Apple doesn’t overhaul the design of its phones with each new generation, but some years there are significant changes. So will we see major upgrades to the design for the iPhone 16 line?

Well, we can’t be certain yet, but based on leaks and rumors we can take a good guess, and it’s looking like there probably will be some moderate but not massive tweaks to the look of these phones, relative to the iPhone 15 series.

Below then, we’ve detailed exactly what we expect from the design of the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, based on everything we’ve heard so far – coupled with some educated guesses.

iPhone 16 design predictions

The most immediately obvious design change with the iPhone 16 could be to the rear cameras, with multiple leaks suggesting the two lenses on the back of the iPhone 16 will be arranged vertically rather than diagonally.

The other major change could come in the form of the available buttons, with both the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button, and a new Capture button – which will reportedly be used for taking photos and shooting videos – rumored to be coming to the phone. The former would replace the mute switch on the left edge, while the latter seems set for the right edge, under the power key.

Some sources suggest the Capture button will by capacitive (also known as solid state) rather than physical, meaning it wouldn’t move when pressed, and would instead provide haptic feedback. In fact, there’s a chance that every button on every iPhone 16 model might be capacitive, but not all sources agree that we’ll see a shift away from mechanical buttons.

In any case, you can see images of the rumored design changes above, courtesy of MacRumors – it’s the phone in black that’s reportedly the design we’ll see.

You can also see that not much else seems to be changing, with the iPhone 16 likely to sport the same general shape as the iPhone 15, and likely similar dimensions too, as its screen is reportedly once again 6.1 inches.

For reference, the iPhone 15 is 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm and 171g, so don’t be surprised if we see similar here.

iPhone 16 Plus design predictions

The iPhone 16 Plus is likely to have much the same design as the iPhone 16 – meaning that compared to the iPhone 15 Plus it will probably have a new camera design, with the lenses laid out vertically, and that it will likely also have two additional buttons – an Action button in place of a mute switch, and a Capture button under the power key.

Otherwise its design and dimensions will probably be similar to the iPhone 15 Plus, complete with a 6.7-inch screen – making it rather bigger than the standard iPhone 16.

As such, we’d expect its weight and dimensions to be similar to those of the iPhone 15 Plus, meaning around 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm and 201g.

iPhone 16 Pro design predictions

Unlike the standard and Plus models, the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera layout probably won’t be changing, but it will likely gain a Capture button beneath its power key.

And it could be in for other changes too, with reports suggesting the iPhone 16 Pro will have a larger 6.3-inch screen (up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro), and an aspect ratio of 19.6:9, rather than 19.5:9, making the iPhone 16 Pro taller and narrower than its predecessor.

As a result, its dimensions will presumably also differ from the 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3mm iPhone 15 Pro, and we’d guess it will also weigh more than the 187g of that phone.

This aside, the overall appearance of the iPhone 16 Pro could be similar to the iPhone 15 Pro, complete with a titanium frame, though one reports suggests the Face ID components could be hidden under the screen, allowing for a smaller Dynamic Island. That said, this is an old leak, so we wouldn’t count on it.

Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro could have smaller bezels than the iPhone 15 Pro, with a leak suggesting they'll be 1.2mm, down from 1.71mm on the current model.

iPhone 16 Pro Max design predictions

The iPhone 16 Pro Max will probably sport a similar design to the iPhone 16 Pro, complete with a new Capture button, a titanium frame, a new 19.6:9 aspect ratio, and possibly a smaller Dynamic Island than its predecessor.

However, it will probably have a bigger screen than either the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Plus or the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max, with leaks suggesting the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch display (or possibly a 6.86 or 6.883-inch one, but in any case it’s likely to be marketed at 6.9 inches).

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 16 Pro Max might have the thinnest bezels of any phone, at just 1.15mm.

One leak also states that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have dimensions of 163.024 x 77.575 x 8.26mm. The iPhone 15 Pro Max for comparison has dimensions of 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm. That would make the iPhone 16 Pro Max slightly taller, wider, and thicker than the current model.

There’s no word on what the iPhone 16 Pro Max will weigh, but given its rumored screen size increase it’s likely to weigh a little more than the 221g of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

You can see how both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max might look in an image from MacRumors above.

You might also like

• iPhone 16 specs predictions: everything we expect to see from every model
• iPhone 16 release date predictions: when is the iPhone 16 likely to launch?
• iPhone 16 price predictions: rumored prices for every model

The iPhone 16 series is probably only a couple of months away at the time of writing, and as usual with new iPhones, we’ve seen dozens of leaks and rumors already.

As such, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from these phones, so below we’ve detailed all the likely specs for every expected model – namely the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

These predictions are based on the most credible leaks and rumors we’ve seen so far, coupled with educated guesses based on Apple’s usual patterns. So none of this is confirmed, but there’s a good chance that much of this will prove accurate.

iPhone 16 specs predictions

The iPhone 16 could either have an A17 Pro chipset (like the iPhone 15 Pro) or a new A18 chipset, depending on which leaks you believe.

In recent years, Apple has equipped the standard iPhone models with the previous year’s Pro-level chipset, so if the company continues that pattern, then it’s the A17 Pro that we’ll see. But even if it gets a new A18, this might still be a weaker chipset then the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max get, as they might instead have an A18 Pro according to leaks. So whatever the case, expect the chipset here to be less powerful than the one in the top iPhone 16-series models.

Multiple leaks have said the iPhone 16 will have 8GB of RAM, so that’s looking all but guaranteed since there are no conflicting reports. We haven’t heard as much about storage but this is likely to be similar to the iPhone 15, with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models offered – though one iPhone 16 leak suggests we could see 256GB as the base capacity.

The iPhone 16’s screen probably won’t be in for many upgrades either, with reports suggesting that it’s once again 6.1 inches, likely with a 60Hz refresh rate and a roughly 1179 x 2556 resolution. Expect it to be OLED again too, though according to one report, the iPhone 16’s screen might be brighter than its 2,000-nits predecessor.

We have very specific specs for the battery, with multiple leaks saying the iPhone 16 has a 3,561mAh one, which would be around 6% larger than the 3,349mAh battery in the iPhone 15.

Finally, the iPhone 16’s cameras probably won’t undergo any changes, with the same 48MP main and 12MP ultra-wide snappers as last year expected. There’s no word yet on the selfie camera, so for now we’ll assume that will also be 12MP like on the iPhone 15.

iPhone 16 Plus specs predictions

The iPhone 16 Plus will likely have many of the same specs as the iPhone 16, based both on leaks and past form.

We expect it then to have the same chipset – either an A17 Pro or an A18, as discussed above.

It will probably also have the same amount of RAM, which is rumored to be 8GB, and identical storage capacities, likely 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB – although one leak suggests a 256GB starting capacity.

The screen will likely differ to the iPhone 16’s, but not in most ways to the iPhone 15 Plus’s, so we’re likely to once again see a 6.7-inch 1290 x 2796 OLED display, and unfortunately the iPhone 16 Plus will probably have a 60Hz refresh rate too, though its display might get brighter than the iPhone 15 Plus’.

But sadly, multiple leaks suggest the iPhone 16 Plus will actually have a smaller battery than its predecessor, coming in at 4,006mAh, rather than 4,383mAh.

And for cameras, we’ll likely see the same cameras as last year for the iPhone 16 Plus, meaning a 48MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP front-facing camera.

iPhone 16 Pro specs predictions

Apple might have quite a few upgrades planned for the iPhone 16 Pro, starting with the chipset, which will reportedly – and unsurprisingly – be a new A18 Pro one.

However, this chipset will supposedly be paired with 8GB of RAM, just like in the iPhone 15 Pro. That’s a spec which might limit the iPhone 16 Pro’s AI abilities.

We haven’t yet heard much about what storage capacities the iPhone 16 Pro might come in, but we’d guess it will be largely the same as the iPhone 15 Pro, meaning 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. That said, one leak points to a maximum capacity of 2TB. It's also possible that Apple will ditch the 128GB size, much as it already has done with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

As for the screen, leaks suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro’s display will be slightly bigger than its predecessor, at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro’s screen could also be 20% brighter.

For the battery, leaks suggest the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 3,355mAh battery, making it marginally bigger than the 3,290mAh battery in the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro could also charge faster, at 40 watts.

Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro will probably get some camera upgrades, with leaks pointing to it receiving the 12MP 5x zoom camera already found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16 Pro might also get a new 48MP ultra-wide camera, which would be an upgrade on the 12MP ultra-wide in the current model. However, reports suggest the phone will retain the 48MP main camera and 12MP front-facing camera of its predecessor.

iPhone 16 Pro Max specs predictions

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is sure to be the most high-spec model in the iPhone 16 line (well, unless we get an iPhone 16 Ultra anyway).

The Pro Max will reportedly not be any more powerful than the iPhone 16 Pro though, with the same A18 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM as its smaller sibling.

For storage, one report suggests the iPhone 16 Pro Max will top out at 2TB, rather than the 1TB of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. There’s no word on the other capacities, but they’re likely to be the same as last year, meaning 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 16 Pro Max might have a massive 6.9-inch screen, up from the 6.7 inches of its predecessor, and as with the other iPhone 16 models its display might be brighter than the current phone’s.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery will also be bigger according to multiple sources, with leaks suggesting it will have a 4,676mAh battery, rather than the 4,441mAh of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. As with the iPhone 16 Pro, this will reportedly also charge at 40 watts.

Finally, we have the cameras, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is rumored to be getting a new ‘super telephoto’ camera, which could zoom far further than the 5x of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s. That said, this is an old leak, and if it happens at all it could be intended for an iPhone Ultra instead, so it’s just as possible that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will keep its current 12MP 5x zoom camera.

In either case, it will reportedly get a new 48MP ultra-wide camera, just like the iPhone 16 Pro, but will probably have the same 48MP main and 12MP selfie cameras as its predecessor.

You might also like

• iPhone 16 release date predictions: when is the iPhone 16 likely to launch?
• iPhone 16 price predictions: rumored prices for every model
• iPhone 16 camera predictions: every expected camera on every model

We've already seen several retro console emulators appear on iOS after Apple relaxed its rules about the app category back in April, and now we have the first approval of a Windows PC emulator – one that Apple had previously rejected.

As spotted by The Verge, the UTM SE app is now available on iPhones, as well as iPads and Apple Vision Pro headsets. It lets you run a variety of different versions of Windows from Windows XP onwards, as well as selected Linux and macOS versions.

It's something of a surprise to see UTM SE appear, because back in June Apple rejected it from the App Store. The reason given then was that PCs didn't fit the "retro game console" description necessary for approval.

At the moment, it's not fully clear what's changed – whether it's a shift in Apple's policies or something that's different about the app itself. Based on social media posts from the UTM SE team, it seems maybe Apple has reconsidered, and alongside that the emulator experience has been upgraded too.

Gray areas

As is the norm for emulators like this, there are no operating systems included with UTM SE – you just get the emulator itself. It's up to you to head out on to the wilds of the web and source the software you want UTM SE to boot up (and to decide whether or not you're going to pay for it).

Emulators take this approach because both they and Apple can't be legally responsible for what you do with them. Running emulators on your phone is perfectly legal, while pirating old software and games very often isn't – at least technically.

It's this murky gray area in terms of legality that has kept emulators out of the iOS App Store until recently. However, with Apple facing increasing pressure from regulators, it's taken steps to reduce the amount of gatekeeping it does in terms of user choice.

The same regulatory pressures mean that third-party app stores for the iPhone are allowed in the EU now, and indeed UTM SE is also available through the AltStore. It's free to install, and doesn't include any in-app purchases.

You might also like

• This iOS retro gaming app can emulate 38 different consoles
• How to play Game Boy games on your iPhone
• You can now play PS1 games in iOS on your iPhone – here's how

Predicting most specs of an upcoming iPhone is tricky until details start leaking, but predicting the release date is far easier, as Apple tends to stick to a pattern.

So, while there aren’t any real iPhone 16 release date leaks yet, we can take a good guess at when these phones – including the iPhone 16 itself, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max – are likely to launch.

Below then, you’ll find our predictions for the iPhone 16 announcement date, the date that the iPhone 16 line will go up for pre-order, and when the phones will actually be available.

iPhone 16 announcement date predictions

Apple usually announces new iPhones in September, with the iPhone 15 series for example being unveiled on September 12 of 2023.

More specifically, the company tends to use either the first or second week of September to make its announcement, and its preferred day is a Tuesday. So that makes the most likely announcement date this year either September 3 or September 10.

However, sometimes Apple holds its events on a Wednesday instead, so September 4 and 11 are also possible announcement dates.

Of course, it’s always possible that Apple will break with tradition this year. It did so before, such as with the iPhone 12 line which was announced in October of its release year.

But that seems unlikely, especially since as of May at least, iPhone 16 production was reportedly on schedule, so there would be no obvious reason for a delay. So for now the dates above are our best guesses, with September 3 or 10 being the most likely of all.

iPhone 16 pre-order date predictions

Apple typically opens pre-orders for its new phones on the Friday of the week they’re announced. So if the company announces the iPhone 16 line on September 3 or 4 then pre-orders will probably open on September 6.

If on the other hand the phones are announced on September 10 or 11 then you can expect pre-orders to open on September 13.

These predictions assume our announcement date predictions are right though. If Apple chooses a different day to announce the iPhone 16 then the pre-order date will probably differ too.

iPhone 16 shipping date predictions

Apple also follows a predictable pattern for the date when its new phones ship and go on general sale. This is typically a week after pre-orders open.

So if as predicted above the pre-orders open on September 6, then the iPhone 16 will probably go on sale on Friday, September 13. If however pre-orders start on September 13, then the phones will likely ship the following Friday, September 20.

Again though, this assumes our pre-order date predictions are accurate, which in turn assumes our announcement date predictions are correct. So there’s a chance Apple could deviate from these dates.

Will all four expected iPhone 16 models land at the same time?

Based on past form we’d certainly expect all four models to be announced at the same time, and there’s a very high chance that they’ll all ship at the same time too.

The only reason they might not is if Apple is hit with production issues, as happened with the iPhone 12 series for example, where the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max didn’t ship until almost a month after the other models.

So far though there are no reports of any production issues with the iPhone 16 series, so we’re not currently anticipating any delays for any model.

You might also like

• iPhone 16 price predictions: rumored prices for every model
• iPhone 16 camera predictions: every expected camera on every model
• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?

While the specs of the iPhone 16 line are sure to increase relative to the iPhone 15 series, it’s less clear whether their prices will also increase or not.

Some years the prices go up, others they don’t, and there’s even an outside chance the prices could go down. Adding further complications is the fact that Apple will sometimes increase the prices in some regions and not others.

So we can’t yet say with any certainty what price you’ll have to pay for the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, or the iPhone 16 Pro Max. That said, between rumors and past form, we can make some predictions.

iPhone 16 price predictions

A good place to start when predicting a phone’s price is the price of the previous model, and you can see how much the iPhone 15 costs in different configurations in the chart below.

Apple isn’t usually one to lower prices for new models, so it’s likely that you’ll be paying at least this much for the iPhone 16. But it’s not impossible that the price will be lower, especially as a report from mid-2023 suggested Apple would switch its A17 Pro chipset to a more affordable production process at some point this year.

That’s relevant because the A17 Pro is likely to power the standard iPhone 16, and if Apple reduces the cost of producing the chipset, it’s possible the company would also make the phone cheaper for customers.

We doubt that though. More likely Apple would pocket the savings or put them towards other improvements, and anyway this is an old leak, so may not be accurate.

More likely, we’ll see a price increase, especially as a report from October 2023 claimed that production costs for the iPhone 15 line are higher than for the iPhone 14 series.

Despite that, Apple broadly kept prices the same with the latest phones, but if production costs continue to rise then a price increase for the next handsets seems likely.

We don’t expect a dramatic increase, but somewhere between the iPhone 15’s starting price of $799 / £799 / AU$1,499 and a starting price of around $899 / £899 / AU$1,649 is our best guess for the iPhone 16.

iPhone 16 Plus price predictions

The situation with the iPhone 16 Plus is likely to be much the same as the situation with the iPhone 16, in that if one of these models gets a price increase or decrease, the other probably will too.

But let’s start by looking at what the iPhone 15 Plus costs, which you can see in the chart below.

If prices are the same for the iPhone 16 Plus – as they may well be – then you’ll be paying a starting price of $899 / £899 / AU$1,649.

However, the same factors could affect pricing here as with the standard iPhone 16, which is to say that if the chipset gets cheaper (as has been rumored) then the price might decrease. But if production costs rise (as they may well do given that they seemingly did last year) then the price is likely to be increased, at least in some regions.

In that case, at a guess the starting price could be as high as $999 / £999 / AU$1,799. We’d think that’s more likely than a price drop.

iPhone 16 Pro price predictions

While it’s certainly possible that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will increase in price, it looks even more likely that the iPhone 16 Pro will. We’ll get to why in a moment, but first let’s look at how much the iPhone 15 Pro costs – you can see full pricing for it in the chart below.

So this is probably the minimum that the iPhone 16 Pro will cost, but there’s every chance that it will cost more. For one thing, the cheaper chipset that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus might get (detailed above) won’t be coming to the iPhone 16 Pro, with this phone almost certainly set for a new – and pricey – A18 Pro chipset.

So currently no leaks suggest any sort of price drop, but with rising production costs across the iPhone 15 line, the price could well increase.

On top of which, one leak points to the iPhone 16 Pro Max – and potentially also the iPhone 16 Pro – having a new type of camera lens. This lens would come with some advantages but would also reportedly cost more to make – an increase which could well be added to the price of the phone.

So while we’d think the iPhone 16 Pro will cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, there’s a high chance it will cost more – our guess is that we could see a starting price of around $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,999.

iPhone 16 Pro Max price predictions

Of all the iPhone 16 models it’s the iPhone 16 Pro Max that’s most likely to get a price increase relative to its predecessor.

The same largely applies here as with the iPhone 16 Pro – which is to say that no leaks point to a lower price, and rising production costs may well mean a price increase, especially as one leak (detailed above) has specifically suggested that it might use a more expensive camera lens.

So how much are we talking? Well, at a minimum we’d think the iPhone 16 Pro Max will cost the same as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, prices for which you can see in the chart above.

But based on possibly pricier camera lenses and general rising production costs, we’d think a starting price of around $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,349 might be more likely.

And there’s also talk of an iPhone 16 Ultra, which might launch either instead of or as well as the iPhone 16 Pro Max. We’re not at all sure we’ll actually see this, but if we do then that’s sure to cost more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

You might also like

• iPhone 16 camera predictions: every expected camera on every model
• iOS 18: new features, predicted release date, and everything we know
• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?

Most of us won't get iOS 18 on our iPhones until September, but the software is now in its developer beta stage, with new features being added regularly – including some useful upgrades to background sounds and dark mode.

First up are the background sounds, as spotted by MacRumors. Since iOS 15 arrived in 2021 it's been possible to have your iPhone play ambient noise to help you relax or focus, with options such as sounds of the ocean or falling rain.

Now there are two new sounds, alongside the existing six: Night and Fire. According to Gizchina, the former includes audio of soft winds and chirping crickets, while the latter features audio of a crackling and popping fire.

Assuming these new loops stay in place through beta testing, you'll have even more options for background noise. You can access the feature by opening the Accessibility menu in iOS Settings, then tapping Audio & Visual and Background Sounds.

Going dark

Another new change, as per Tom's Guide, involves the home screen icons: it appears that all app icons will now get forced into a dark-mode look, even if the app developer hasn't specifically configured an alternative appearance for the app.

That should mean a better visual experience when you go into dark mode on your iPhone, though based on early testing it looks as though these forced dark-mode app icons aren't as aesthetically pleasing as those specifically made by developers.

Taken together, these updates should help you wind down after a long day of phone use – you can dim your iPhone screen, and stick on the sounds of a quiet night or a crackling campfire to relax your way towards bedtime.

In recent weeks we've also seen new features including dynamic wallpapers and RCS support added to iOS 18. The public beta of the software should be available later this month, with the final version launching in September with the iPhone 16.

You might also like

• Apple Music in iOS 18 will get 'smart crossfade'
• 5 of the best iOS 18 features we've seen so far
• Here's which iPhones will get the iOS 18 upgrade

While most iPhone leaks are currently focused on the iPhone 16 line, one source isn’t content to stop there, as they’ve just revealed possible camera details for various models all the way up to the iPhone 19.

The source in question is Ming-Chi Kuo – an analyst with a good track record for Apple information – and starting with the iPhone 16 line they claim that the iPhone 16 Pro will have the same 5x telephoto camera as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will apparently have this too, meaning the telephoto camera won’t be getting upgraded on the top model.

We’ve heard that before, but more interestingly Kuo claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a new 48MP telephoto sensor, in place of the 12MP one used currently. Kuo claims that it’s unclear whether the iPhone 17 Pro will also get this upgrade, but if not then the iPhone 18 Pro apparently will.

Finally, Kuo claims that some phones in the iPhone 19 line will have even better telephoto cameras, with longer-distance optical zoom. Kuo doesn’t say which iPhone 19 models will benefit from this, but presumably the iPhone 19 Pro Max would, and perhaps also the iPhone 19 Pro, although of course those phones are a long way out at this point.

Speeding towards faster charging

While some of these camera upgrades are apparently a long way off, we could see some charging improvements much sooner. A leaker on Weibo (spotted by IT Home and NotebookCheck) claims that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will both have 40W charging, which would be up from around 27W on the current models. Wireless charging will also apparently get a boost, rising from 15W to 20W.

That would still leave these phones charging much slower than some Android rivals, which can reach and in a few cases even exceed 100W – although Apple’s biggest smartphone competitor is Samsung, and the most you’ll get on a Samsung phone is 45W, so this rumored upgrade would largely close that gap.

However, this source doesn’t have much of a track record, so we’d certainly take this claim with a pinch of salt, especially as it’s the first we’re hearing of it. Ming-Chi Kuo has a much better record, so the camera claims above may well be accurate. But we’d also advise caution regarding any claim about the iPhone 17 and beyond, as even if Kuo is right about Apple’s current plans, they may well change.

We should find out all the official specs of the iPhone 16 line fairly soon, though, with these phones likely to land in September.

You might also like

• Apple’s biggest Siri upgrades may not land on iPhones until early next year
• iOS 18: new features, predicted release date, and everything we know
• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?

It's been relatively quiet in terms of iPhone 16 leaks recently, but a new rumor from the Apple supply chain backs up something that we've been hearing for a while: that the iPhone 16 Pro will match the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a 5x optical zoom camera.

This comes from DigitTimes in Asia (via 9to5Mac), which reports that some key suppliers have landed more orders for iPhone tetraprism periscope lenses from Apple. Those are the lenses that can offer more depth while fitting in a super-slim smartphone.

Last year, as you'll see from our iPhone 15 Pro Max review, this particular lens was exclusive to the most expensive model, with the iPhone 15 Pro missing out. The smaller handset is fitted with a 3x optical zoom camera sensor.

It would make sense for both Pro-level iPhones to come rocking the same camera setup, which would then give buyers a straight choice between the two sizes (and the two prices). It's looking increasingly likely that that'll be the case in 2024, but nothing's certain yet.

Even more upgrades?

From this reporting, it seems these new camera lenses are the same as we saw in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, rather than new and improved ones with the same zoom capability – so the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera setup might be the same as its predecessor.

However, there has also been talk that the main camera and the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro Max are indeed in line for an upgrade. There are three rear cameras on the back of both the Pro and the Pro Max models in Apple's iPhone line-up.

Last year we saw a rumor that the iPhone 16 Pro Max might raise the bar to 10x optical zoom, but that now seems less likely to happen. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, for comparison, offers 5x optical zoom too.

No doubt there are going to be more rumors and leaks between now and September, when the 2024 iPhones are due to make their debuts. In the meantime, we're looking forward to new foldables from Samsung, and new Pixels from Google.

You might also like

• iPhone 16 tipped to match the iPhone 16 Pro's chip
• The best Apple iPhones you can buy right now
• People don't really want console games on the iPhone

I am totally unsurprised that demand for triple-A games on iPhones and iPads reportedly isn’t high and could be considered commercial failures, according to data from Appfigures via MobileGamer.biz. 

Despite Apple having worked on getting Death Standing, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Resident Evil 7 ported over from last- and current-generation consoles onto the A17 Pro-powered iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPads sporting M-series chips, these games have hardly been smash hits. Appfigures’ data shows that by downloads and revenue, these triple-A titles pale compared to simpler native mobile games based around free-to-play models. 

Now, I’m a technology journalist, not a developer or business strategist, but I could have predicted this from a country mile away. 

I think it’s genuinely impressive that a slim iPhone can run modern console games – albeit not at maximum graphics – that would normally require a dedicated pseudo rectangle of gaming hardware to work. It shows that Apple can produce impressive in-house chips that set a high bar for performance and graphics processing, even for the likes of Qualcomm and its flagship Snapdragon Gen 8 chip to chase. 

A time and a place

However, even as someone who enjoys games – I have a PS5, Xbox Series X, and a stupidly powerful PC – I remain unconvinced by console-quality gaming on smartphones or tablets.

The first issue is these triple-A games tend to need a controller or controller accessory to play, and that’s not only an extra cost – whether you’re buying a clip to hold a phone to, an Xbox Wireless Controller, or getting something like the Razer Kishi – it’s also an extra level of faff. At home, I can simply turn to one of the dedicated game consoles. When commuting, the last thing I want to do is try to connect a controller to my phone while being jostled by other people.

Furthermore, if I want a proper handheld gaming experience, I’m more likely to reach for the Nintendo Switch or Valve’s Steam Deck – the latter keeps impressing me with what it can run.

And the second point is smartphones are already bastions of casual and simple gaming. In general, I use my iPhone or iPad to play simple games that are easily controlled via a touchscreen and often one-hand; Plants vs Zombies, FLT: Faster Than Light, and Bleak Sword come to mind.

If I game while traveling or commuting, I tend to stick to games that are easy to use and immerse me with a setting or task rather than the need for finely tuned actions or to move and look at the same time. That way if someone needs me to move out of my seat while using the facilities on an airplane, my gaming flow isn’t hugely impacted.

Just looking around at people on my commutes from East London into the city center, I’ll see people playing games on their phones, only these won’t be console-quality titles but the likes of Candy Crush Saga. 

Equally, games like Call of Duty Mobile offer frenetic action and the need to use a virtual controller, but they have been built for native phone use and optimized for mobile platforms rather than being ports. They also offer quick bouts of fun rather than a lengthy campaign one needs to commit to.

Furthermore, Apple may be tackling gaming from two disparate sides. While the latest Pro iPhones can run ports of select triple-A games, Apple Arcade offers bespoke games predominantly designed for mobile use that can’t be found on other platforms. If I were going to do any dedicated gaming on my iPhone or iPad, I’d choose Arcade titles over ports or even native mobile games that cross both iOS and Android.

Playing the longer game

Doesn't this all mean I think Apple shouldn’t bother with triple-A game ports for iOS and iPadOS? No, not at all.

Apple has the money to afford to build out a mobile gaming ecosystem that offers both high-end and less-demanding games in terms of graphics, complexity, and composition. And while the A17 Pro is limited to just two iPhone 15 models right now, the chip’s power will surely bleed into future iPhones, namely the iPhone 16.

That should broaden the number of people with access to phones that can run these console ports, thus opening up the scope for triple-A gaming on smartphones.

I doubt it would transform mobile gaming as a whole. However, it could grow a niche of users who might not need to rely on the best gaming phones for a high-quality mobile gaming experience.

Ultimately, I feel triple-A gaming on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max was more of a tech demo for Apple to show off the power of the A17 Pro. There’s debate on whether such power is needed in a phone, but at least it somewhat futureproofs the iPhones. 

And I find it intriguing what Apple could do next with gaming; all that power could produce some truly smart Apple Arcade games, for example, ones that look stunning but are built natively for smartphones.

You might also like

• The iPhone 15 Pro Max has me worried…
• Sure, the iPhone 15 Pro's Action button is great, but Apple should adopt this retro Google Pixel feature
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max just short-circuited my move back to Android

Apple has long been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone, but a new patent suggests there might be screens that stretch as well as screens that bend in development for numerous upcoming Apple products.

As spotted by AppleInsider, the patent is simply titled "Stretchable Display", and goes on to describe a screen that can wrap around different surfaces and shapes, while still operating like a standard OLED display.

While the patent doesn't specifically mention any devices in the Apple portfolio, it could potentially be used for a number of them. Imagine a HomePod with a display that curves around the top of the speaker, for example.

The patent is notable for the number of inventors attached: 55 rather than the usual 10 or so. However, as ever with patents, this is only an indication of what a company is spending time researching – there's no guarantee we'll ever see this tech in an actual product.

How this could be used

We've already mentioned how a future HomePod could have a display that stretches and wraps around the device, and such a display could also find a use in a foldable iPhone – enabling the phone to have a wraparound screen on the outside, as has been rumored.

Then there's the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch 10 is supposedly bringing some design tweaks with it, but a future model could have a screen that wraps all around the wrist (Apple has actually filed patents hinting at this in the past).

The patent mentions phones and watches, but also laptops, smart glasses, virtual reality headsets, and kiosk and car displays. This is clearly a technology that could find a place in many Apple products, if development on it continues.

That development will most likely take several years, so we're not going to see it appear in the iPhone 16. However, don't be surprised if future Apple devices, like an all-screen MacBook, arrive with displays that can stretch as well as fold.

You might also like

• The best foldable phones you can buy
• MacBooks in 2024: the year so far (and what's next)
• Is Apple's smart home display wishful thinking?

When Apple announced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max last year, I raised an eyebrow at the so-called Action button. While I like that Cupertino’s clever folks baked in more… errrr action into a somewhat redundant mute slider, I was less sold on the limitations of the button; after all, you could already use the volume buttons on previous iPhones to activate the camera app’s shutter. 

But as I used the iPhone 15 Pro Max more, extolling the virtues of titanium and the overall near-perfect iPhone experience, I started to really love the action button. 

I have it set to trigger the ‘torch’ option in iOS — aka the camera flash — and it’s surprisingly handy, especially on a Max phone. Before I’d have to swipe at the top of the phone to get the drop-down menu and then tap at the torch icon; if I happen to have wet hands (no not like that, live in rainy London) that wasn’t always easy. 

So, the action button became a real boon in my life; that could be a sad reflection on my existence, but never mind. 

However, as a tech journalist — or any journalist in general — I often find myself musing at quiet moments or during a commute. And today’s musing mixed with machinations over the Action button, triggered an unexpected thought.

I miss the squeezable sides of past Google Pixel phones. 

First introduced with the Pixel 2 phones, Google equipped its phones with sides that triggered the Google Assistant via a short, sharp squeeze. I’m not exactly sure how it worked — there was something about strain gauges — but it was an effective way of waking up Google’s smarter take on Siri without barking the occasionally clunky “ok Google” activation phrase. 

What might have felt like a superfluous feature became oddly useful and second nature. It also introduced a level of freshness and minor innovation into the Pixel phones, something I felt many phones were lacking at the time. 

Sadly, the squeezable sides of the Pixel phones only lasted a few generations, going the way of the dodo when the Google Pixel 5 arrived with the search giant taking a different approach to phone design — less is more — before settling on the Pixel aesthetics and AI focus debuted with the Pixel 6. 

Craving touch

Do I need squeezable sides to make a comeback in the smartphone arena? Not really. 

But while the best phones lean towards AI integration and smart features that range between a gimmick and proper smartness, this is all happening on the software side, except for AI-centric chipsets. Yet, I feel there’s still some scope to be innovative and creative with phone hardware beyond just making the screen flex, as we see in the best foldable phones.

I’m expecting the rumored iPhone 16 line to be very much an evolution of the current Apple phones. But I’d love it if Apple took some inspiration from some of the quirkier phones of the past and introduced some new physical features or made the Action button even more functional, at the very least.

With all the AI tech, I’d love phones to make better use of haptics, accelerometers and other touchpoints to let me do more with a smartphone without necessarily looking at and tapping on a specific app or function.

Going by past phones, I feel Google is the type of company to introduce new hardware quirks and then Apple is the one that refines them to a fine point.

The early tease of the Google Pixel 9 Pro doesn't suggest a big design change is coming, but I hope the search giant has put something special underneath its hardware to excite and delight me and inject some creativity in the best Android phones; we’ll hopefully see rather soon.

You might also like

• The iPhone 15 Pro Max just short-circuited my move back to Android
• My iPhone 15 Pro Max lacks the one thing that made my old iPhone 13 Pro so attractive
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max has me worried…

Now that we've heard everything about the iOS 18 upgrade coming later this year, we can turn our attention back to the hardware – and the design of the iPhone 16 flagship due in September has leaked again, this time through what seems to be a case mold.

A short video of this clip was posted to social media by @UniverseIce, who is one of the more reliable tipsters out there. Nothing is official until Apple confirms it. but this does match up with previous leaks we've seen.

It appears we're looking at a case template for either the iPhone 16 or the iPhone 16 Plus, as it's quite tricky to judge the size from this quick clip. It's most probably the larger model, but it might be the standard one.

There's still some debate over the screen size the iPhone 16 Plus is going to come with, and from what we're heard so far, every iPhone model could be changing its screen size this year – perhaps up to 6.9 inches with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Cameras and buttons

Whether this case mold is for the iPhone 16 or the iPhone 16 Plus, both phones are expected to sport the same design – the only difference between the two handsets should be the screen size and configuration, the dimensions, and the battery capacity.

You can see here the vertical camera alignment that's been previously rumored: it'll be a change from the diagonal arrangement on the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus, and it's apparently going to enable the new versions to record spatial photos and videos.

There also seems to be room here for the new Capture button that's supposedly coming to all the iPhone 16 models this year. If the rumors are true, the new button will give users more control over how photos and videos are taken.

No doubt the rumors and leaks are going to continue between now and September, when another four iPhones are expected to launch – and they should come with iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence on board.

You might also like

• iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 compatibility explained
• iPhone 16 leak hints at MagSafe upgrades this year
• What WWDC 2024 told us about the iPhone 16