We are now mere days away from the expected launch of the iPhone 16 family, with September 9 set for the next Apple event. And it's there that we expect to see the iPhone 16 Pro, which we hope will follow in its predecessor's footsteps by providing a phone that's great for everyone in terms of size and screen, but also has a suite of pro features.

While the iPhone 16 Pro Max might be the most flagship of Apple flagship phones, the iPhone 16 Pro will surely be the phone for people who want a premium iOS experience without a phone that really needs two hands to use.

Fortunately, we're expecting a decent mix of upgrades over the iPhone 15 Pro to come to the iPhone 16 Pro, so read on for what you need to know.

iPhone 16 Pro: what you need to know

• The iPhone 16 Pro will surely be announced on September 9
• Expect the iPhone 16 Pro to start at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849 
• Expect a similar design as the iPhone 15 Pro, but with a potential dedicated camera capture button
• The iPhone 16 Pro will likely get the rumored A18 Pro chip
• RAM will probably come in at 8GB, while storage will likely start at 256GB and go up to 1TB for the Pro phones
• The iPhone 16 Pro could get the 5x periscope telephoto snapper of iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is tipped to have big upgrades 
• Battery upgrades are predicted, with hardware changes tipped but we also forecast some software optimization
• All the new iPhones will come with iOS 18
• And all the iPhone 16 models could come with a new smarter Siri and potentially some early Apple Intelligence AI features 
• The iPhone 16 Pro could be available in Space Black, White, Gray and Rose

Bigger but slimmer screen

• Tipped for a larger 6.3-inch display
• … and so a taller and narrower frame

In general, we can expect the iPhone 16 Pro's design to follow closely with that of the iPhone 15 Pro. But the next-generation Pro phone has been tipped to get a small screen size boost to 6.3 inches, up from the 6.1-inch display previous iPhone Pros have sported. 

However, that won't make for a larger phone, as Apple will apparently get that screen size boost by slimming down the bezels. So we could see an iPhone with some of the slimmest ever bezels seen on a smartphone. As a result we could see an iPhone Pro that's taller yet narrower than its predecessor. 

Can you trust these rumors?

In general I'd say yes. The screen upgrade rumors mostly come from Ross Young, a fairly accurate tipster of iPhone information and a display expert. 

Added to that, Apple is arguably due for a screen-size change for the non-Max Pro iPhone. And I for one would welcome a larger display that didn't do much to compromise the rather pocketable nature of the iPhone 15 Pro. For further potential external changes, take a look at our rundown of the iPhone 16 Pro design predictions and what we expect from the iPhone 16 Pro's colors. 

Another button

While the iPhone 15 Pro brought in the Action button, the iPhone 16 Pro and the Pro Max have been tipped to get a new so-called 'Capture' button. The idea here is there'll be a dedicated hardware button for activating the cameras on the next-gen Pro iPhones. 

While the Action button can be configured to do that, the logic behind this Capture button is that it will sense different styles of presses to trigger different actions; say a light touch to focus a camera and a harder one to capture the scene it's pointed at. Combined with smart features, such a button could be rather powerful. It's unclear if the button will be physical or capacitive, like the Force Touch trackpad found on MacBooks. 

Can you trust these rumors?

I'm going to say take these rumors with a dose of skepticism. While I like the sound of a new button for the next-gen Pro, I feel like it would add complexity to the phone's overall design. And the rumors and their subsequent sources don't fill me with a huge amount of confidence. 

Instead, I'd expect Apple to add more functionality into the Action button, and bring it to the standard and Plus iPhone 16 models. Check out our lowdown on the rumored iPhone 16 Pro features for more. 

Zooming power

• Improvements expected for telephoto and ultra-wide
• Could inherit the iPhone 15 Pro Max's periscope lens

There's no expectation for the iPhone 16 Pro to follow in the footsteps of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and adopt an extra rear camera. But there are rumors it could get the 5x optical zoom periscope camera of the 15 Pro Max. As a fan of the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 5x zoom, and a lot more of the phone, I'm keen to see the periscope camera make it to the smaller next-gen Pro iPhone. 

As for other iPhone 16 Pro camera predictions, it's likely the rear suite of snappers will stick with a 48-megapixel main camera and 12MP ultra-wide camera, though there's chatter the ultra-wide camera could get a boost to 48MP. That would be a nice upgrade, but I suspect the biggest camera boost will come on the image processing and software side.

Can you trust these rumors?

It's a tentative yes from me. The sources of the rumors are fairly robust, and Apple has form in bringing features from the Max iPhone to the Pro and less-expensive models. 

I'm on the fence with the ultra-wide camera going to 48MP, as Apple tends to lean into sensor fusion rather than megapixels. I reckon we won't see a big ultra-wide upgrade this coming iPhone generation, but I'm prepared to be proved wrong. For more check out our predictions for the iPhone 16 Pro cameras. 

The price is right

• Likely to cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

All signs thus far point towards the iPhone 16 Pro sticking to the same pricing cadence as the iPhone 15 Pro. Expect it to start at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849. 

But here have been hints that a price hike could happen as the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera lenses might cost more to make. Yet I'm not convinced Apple will pass on that cost to its customers this generation. 

In terms of an iPhone 16 Pro release date, well Apple has nearly always launched new mainstream iPhones in September, and with the 'It's Glowtime' event set for September 9, that's when we expect to see the iPhone 16 range. Expect  iPhone 16 pre-orders will to open that Friday (September 13), with the iPhone 16 Pro release date likely being the following Friday, September 20. 

Can you trust these rumors?

I reckon so. I'd buy a hat and eat it if we don't see new iPhones on September 9. And I'd be surprised if Apple ups the price of the mainstream iPhone Pro; I'd not be angry, but disappointed. 

A more powerful chip

• Tipped for an AI-focused A18 Pro chipset
• 8GB RAM likely

If you've seen our iPhone 16 Pro specs predictions article, then you'll know the big specs boost tipped is the move to an A18 Pro chip; that's the rumored successor to the A17 Pro. Last year's Pro-only iPhone chip brought in buckets of power and the ability to just about run modern console-quality games. And there was a whole load of power for smart workloads and image processing. 

Expect the A18 Pro to build upon this, but hopefully with the power to really run games well. More pertinently, we can expect such a chip to be tuned well to run AI workloads, most notably powering phone-centric tools from the Apple Intelligence suite. And image processing with a smart slant to it could also be on the cards. 

Furthermore, there are hints that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max could both come with 8GB of RAM in order to power Apple Intelligence workloads. For why this matters, check out our explainer on why RAM is so important for new phones. 

Can you trust these rumors?

Yep. As sure as night follows day, Apple will upgrade the chips of its next-generation iPhone Pros. Cupertino's crew has form on doing this; the only wrinkle is what chip it'll give the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. 

My raised eyebrow comes in the form of how useful all this power will be, unless Apple leans hard into AI tools. 

A whole lot of AI

• Expect to see a smarter Siri and Apple Intelligence features 

Apple's iOS 18 is already set to bring a smarter Siri to the next-gen iPhones, with it hopefully able to make and answer messages, email, and more for you, as well as use generative AI to come up with more than just answers to queries; think plans for holidays based off your calendar. 

And with the aforementioned potential for a performance boost, I'm hoping Apple Intelligence will feature heavily on the iPhone 16 Pro for it to tackle the Google Pixel 9 Pro in the smart, smartphone stakes. 

I'm expecting the iPhone 16 Pro to come with the ability to summarize webpages, proofread text, use the Clean Up feature to erase unwanted objects from photos, summarize notifications, and smartly capture audio recordings from calls. The wrinkle here is that while the iPhone 16 Pro may be ready for such features, they may not arrive until 2025. 

Can you trust these rumors?

Not so much rumors as my own predictions... I'm hoping the iPhone 16 Pro comes with a host of smart features to make it properly exciting; iPhones have become so iterative in recent years. 

Still, I fully expect the iPhone 16 Pro to be ready for Apple Intelligence as and when its features get integrated into iOS. 

A battery boost

• A slightly bigger battery is on the cards 

With the exception of the Plus, all iPhone 16 models have been tipped to get a bigger battery. And the iPhone 16 Pro has been tipped to get a 3,355mAh battery, which is but a smaller upgrade on the 3,290mAh battery of its predecessor. But combine that with a potentially more efficient chipset and that could lead to a Pro iPhone that lasts longer without gasping for power. 

Sadly, there's no word on any charging upgrades. I reckon charging will remain much the same as the iPhone 15 Pro. 

Can you trust these rumors?  

A slightly bigger battery for the iPhone 16 Pro seems well within the bounds of reason. As Apple does not list its iPhone battery sizes it'll be hard to know this for sure. But battery life has always been rather good in iPhones so we don't expect this to change much with the iPhone 16 range. 

My analysis

If the above rumors prove to be correct, then the iPhone 16 Pro could have enough to make it a reasonable upgrade over the 15 Pro and a notable one over the iPhone 14 Pro. As ever, I feel the people who'll benefit here are those with older iPhones on a two-year or longer upgrade cadence. 

As an iPhone 15 Pro Max user, I see no compelling reason to fork out for an upgrade, but if Apple leans hard on AI features my mind could be changed. 

Given the exosystem and consistent experience iPhones have offered for years, I see no reason why the iPhone 16 Pro won't be a contender for a spot on our best phones. However, I don't see it being the most exciting phone of 2024. 

More iPhone 16-related articles

• iPhone 16 Pro price predictions: rumored prices for the top two iPhones
• Will there still be an iPhone Ultra?
• iPhone 16 Pro release date predictions: when are the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max likely to launch?

For a long time, the base iPhone models have tended to be the most popular, but in recent years that trend has changed, with Apple's Pro and Pro Max devices increasingly proving the biggest sellers.

That’s more true than ever right now, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max having a 23% share of iPhone sales in the US in March 2024, according Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP). Their report – spotted by Apple Insider – puts the iPhone 15 Pro in the number two spot, with a 22% share.

The standard iPhone 15 is way behind with a 14% share. And the iPhone 15 Plus? That has just a 9% share.

In March 2023, the Pro models had a similar share to this year, with the iPhone 14 Pro having a 22% share and the iPhone 14 Pro Max having a 24% share, so the shift towards Pro models had already started then. But what’s interesting is that the base iPhone 14 had a higher 19% share than the iPhone 15's 14% share this year, so the base models are continuing to drop in popularity.

As well as people choosing Pro models, this continued drop is down to buyers choosing older iPhones; right now, for instance, as many people are buying the iPhone 14 as the iPhone 15.

So, it seems people either want the best phone they can get their hands on, or they’re happy with something older (and likely much cheaper), with the middle ground of a new base model iPhone proving less appealing than it once did.

No love for the iPhone 15's upgrades

In some ways, this phenomenon is surprising, as the iPhone 15 is a substantial step up from the iPhone 14, adding things like a Dynamic Island, a 48MP main camera, and a USB-C port.

But then again, Apple’s insistence on sticking with a 60Hz refresh rate on the base models is increasingly ridiculous, and the recent switch to equipping these phones with year-old chipsets probably isn’t helping drive sales, either.

So, there’s certainly some logic to going Pro if you buy a new iPhone, and as CIRP notes, "we also suspect some economic pressure to reduce spending, when possible, and a generational trend toward sustainability and away from always wanting the newest thing." The firm concludes that "together, these factors put pressure on the newest base model and pumped-up demand for the one- and two-year old alternatives."

There’s a chance, though, that this will change with the iPhone 16 line, at least partially, as leaks suggest the base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will have an entirely new chipset, rather than being stuck with last year's version. They might also gain both the Action button (a feature that the iPhone 15 Pro already has) and a new Capture button (which no iPhone yet has).

So, Apple might not reserve quite as much for the Pro models this time around. That said, all signs point to the iPhone 16 still having a 60Hz refresh rate, and it’s likely that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have better cameras. So buyers who simply want the best will still, of course, pick a Pro.

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One of the more notable design features of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is color-infused glass, which, as the term suggests, fully embeds the colors into the glass, leading to a matte finish with quite pale colors. It's an effect that’s unlike anything you’ll find on other phones. Well, at least until the iPhone 16, as the latest leak suggests that this phone will use the same technique.

According to a leaker on Chinese social network Weibo (via Apple Insider), one of the upcoming iPhone models will come in a color-infused green shade. Now, they don’t say which model, but previously this leaker – who goes by Fixed Focus Digital – claimed the iPhone 16 Plus will be available in seven shades, including green.

The standard iPhone 16 will almost certainly be available in the same shades based on past form, and since we haven’t heard about a green iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max option, they’re probably talking about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus here.

In any case, they sound impressed by this green shade, describing it (via Google translate) as “beautiful.”

That’s not surprising, because we were quite taken by the color-infused glass on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. In our iPhone 15 Plus review, we described it as “one of the best-looking iPhone finishes in recent memory.”

Seven color-infused shades

So, this is a promising leak, especially because, if the green shade is color-infused, it’s likely that the other iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus colors will be too. These shades, for reference, are rumored to include pink, yellow, blue, black, white, and purple.

It’s less clear whether the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will use color-infused glass. Another Weibo leaker claims that they will, though their predecessors didn’t, so we wouldn’t count on it.

These phones have previously been rumored to land in Space Black, White, Gray, and Rose shades. So, color-infused or not, you’re likely to have less choice with Apple’s top phones.

Of course, we’d take all of this with a pinch of salt, especially the information from Fixed Focus Digital, as they don’t have much of a track record yet. But all should become clear in September, as that’s when all four rumored iPhone 16 models are likely to be unveiled.

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With Apple set to announce iOS 18 (and a whole lot more) at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10, it's rumored that the company is in talks with ChatGPT developer OpenAI to help with a major AI upgrade for the iPhone.

This comes from the usually reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who says discussions between Apple and OpenAI have been "renewed" and are now intensifying, according to unnamed people "familiar with the matter".

Last month Bloomberg reported that Apple was speaking to Google about using the Gemini chatbot inside iOS 18, so this hasn't come completely out of the blue: Apple is clearly looking for a partnership with someone for its next big software upgrade.

What this latest report suggests is that OpenAI might have emerged as the frontrunner in the race, which means tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E (also developed by OpenAI) might find their way into the iOS 18 update, expected to be rolled out around September time.

To be confirmed

Gurman says that Apple hasn't made a decision yet: it might decide to work with Google, or with OpenAI, or with both companies. What is certain is that iOS 18 is going to be focused very much on artificial intelligence – Apple has already confirmed it.

We can expect iOS 18 to come with some kind of local, device-based AI too. Apple has already been showing off some new large language models (LLMs) that are small enough to be stored and run from a smartphone.

Exactly what we'll get remains to be seen, but some kind of AI text and image generation seems likely, plus a substantial upgrade to Siri. There have also been rumors of features like AI-powered playlist generation in Apple Music.

All eyes are now on WWDC 2024 in June, when everything Apple has been working on should be revealed – for iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and more. Public betas of these updates will then follow, before the final versions get pushed out. 

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It's been a busy few months for apps and app stores on iOS, and the mini-revolution continues: the first third-party iOS app store has now gone live in the EU, while another Nintendo emulator for the iPhone has appeared (and seems to be sticking around).

All of this ongoing transformation is due to regulatory pressure Apple is facing over its iPhone gatekeeping. The most sweeping changes are in European Union countries, where the AltStore just went live (via AppleInsider) – if you're in one of those countries, you can install apps from outside of the official App Store for the first time ever.

Billed as "an open-source, crowd-funded app store for indies", AltStore only has two apps available right now. It'll be hoping to attract a whole lot more by promising developers free app distribution, Patreon integration, and no manual review process.

Those hosting costs need to be covered somehow, though: rather than taking a cut from developers, as Apple does, the AltStore asks users for €1.50 (about $1.60 / £1.30 / AU$2.50) per year plus tax. If you're in the EU (so not the UK any more, sorry!), you can get this alternative app store installed on your iPhone by heading here.

Another emulator appears

Meanwhile, we now have another Nintendo emulator on the iPhone: Delta (via The Verge). It's available on both AltStore and the official iOS App Store, so you don't need to be in the EU to be able to get at it, and it's free to download and use.

As we've previously reported, Apple has now made the iOS App Store open for business to game emulators – in response to scrutiny in the US and EU over its App Store practices, and Apple's restrictions on apps being able to contain other apps (or retro games). 

However, these emulators must comply with "all applicable laws". Technically, emulators are legal, though the games often aren't (just like torrenting tools are legal, but pirated movies aren't). To add to the confusion, companies often turn a blind eye when it comes to older software and consoles, though it's very much a gray area – which is why the last Nintendo emulator for iOS was pulled by its developer.

Delta, however, seems to be sticking around – at least for the time being. It covers Nintendo systems including the NES, SNES, N64, DS, and Game Boy consoles, and offers support for multiplayer modes and Bluetooth controllers.

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The iOS App Store has only been open for business for game emulators for a few days, but already we're seeing plenty of drama around this fledgling app category – including the curious case of NES emulator Bimmy, which briefly showed up and then disappeared.

As reported by MacRumors, Bimmy made its way into the App Store as the first emulator for the Nintendo Emulator System. It was described as a tool for testing and playing games in the public domain, though it did give users the option of importing any ROM available from the web.

That means it could potentially be used to play titles such as Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros., and given that potential – and Nintendo's attitude towards emulators, which historically hasn't been all that lenient – the developer of Bimmy took the decision to remove the app after it was approved.

In other words, it wasn't pulled by Apple, as was the case with Game Boy emulator iGBA earlier this week. That app was taken down because it was a copy of an existing tool, though the Commodore 64 emulator Emu64 XL is still available.

Not worth the risk

The to-ing and fro-ing over Bimmy highlights just what a gray area emulators exist in. Apple has stated that emulators are now allowed on iOS (in part due to regulatory pressure), but they must be for "retro console games" only, and comply with "all applicable laws" at the same time.

If you're wondering what counts as retro, and which laws apply, you're not alone. Bimmy's developer Tom Salvo has gone on the record as saying he pulled the app "out of fear" of what the repercussions might be from Apple or indeed Nintendo. "No one reached out to me pressuring me to remove it," Salvo says. "But I'd rather not have the risk." 

In most parts of the world, game emulators are technically legal, but the games aren't – unless you've bought the original and ripped the code yourself. That's the official position as far as the law is concerned, though gaming hardware and software companies vary significantly in how strictly they enforce the law, adding even more uncertainty.

Generally, the older and more obscure the games you're running are, the less likely you are to get into trouble – though don't take that as legal advice. Ultimately, it's going to be down to Apple, and companies like Nintendo, to decide which emulators are allowed on the iOS App Store and which aren't.

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Even though the iPhone 16 line probably won’t land until September we’ve already seen a huge number of leaks, and at this point we’re fairly confident as to what Apple's next handsets are going to look like.

While there has been the occasional divergence, the vast majority of leaked images show the same design, and that includes this latest leak, which takes the form of a photo of four dummy units.

Shared by leaker Majin Bu (via iMore), we can see dummy units of all four expected iPhone 16 models – namely the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

We can see that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus dummy units have a redesigned camera block, with the lenses arranged vertically rather than diagonally. This is something we’ve heard many times already, with the change supposedly being so that these phones can shoot spatial video for viewing on the Apple Vision Pro – something the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can do, but not the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

We can also make out a new button beneath the power key on one of the dummy units. This – according to previous leaks – is called the Capture button, and will reportedly be used for quickly snapping photos and recording videos. It’s only visible on one of the dummy units here due to the angle of the photo, but it’s supposedly going to be included on every iPhone 16 model.

As mentioned, these are all details we’ve seen and heard many times at this point, so we’d be surprised if these designs weren’t accurate, although we’d always advise taking leaks with a pinch of salt.

The likely specs are becoming clear too

It’s not just the design we’re feeling confident about, as the iPhone 16 line’s specs and features have also been extensively leaked, so we have a good idea of what to expect on that front too.

Highlights include larger screens and new 48MP ultra-wide cameras for the Pro models, an Action button for all four phones, a new A18 Pro chipset, and slightly larger batteries for every model except the iPhone 16 Plus.

There are still some questions, including whether the iPhone 16 Pro Max will really get a new ‘super-telephoto’ camera, and how much these phones will cost – with months still to go until launch, there’s every chance these details will leak too.

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There's no sign of the iPhone 16 leaks drying up (and they're unlikely to, between now and September) and now a couple of fresh reveals have appeared online, focusing particularly on the cameras and the design of the upcoming Apple handsets.

To begin with, well-known tipster yeux1122 (via MacRumors) says that a new camera lens coating – using atomic layer deposition (ALD) – is being used on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models this year, according to a supply chain source.

ALD means more control over the thickness and composition of the coating, because it's applied one atomic layer at a time, and the source says that should help fine-tune the camera lens stack without adding bulk.

In practical terms, expect improvements in terms of reducing artifacts like flare and halos, when the sun is shining directly on the lens. ALD should also reduce ghosting on fast-moving objects, as well as adding extra protection to the camera lens.

Camera layouts

So that's one camera upgrade for the Pro and Pro Max models – what about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus? The rumor is that these models are going to adopt a vertically stacked dual-lens design, in part so they can film using the 3D spatial video format.

More evidence for this comes in the form of leaked schematics provided by the usually reliable ShrimpApplePro: the schematics show both the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus with two cameras stacked on top of each other.

There are now several leaks corroborating this design change, which takes us back to the look of the iPhone 12 launched in 2020. The layout of the three cameras on the back of the Pro and Pro Max models, meanwhile, isn't expected to change.

Before we get to see the new iPhones, we'll be hearing a lot more about the iOS 18 software that they're going to come with. Mark your calendars for June 10, which is when Apple should present iOS 18 to the world at WWDC 2024.

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We knew it was going to happen, and now it has: the first game emulators are appearing in the iOS App Store, after Apple responded to increasing regulatory pressure by relaxing its rules on the type of apps it would accept.

As spotted by AppleInsider, we've already got Emu64 XL (for the Commodore 64) and iGBA (for the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color). Both are free to install for the iPhone and the iPad, and don't come with any in-app purchases.

That means you can point the emulators to compatible disk files, which then run as the original games would have done on the original hardware. It's likely that more emulators will follow these two as well.

A word of warning though: in most parts of the world, the only way to use these emulators legally is by ripping the code from the original disks or cartridges that you've already paid for – otherwise you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

App Store changes

These emulators are widely available on Android, but haven't been seen on iOS before now. Apple made the change to its App Review Guidelines earlier this month – and while Apple didn't explicitly say so, it's probably because it's under increasing scrutiny in the US and the EU when it comes to the third-party software allowed to run on its devices.

The change has come with some caveats attached, however. Emulators are held responsible for all the software that can be loaded inside the apps, and must comply with  "all applicable laws" in the regions they're used in – which brings us back to the rather gray area of the legality of emulators.

The success or otherwise of these emulators might come down to the attitude of the manufacturers who made the devices they're emulating. Nintendo has traditionally been very strict on blocking emulation software, for example.

Where there's demand though, the apps will follow: as 9to5Mac points out, the iGBA app mentioned above is actually a copy of an open source emulator, with embedded ads inserted. We can expect this new arrangement to take some time to settle down.

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The iPhone 16 line – and in particular the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max – are likely to rank among the best camera phones. We can predict that much, as Apple’s high-end phones usually do. But thanks to leaks and rumors we can also predict what the actual camera hardware will be.

Below then, you’ll find a detailed look at the most likely camera specs for each of the four expected iPhone 16 models.

This is based mostly on leaks, with some educated guesses mixed in. So none of these specs are confirmed just yet – and nor will they be until the iPhone 16 line is announced, likely in September – but they’re our best guesses right now.

iPhone 16 camera predictions

Unfortunately, we’re not expecting any big upgrades for the iPhone 16’s camera. According one leaker, the iPhone 16 will have the same 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera as its predecessor, and will once again have just a dual-lens camera. If it does have that ultra-wide camera, then you can expect a 120-degree field of view. They also add that it will lack the auto-focus and macro mode offered by Pro models.

Various leaked images also show just a dual-lens camera on the iPhone 16, so it looks very unlikely that Apple will add a third lens.

As such, there probably won’t be a dedicated telephoto lens, and while we haven’t heard much about the main sensor, we predict this will be the same 48MP f/1.6 one as the iPhone 15 has, since that was an upgrade last year, and Apple is unlikely to give that camera another upgrade already.

However, one change we could see is to the lens layout, with leaked images suggesting they’ll be arranged vertically rather than diagonally on the iPhone 16. That’s speculated to allow for the recording of spatial videos, which could then be viewed on an Apple Vision Pro.

As for the front-facing camera, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who has a good track record for Apple information) this won't be changing, meaning you can probably expect a 12MP f/1.9 snapper like last year. Given that even the iPhone 15 Pro Max only has a selfie camera with those specs, it’s unlikely that the iPhone 16 would get an upgrade here.

iPhone 16 Plus camera predictions

We haven’t heard much specifically about the cameras on the iPhone 16 Plus, but based on past form they’ll probably be identical to those on the standard iPhone 16.

You can read our detailed predictions for that above then, but in short, it’s likely to have a dual-lens rear camera with a 48MP f/1.6 main sensor, and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide (with a 120-degree field of view). Those are the same specs as the iPhone 15 Plus, and we've also heard that it will inherit the same 12MP f/1.9 selfie snapper.

The only rumored change is to the layout of the lenses, from diagonal to horizontal, which might allow the iPhone 16 Plus to record spatial videos for use on the Apple Vision Pro.

iPhone 16 Pro camera predictions

While the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus probably won’t be in for any major camera upgrades, the iPhone 16 Pro could be.

The main upgrade here could be the inclusion of a 12MP f/2.8 periscope camera with 5x optical zoom, in place of the iPhone 15 Pro’s 3x telephoto camera. This new sensor would be the one we’ve already seen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and multiple leaks have pointed to the iPhone 16 Pro getting this periscope camera, so that’s looking likely.

The other rumored upgrade is to the iPhone 16 Pro’s ultra-wide camera, which could be 48MP this year, up from 12MP on the iPhone 15 Pro, and may have a larger 1/2.6-inch sensor.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 16 Pro could have a stacked camera design, which might boost low light performance, though it’s not clear which lens or lenses would benefit from this.

We haven't heard much about the main camera yet, so for now we’re predicting largely the same as last year – meaning a 48MP f/1.8 main sensor. But the sensor might at least increase in size slightly, up from 1/1.28 inches to 1/1.14 inches according to leaker Digital Chat Station, albeit without a change in the number of megapixels.

The front-facing camera meanwhile will apparently be identical to last year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (in a post linked above).

iPhone 16 Pro Max camera predictions

As impressive as the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera upgrades sound, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could have it beat, as some sources have mentioned the possibility of a ‘super telephoto’ camera for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which could allow for a focal length of 300mm or more. For comparison, the 5x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is just 120mm.

We would however take this leak with a pinch of salt, as it’s not something we’ve heard about much in a while, and there was some debate over whether this upgrade was planned for the iPhone 16 Pro Max or the rumored iPhone Ultra.

If the iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn’t get this telephoto upgrade then there’s every chance it will stick with the 12MP, f/2.8, 5x zoom camera of its predecessor.

We’re also expecting its other cameras to match the iPhone 16 Pro, which based on leaks (that you can read more about above) could mean a 48MP ultra-wide camera (up from 12MP on the iPhone 15 Pro Max), and improved low light performance for some or all of the lenses.

However, aside from possibly better low light performance and a larger sensor size for the main camera, we’re not currently expecting any significant upgrades to the main or front-facing cameras, which would mean the return of a 48MP f/1.8 main sensor and a 12MP f/1.9 selfie camera.

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While the iPhone SE 4 probably won’t launch for quite a while yet, we do now have a detailed idea of its possible specs, and they paint a picture of a phone that takes parts from a number of other iPhones.

This comes from freelance coder Nguyen Phi Hung posting on X (via Phone Arena), who claims that the front of the iPhone SE 4 will look like an iPhone 13, complete with Face ID. Such a design would mean it has the now-dated notch, but that would still be an upgrade from the Touch ID-fronted iPhone SE (2022).

From the back though, the iPhone SE 4 apparently looks like an iPhone XR, with just a single-lens camera, which is said to be a 12MP Sony IMX503 sensor. Apparently, this sensor will support 1080p Cinematic mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, AI photography, and Portrait mode, but will lack a Night mode.

As for the chipset, that’s said to be an A16 Bionic, which was last seen in the iPhone 15. So that’s rather more up to date than the other specs listed here.

They also mention a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, 6GB of RAM, 128GB or 512GB of storage, and dimensions and weight of 148.5 x 71.2 x 7.8mm and 166g, respectively.

Hung doesn’t seem sure of the battery capacity, but note that some sources say it’ll clock in at 3,279mAh, so significantly larger than the SE 2022's 2,018mAh cell. It will also apparently charge at 20W, or at 12W when charging wirelessly.

Credible claims from a sketchy source

So what to make of all this? Well, some of this information – particularly with regards to the camera – is new, as we haven’t heard much about the iPhone SE 4’s optics previously. The rest largely lines up with some previous leaks, but ‘some’ is the key word here, as there has been disagreement over which specs and aesthetics the iPhone SE 4 will adopt.

On top of which, these claims come from a source that we’re not familiar with, so we’d take this with more salt than usual, especially as the iPhone SE 4 probably isn’t launching until at least 2025.

Nevertheless, it’s possible that some or all of this is accurate. In which case the iPhone SE 4 could be quite an upgrade on the iPhone SE (2022), with an OLED screen rather than an LCD panel, a more powerful chipset, a larger display, a more modern design, and a bigger battery. Certainly, by 2025 we’d expect some big upgrades, but whether this is exactly what we’ll get or not remains to be seen.

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