There’s little doubt that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be the new best iPhone when it launches later this year, as well as probably being one of the best phones period, but a new and detailed specs leak suggests it could be substantially better than the iPhone 16 Pro.

According to leaker yeux1122 writing on South Korean site Naver (via BGR), the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a larger battery than the one in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, so larger than 4,441mAh. Not only that, but it will apparently be more power-efficient, with the two upgrades combining to make this the longest lasting iPhone battery ever.

They don’t list the battery capacity, but another recent leak pegged the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery at 4,676mAh, so this new claim chimes with that. Yeux1122 says the iPhone 16 Pro will also have a larger battery than its predecessor, but that it unsurprisingly won’t match the iPhone 16 Pro Max for size or longevity.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max could also have an edge when it comes to cameras, as it will reportedly have a ‘Super Periscope’ camera, while the iPhone 16 Pro is said to inherit the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x optical zoom.

We’ve heard talk of a super-periscope or super-telephoto snapper before, with previous leaks suggesting this might offer much longer-distance zoom – perhaps 10x or more.

Beyond that, the other iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max specs listed here are largely the same for both phones, and also largely reiterate what we’ve heard before. That includes a new A18 Pro chipset, a Capture button for taking photos and shooting videos, up to 2TB of storage, a 48MP ultra-wide camera (up from 12MP on current models), and 8GB of RAM, with that RAM spec being the same as current Pro models.

Bigger screens, smaller bezels, and exclusive AI

The source also claims that their screens will be slightly bigger than those on the current models, with the iPhone 16 Pro having a 6.3-inch display and the iPhone 16 Pro Max having a 6.9-inch one. That would make them both 0.2 inches larger than their predecessors, and is something we’ve heard before. But interestingly the source also claims that the physical size of the phones won’t be much changed, thanks to smaller bezels.

Another interesting claim here is that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will have some exclusive AI features, which suggests that these features might not be available on the standard iPhone 16 or the iPhone 16 Plus.

The source doesn’t say what these features would be, but they might relate to the enhanced camera zoom abilities of the Pro models, or be enabled by the extra power these phones are likely to have.

Finally, they claim that the titanium frame on these phones will be cheaper to produce than it was on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, due to improvements in the production process, so it’s possible that those savings could be passed on to consumersw.

So there’s a lot to ponder here, and both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max sound like big upgrades if this all pans out. But between its impressive sounding battery life and longer-distance zoom, the iPhone 16 Pro Max looks to be the phone to go for if you can stomach the inevitably high price.

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If you're a fan of iPhones with massive 6.7-inch screens, you're definitely not alone –and some new stats for 2023 show that Apple iPhone Pro models have topped global annual shipments for the first time. 

According to market analysts Canalys, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was the biggest-selling smartphone worldwide during 2023, closely followed by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. As the firm states, this reflects "the market's premium shift" and also the continued dominance of the iPhone, which took seven of the top 10 spots.

But what's particularly interesting is that, in a year when an iPhone Pro model topped global shipments for the first time, it was Apple's two most recent Pro Max models that took the top spots, rather than its smaller, 6.1-inch Pro models. Looking at the growing divide between the Pro and Pro Max lines in terms of features, that's clearly been an intentional tactic from Apple.

As you can see in our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison, Apple's priciest model is no longer just a super-sized version of the standard Pro. With the Pro Max, you get exclusive features like a 5x optical zoom, alongside superior battery life, a larger screen, and more. The base iPhone 15 Pro Max also has 256GB of storage, rather than 128GB on the standard Pro.

Still, the standard iPhone 13, 14, and 15 aren't too far behind Apple's flagship models in terms of shipments, and there are three Android phones in the list, too. 

These include the Samsung A14 4G and, more surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G, which is a pricier model and bucks the trend of cheaper Samsung phones dominating the annual shipments list for Android.

Rise of the Pro Max

We had some strong indications last year that the iPhone Pro Max series was becoming the world's most popular smartphone, with global analysts Omdia revealing that the iPhone 14 Pro Max was topping shipments in the first half of 2023. But this new data from Canalys confirms it – Apple's biggest phone is also the world's most popular one.

There are likely a few reasons for this. First, we're all upgrading our smartphones far less frequently, which has meant a two-year slump in global phone sales (according to a recent Counterpoint study). But when we do upgrade, it seems we're prepared to go for bigger and more premium phones.

As IDC and Canalys recently reported, that trend saw Apple beat Samsung for global smartphone shipments for the first time in 2023. As IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team research director Nabila Popal explained, Apple's success is largely due to "the increasing trend of premium devices, which now represent over 20% of the market" and this was "fueled by aggressive trade-in offers and interest-free financing plans".

The slow but steady rise of the iPhone 15 Pro Max led us to brand it the most underrated phone of the year in 2023, for the simple reason that it wasn't widely known just how popular it had become. Well, this new data changes that, and marks a sea change in smartphone popularity.

But will the trend continue this year? The latest rumors suggest that this year's iPhone 16 Pro could inherit some of the Max's key features, like its periscope zoom lens. Some of the most intriguing new features are also likely to be iOS 18's rumored AI upgrades, which will presumably be widely available across all of the iPhone 16 range. It'll be interesting to see if the Max's popularity in 2023 is just a blip or a long-term trend for larger phones that were once called 'phablets'.

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Apple might be getting ready to dramatically modernize the iPhone SE line, as while the iPhone SE (2022) has a distinctly dated design, with huge bezels and a physical home button, its successor – the iPhone SE 4 – might have an iPhone 16-like design and a Dynamic Island.

This is according to leaker Majin Bu posting on X (via GSMArena), and they additionally claim that unlike the as-yet-unreleased iPhone 16, the iPhone SE 4 will only have a single-lens camera.

Apparently, this upcoming mid-ranger will also have dimensions similar to the iPhone XR. That phone has a 6.1-inch screen much like the iPhone 15, but due to larger bezels it’s bigger at 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm.

So presumably the iPhone SE 4 will also have larger bezels than the iPhone 15 (or iPhone 16), but that along with the single-lens camera could be the only visual indications that this is a lower-end phone. The reference to it looking like an iPhone 16 rather than an iPhone 15 is probably largely down to the iPhone SE 4 possibly having an Action button, which has been rumored elsewhere.

Bu has also included images (made by @upintheozone) which show more clearly how the iPhone SE 4 might look, and going by these it would certainly be a huge visual upgrade on the iPhone SE (2022).

Don't count on a Dynamic Island

We would however take these claims with a hefty helping of salt, as they’re at odds with some other leaks, which suggest the iPhone SE 4 will have a notch. That in itself would make for a visual upgrade over the current model, while keeping it behind the main numbered iPhone line, which seems more likely.

On the other hand, the iPhone SE 4 probably won’t launch before next year, and by then even the Dynamic Island won’t be a particularly new design feature for Apple.

But Majin Bu has a mixed track record for leaks, and has even said to “take this news as a possible rumor since it is still early to talk and have certainties about it,” so even they don’t sound too sure about this.

As such, for now we’d guess that the iPhone SE 4 will probably have a notch rather than a Dynamic Island, but we can’t rule the latter out either.

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One of the most interesting iPhone 16 rumors so far is that the incoming smartphone could get a so-called Capture button – and some fresh rumors have revealed exactly how that could reinvent the traditional camera shutter button.

A Weibo account called Setsuna Digital (via MacRumors), which has successfully predicted some Apple innovations in the past like the iPhone 15 Pro's spatial video, has claimed that the Capture button will have a two-step action that'll work like a traditional camera shutter, letting you first focus and then take a shot.

Unless they've been set up with back-button focusing, this is how most standalone cameras work – letting you lock the focus and exposure with a light press of the shutter, then recompose your shot before hitting the shutter to take the photo. As Setsuna Digital notes, this could push Apple's next iPhone further towards feeling like a pro camera and video tool.

It wouldn't be the first smartphone to do this – the Sony Xperia 1 V also has a two-stage shutter button, though you can switch this to a more straightforward setup using Basic mode. But what's particularly interesting about the rumored Capture button is that it isn't just looking to ape the traditional camera shutter.

According to an earlier report from The Information, you'll also be able to swipe across the surface of the Capture button to zoom in and out of your scene. It'll also apparently work for both stills and video, as Apple is seemingly discovering that content creators are recording more horizontal videos for big screens (rather than the vertical format favored by TikTok).

Considering ergonomics is one of the biggest weaknesses of smartphones compared to the best mirrorless cameras, rumors of this Capture button could be good news for prospective iPhone 16 owners – particularly photographers like me.

A big photographic upgrade?

If you're planning to upgrade to an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro this year, then the latest rumors suggest Apple is planning some strong photography and video boosts for those phones.

Both phones are expected to get the rumored Capture button, which would be one of the most significant hardware changes to the iPhone in a while (arguably more so than this year's Action Button). It's expected to appear on the bottom-right-hand side of the iPhone, with the current mmWave antenna moving to the left-hand side of the phone.

As a photographer who decided to skip the iPhone 15 Pro this year, these rumors are getting me excited about upgrading this year. If the iPhone 16 Pro combines this new Capture button with the 'tetraprism' periscope camera tech seen on the iPhone 15 Pro (which has been predicted by analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu), then it'll be a powerful pocket camera.

While current iPhones are incredible compact cameras, relying solely on a touchscreen to take photos and video can feel like a downgrade from the tactile experience of using one of the best cameras.

With the iPhone 16 Pro also tipped to get a 48MP ultra-wide camera, plus all the rumored AI upgrades from iOS 18, this could be a very good year to upgrade indeed.  

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There’s been talk of a foldable iPhone for years now, yet Apple’s first foldable remains unreleased, and we haven’t even seen any imagery of it yet, other than sketches in patents. That might change relatively soon though, as the latest leak suggests this foldable could launch in 2026.

This is according to Korean website The Elec (via MacRumors), which says to expect Apple’s first foldable in either 2026 or 2027. The site adds that Apple's foldable display will be in the region of 7-8 inches, which would put it in competition size wise with the 7.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Such a large size also means this Apple foldable will probably have a book-style design like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line, rather than a flip phone design like the smaller Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

A foldable iPhone or a foldable iPad?

Curiously, The Elec claims that it’s unclear at this stage whether this will be a foldable iPhone or a foldable iPad. If the latter, it might replace the iPad mini line, though as the site points out, Apple is also thought to be actively developing an iPad mini with an OLED screen.

This probably wouldn't be the iPad mini 7, which is thought to be landing fairly soon without OLED, so there's the question then of whether Apple would really launch both an OLED iPad mini in likely 2025 or later, followed by a foldable iPad soon after.

According to The Elec, Apple might be asking itself that same question, as apparently the company hasn’t actually decided whether to make this a foldable iPhone or a foldable iPad yet, and the specifications reportedly haven’t been finalized yet either, which makes it sound like this is still quite early in development.

Despite that, both Samsung Display and LG Display have reportedly been sending Apple 7-inch and 8-inch screen samples since last year, with Samsung Display likely to be the primary display supplier due to the experience it has developed in creating screens for the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip lines.

Still, it sounds like the information here is very preliminary and that anything could change, so for now we wouldn’t count on Apple releasing anything foldable in 2026 or 2027, but we wouldn’t count it out either.

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We haven't heard too much in the way of iPhone 16 rumors and leaks yet – the series isn't expected until September, after all – but we do now have a hint at just how powerful the chipset inside Apple's flagship phones for 2024 is going to be.

As per tipster Nguyen Phi Hung (via Wccftech), the upcoming A18 Pro chip is scoring 3,500 in single-core tests and 8,200 in multi-core tests (where multiple tasks are carried out in parallel) on the standard Geekbench 6 software.

It's definitely the former of those two figures that's the most impressive: a single-core score that high puts it some 14% ahead of Apple's own M3 chips and around 23% faster than predicted scores for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (due later this year and likely to power multiple flagship Android devices).

The multi-core scores are less impressive – by this benchmark, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is expected to be 29 percent faster. However, as Wccftech points out, the architecture design of the chips may be different, which will impact the overall efficiency and power draw of the processors once they're actually inside handsets.

Current models

Both the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max have an A17 Pro chip inside, which scores 2,906 for single-core and 7,231 for multi-core, so you can see the sort of improvements that could be on the way – with the caveats that benchmarks only tell part of the performance story, and that development on the processor may not be finished yet.

The iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus run the A16 Bionic processor meanwhile, so the cheaper iPhone 16 models might get the A17 Pro this time around. That said, we have heard a rumor that Apple might stick the same processor inside all of its 2024 iPhone models, so we'll have to wait and see.

Other early iPhone 16 leaks that we've come across suggest that the new phones are going to get a new button for capturing photos and videos, and that certain models might be upping the amount of RAM that comes inside as well.

If these leaked benchmark scores do turn out to be accurate, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are going to be hard to beat in terms of performance – which may come in handy for all the AI features Apple is rumored to be preparing.

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Ever since I made the switch from Android to iPhone towards the end of 2021, I had a feeling there would come a day I switched back, ditching Apple’s iterative phone for something more interesting from our best Android phones list. 

That day almost came… but then it didn’t. 

Before I tell you why, let me give you some context. I’ve never dogmatically been in the iOS camp or the Android Army. My first smartphone was the iPhone 4S, which I loved, but it gave way to the Samsung Galaxy S6 with its superior specs and then subsequent Android phones that came across my desk to test as I progressed my career as a consumer tech journalist. 

For around seven years, my SIM card was slotted in various Android phones; I had iPads to get a taste of Apple’s mobile operating system. And I found Apple’s slow adoption of 120Hz displays a pain. 

Android exodus

That changed with the iPhone 13 Pro, which not only brought in a 120Hz LTPO display, but also featured a second-gen take on Apple’s return to flat phone sides, and some great cameras. So when the opportunity came to try one, I jumped at it. 

I was expecting to switch back within a few months but that never happened. I loved the size of the 13 Pro, its cameras produced great shots, and while Apple’s software can be a bit tedious compared to the intricacies and features of Android, it... well… it did ‘just work’.

So while I still carried various Android phones, notably some of the best foldable phones, an iPhone was my primary device. 

But more than two years later I’d fully started to get bored of my iPhone 13 Pro, and I felt its battery wasn’t quite holding up as well as I wanted. Yet my colleagues had TechRadar’s allocation of iPhone 15 models, so I was gearing up to move to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy 24 Utra or Google Pixel 8 Pro. 

Then an iPhone 15 Pro Max found its way into my hands and gave me cause to pause. 

Well, I guess size does matter

I’ve never been convinced by previous Max iPhones. The notch design had me opt for the Pro over the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which I felt looked a bit dumb, as if the phone had been stretched rather than slickly scaled up. 

The iPhone 14 Pro Max removed the notch problem by going with the Dynamic Island. But its stainless steel chassis felt a bit too heavy and unwieldy - conversely, I feel the heft of the normal iPhone 14 Pro is spot on. 

So I didn’t think I’d like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. But I was wrong. 

The titanium edges, which I had thought were more marketing and Apple bluster than a real design change, make the Max iPhone feel a lot smaller despite its larger screen size. It’s still a stretch to use one-handed (my hands aren’t small either) but it feels less likely to drop out of my hand when my thumb reaches for a top display corner.

It also feels great, with the matte back on the iPhone 15 Pro Max feeling softer to touch than my iPhone 13 Pro’s rear. And in 'Natural Titanium' I think it looks good too, with the sides and camera model merging better with the phone’s chassis. 

Of course, design is one thing; it needs more to keep my attention from Android. 

Core upgrades

And it’s here that the new 5x telephoto camera comes into play. While nothing new in the phone world, this tetraprism periscope camera provides a zoom that feels more useful than 3x for my phone photography. Yet it's not as impractical as a lower resolution 10x optical zoom camera.

That new camera, combined with the already excellent camera performance of the main and ultra-wide lens and my enjoyment of Apple’s image processing and color balance, makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera suite almost unbeatable in my opinion; phone photography is very subjective of course. Add in how easy it is to get excellent video with ease from iPhone Pro models, and the camera suite is simply wonderful for point-and-shoot aficionados.

I hate myself for saying this, but Apple finally ditching the proprietary Lightning port for USB-C is mildly transformational for my iPhone experience. It’s dumb, but not having to carry an extra cable or go fishing in my backpack for a Lightning cable is a minor joy. I’m certainly not applauding Apple for adopting USB-C, but I can't deny it’s a definite upgrade to the latest iPhone series.

Oh, and the Action button is rather neat. I use it to turn on the flashlight feature without swiping at the screen, which is actually low-key marvelous. 

All the above combined means there’s a little more road for my iPhone journey to keep traveling along. 

I’m not mad about that, but I’m not stoked either; rather I’m starting to accept that the usability of iOS, its robust ecosystem, and how I rarely get frustrated at iPhones, even if I get a little bored of them, is a testament to Apple approach of taking its time with adopting new tech and iterating generation to generation to create a device that’s hard not to like. I didn’t think I’d be saying that in 2024. 

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What treats might the iPhone 16 handsets have in store for us when they launch later this year? Well, a significant upgrade on one of the camera sensors is likely to be in the offing, according to one tipster with a decent track record when it comes to Apple predictions.

Digital Chat Station (via Wccftech) says the iPhone 16 Pro Max model is going to get an IMX903 sensor from Sony as part of its rear camera setup – and while it matches the IMX803 inside the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in terms of its 48-megapixel rating, it increases the sensor size from 1/1.28 inches to 1/1.14 inches.

That's not a massive jump in size, but it will mean more light can be captured by the sensor in a variety of scenarios, and that should lead to better photos and videos. The Sony IMX903 is also said to come with a couple of other important optimization technologies for improving camera capture quality on the 2024 iPhones.

The source behind the rumor (via Google Translate) promises "flagship imaging" and a "very powerful" camera module on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and we're assuming that this main camera sensor is going to be included in the iPhone 16 Pro as well.

Delayed arrival

If the IMX903 sensor sounds familiar to you, that's because it was rumored to be arriving in the Pro models last year; in the end, however, Apple decided to stick with the 48MP Sony IMX803 that was also used in the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

While the camera upgrades we saw last year weren't huge, that could be changing this year. We've already heard rumors of upgrades to the ultrawide camera on some models, as well as a boost to the optical zoom range. Plus, if you've been waiting for the iPhone to get another button, that could be in the pipeline too.

Of course it's not just about the hardware upgrades – Apple will no doubt be working on improving its image optimization algorithms, making sure that whatever sensors end up packed inside the iPhone 16 phones, they can capture seriously impressive photos and videos.

If Apple sticks to its usual schedule we should see the iPhone 16 series launch sometime in September, with camera upgrades in tow – and we can expect plenty more leaks and rumors between then and now.

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Apple has just released iOS 17.3, and the latest iPhone software update comes with an important feature that can prevent thieves from accessing sensitive data stored on your device. With that enabled, it could help keep your vital info safe and secure from prying eyes.

The feature is called Stolen Device Protection. When enabled, it adds extra security steps to a range of features. For example, accessing things like stored credit card data and account passwords now requires biometric authentication (such as Face ID or Touch ID), without the option to use a passcode. That means only you can retrieve these items, even if you lose your phone to someone who knows your passcode.

As well as that, some security-related actions – like changing your Apple ID password – require you to wait an hour and then pass a second biometric authentication test. That should make it harder for a trespasser to meddle with your device, and also give you more time to mark your device as lost or remotely erase it to prevent your data from falling into the wrong hands.

Stolen Device Protection is designed to defend you not only from a thief who has your device, but a thief who has your device and knows your passcode. Even if they can get into your iPhone, they won’t be able to extract or alter your most sensitive data.

All of these things only happen when your iPhone is away from what Apple terms “familiar locations” like your home and place of work. That ensures you yourself won’t be constantly pestered with the extra security steps while making changes, while still stymying the efforts of thieves if they take your device somewhere unfamiliar.

How to turn on Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection comes with iOS 17.3 but must be turned on before it can be used. To do so, open the Settings app on your iPhone and head to Face ID & Passcode. Enter your device’s passcode, then scroll down to Stolen Device Protection and select Turn On Protection. If you want to disable it, tap Turn Off Protection. Disabling it will require a Face ID scan.

To download iOS 17.3, open the Settings app and select General > Software Update. Your iPhone will tell you if iOS 17.3 is available to download. If it is, follow the on-screen instructions and wait for your device to install the update and reboot.

Aside from the features we mentioned above, Stolen Device Protection adds extra security steps for a handful of other actions, including turning off Lost Mode, applying for a new Apple Card, resetting all settings, and more. Apple has a full list of the included actions on its support page.

It’s usually a good idea to enable security features like this, as they contribute to making your iPhone more secure and harder to break into. In this case, Stolen Device Protection takes only a few seconds to enable, but could save you a serious security headache in the long run.

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The maximum iPhone storage you can get has been 1TB for quite a while now, with the iPhone 13 Pro introducing that capacity and even the iPhone 15 Pro Max not exceeding it, but with the iPhone 16 line, Apple might double that, with a 2TB option.

This is according to leaker yeux1122 posting on Naver (a South Korean blogging site), via 9to5Mac. The source claims that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be offered in a 2TB size, and that this is due to Apple switching to QLC (Quad-Level Cell) flash memory.

Currently Apple uses TLC (Triple-Level Cell) memory, and a switch to QLC would allow for more storage capacity in the same physical space, so Apple could potentially deliver 2TB of storage without that taking up much if any more space inside the phone than 1TB of storage currently does.

Not the first mention of QLC

We also heard from another source recently that the iPhone 16 line might switch to QLC memory, though they didn’t mention a new 2TB storage option.

Yeux1122 has a mixed track record, so we’d take this new claim with a pinch of salt, especially as they previously said the iPhone 15 Pro would be available in a 2TB storage variant, which didn't happen.

It could make sense for Apple to up the storage capacity if QLC memory is used, but this switch in memory technology is also just a rumor for now, and it’s also possible that yeux1122 is simply guessing that 2TB will be offered if this switch happens.

Even the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra tops out at 1TB, so in terms of Apple’s competition there’s no major incentive to boost the storage on the iPhone 16 Pro line. But then again, by the time these phones launch it will have been three years since the last storage increase, which is quite a long time, and for videographers, a boost in capacity could come in handy.

If we do see a 2TB iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max then Apple could also potentially boost the standard iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus to 1TB at the top end, and perhaps drop the 128GB capacity for at least some models, but that’s just speculation.

Upsides and downsides

There are other reasons why Apple might switch to QLC storage in any case. Rather than offering more storage in the same physical space, it could enable the company to reduce the size of the storage components, thereby freeing up space for other components, such as a larger battery.

QLC storage is also potentially cheaper to produce, and those savings could be passed on to consumers; although on the other hand it’s also less reliable, and could result in slower write speeds.

Those negative points cast doubts on whether Apple would actually switch to QLC storage, but presumably Apple would see the positives as outweighing the negatives if it does happen. And if it does lead to 2TB models then that will at least benefit some people.

We won’t know for sure until the iPhone 16 line launches, which likely won’t be until September, and there are sure to be plenty more leaks and rumors in the meantime.

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The addition of a ‘Capture button’ is one of the more intriguing iPhone 16 rumors, but with earlier reports suggesting you’d simply tap it to record videos, it didn’t actually sound all that interesting, especially not compared to the customizable Action button that Apple put on the iPhone 15 Pro. Now though, we’ve heard more about the Capture button, and it sounds far more promising than before.

According to a report in The Information (via 9to5Mac) citing “two people with direct knowledge of the situation”, the Capture button will be for both photos and videos, which immediately makes it more versatile than if it was just for recording videos.

Not only that, but it will also apparently be more than just a button you press. According to this report, you’ll be able to swipe across the surface of the Capture button to zoom the camera in and out, while a light press will focus the camera and a harder press will take a photo (or presumably start recording a video if you’re on video mode).

So this would give you quite a few hardware camera controls, allowing you to operate the camera without interacting with the touchscreen.

Mechanical movement

Interestingly, the Capture button is being described as mechanical (meaning it would actually press in) rather than capacitive (meaning it wouldn’t move but would provide feedback through vibrations). Previous leaks had said the Capture button would be capacitive, so as this is a change from that we’d take these latest claims with a pinch of salt.

Still, the Capture button makes a lot more sense if it does have all the functionality described here. Were it just a shortcut to the video camera it would seem an odd addition, when Apple could surely add a second Action button instead – which would let users decide what to have it as a shortcut for.

The report also added that aside from this button there are “no other planned cosmetic changes that would distinguish the iPhone 16 from the previous model.” Though the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max might be larger than their predecessors according to previous leaks.

In any case, with the iPhone 16 line not expected to land until September, we wouldn’t put too much faith in any of the leaks just yet, but we’re now far more excited about the potential of the Capture button than we were before.

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