other headline features include major changes to the camera button, more unique colours and bigger battery lives.
There are four smartphones to choose from in the iPhone 16 series – here’s the lowdown:Design
Let’s start with the regular iPhone 16 and 16 Plus.
These phones come in a choice of five colours: White, Black, Ultramarine, Teal and Pink – the last three are new additions. These are made from Aerospace Aluminium and have IP68 water resistance and dust resistance, the same protection seen on the Pro phones.
As predicted in leaks, Apple has opted for a vertical camera arrangement set into a pill-shaped bump for the 16 and 16 Plus iPhones.
This design pays homage to previous iPhone models, notably the iPhone X, which also featured a pill-shaped camera design with a slim module. Although the iPhone 12 also employed a vertical camera setup, it had a broader square bump to accommodate the flash and microphone.
This camera bump incorporates two distinctive camera rings for the wide and ultrawide lenses, without altering the position of the flash or the camera lenses in this latest iteration.
The Capture Button is now new pressure-sensitive, and has been rebranded to ‘Camera Control’. As well as opening and snapping shots, users can slide their finger along the button to control the zoom, focus and more. Plus, a long press of this button will now record video.
The mute button has now been replaced with the Action Button, which was previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro range and not on the regular models. This can turn the phone to silent, open apps, activate the torch and more.
Speaking of which, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have also had some design tweaks. As well as the usual Black Titanium, White Titanium and Natural Titanium finishes, there’s a new bronze colour, called Desert Titanium. The textured glass back of the phone has a slightly softer tone than that on the chassis.
The camera module trio shape remains the same as the previous iteration, and the Pro models also support the new Camera Control features. These phones also have the thinnest border of any product from Apple, according to the keynote.
The Pro and Pro Max are made from Grade 5 Titanium, which should be more resistant to scratches. Here are the dimensions for each phone:
iPhone 16 – 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm, 170g
iPhone 16 Plus – 160.
