iPhone 16 Pro rumors — everything we know so far

(Image credit: @MajinBuOfficial)

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Cheat sheet
Price and release
Design
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Performance
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iPhone 16 Pro cheat sheet: Biggest rumors

Release date prediction: September 2024
Price prediction: from $999
Design: Brighter 6.3-inch display, capture button
Cameras: Bigger main sensor, 48MP ultrawide
AI features: Generative AI in several Apple apps, including Photos and Notes
Specs: A18 Pro chip, up to 2TB storage, Wi-Fi 7
Colors: Rose, Gray, Silver and Space Black
Battery: Larger battery
Software: iOS 18

iPhone 16 Pro: rumored price and potential release date

tim cook at apple event — (Image credit: Future)

Apple always seems to release phones in the fall, and 2024 doesn't figure to be any different. We're expecting the iPhone 16 models to show up in September, the month Apple typically announces new devices. For a more specific guess, here's our forecast on potential iPhone 16 release dates.

It's much too early to talk pricing, though worrying about iPhone 16 costs is understandable, given the $100 price hike imposed on last year's iPhone 15 Pro Max. While it's always possible newer offerings like the iPhone 16 Pro could see their prices go up, especially with component prices on the rise, it's pretty clear Apple likes having a Pro phone at the $999 mark. Something very significant would likely need to happen to knock the iPhone 16 Pro out of that price range.

iPhone 16 Pro: Design rumors

Four alleged iPhone 16 dummies, featuring their sizes written above them. — (Image credit: Sonny Dickson / X)

For the iPhone 15 Pro series, Apple switched to titanium for a lighter and more durable phone design. Expect that to continue with the iPhone 16 Pro, which is all but certain to also retain the USB-C port that Apple added to the current iPhone lineup.

The iPhone 15 Pro models did replace the mute switch with a new Action button, which is rumored to be heading to all iPhone 16 models, not just the Pros. Another rumor has a Capture button appearing on all new models, which would capture content using the phone's camera, and potentially focus the camera with a lighter press too. Indeed, leaked iPhone 16 cases feature Action and Capture buttons on all models.

Some iPhone 16 dummy units that have appeared indicate that the MagSafe wireless charging ring will be thinner on all four new models including the iPhone 16 Pro. That could mean less bulk and improved charging overall.

You can see how this all may look on the alleged dummy of the iPhone 16 Pro below, and how it compares to the standard model. There's even a closer look of how the iPhone 16 Pro compares in size and design to all the other versions in this set of leaked images of dummy units, or another pair here.

Alleged dummy of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, from the back — (Image credit: Weibo)

A tipster on X has given us our first clue of some potential color options coming with the iPhone 16 Pro: Desert Yellow, aka Desert Titanium, and Cement Grey, aka Titanium Grey. More recently we've heard that the iPhone 16 Pro could be offered in a choice of four colors: gray or white, silver and Space Black, and a brand new Rose option. These colors will be applied with the same infused glass design seen on the iPhone 15 base models, the same source later added.

A post on X has shown off several cases for the iPhone 16 Pro, indicating that the Pro will have a much larger camera island than prior models. While it is a sizeable increase, it would make sense considering the several rumors regarding the increased size of the iPhone 16 Pro's cameras.

iPhone 16 Pro: Display rumors

As for the display, you might think Apple would stick with the 6.1-inch size for the Pro model that it's used for several years running. However, one rumor has suggested Apple might shift to larger screens — around 6.3 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 16 Pro Max/Ultra. Prototype-based renders of the iPhone 16 Pro back this up. Due to the increase in size, it's likely it'll also pack a bigger battery as well.

Leaked dummy units show off the different sizes of the iPhone 16 models, including a 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro.

Some analysts had expected Apple to use brighter Samsung panels for the iPhone 15 Pro, but that display change never happened. But one leaker claims Apple plans to increase the iPhone 16 Pro's brightness level by up to 20 percent more than its predecessor. Indeed, a new report claims that Samsung will supply Apple with advanced OLED panels for its iPhone 16 Pro models, with the end result being displays that are 20% brighter than before.

A display-building process called Border Reduction Structure could help give the iPhone 16 Pro bezels as slim as 1.2mm. But it's reported that Apple's display suppliers are struggling to make enough of a high-enough quality.

iPhone 16 Pro: Camera rumors

Unofficial renders of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max from the front and back — (Image credit: MacRumors)

Cameras remain a big deal for mobile devices, which is why it may be surprising that few details about the iPhone 16 Pro's potential camera setup have emerged. However, the rumors that we have heard suggest some significant changes.

The biggest rumor regarding the iPhone 16 Pro's cameras contends that the tetraprism telephoto lens that debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro Max will find its way to the other Pro models in the iPhone 16 lineup. (Multiple sources from Apple's supply chain are now claiming this, as well as research firm TrendForce and Samsung Securities). That would likely boost the optical zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro to 5x just like it now is on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. There could be a new telephoto lens in store too, one that will increase the performance of the zoom camera while also reducing its weight and size.

We've also heard that the iPhone 16 Pro could see its ultrawide lens get an upgrade from the current 12MP sensor. Specifically, a rumor contends that all Pro models will get a 48MP ultrawide lens, matching a move Google just made with the Pixel 8 Pro. While spatial video capture has been reserved for the most recent Pro models, it looks as though Apple could be bringing the feature to other iPhone 16 models as well after molds and mockups were leaked.

Anyone looking for an iPhone selfie camera upgrade may need to look beyond the iPhone 16 series. Apparently the iPhone 17 will be the model series to upgrade Apple's current 12MP sensors to 24MP.

One or more of these cameras may feature a new lens coating that Apple's tipped to be working on. This will hopefully improve the appearance of lens flares in photos, something that iPhones can't deal with as well as some rival phones.

iPhone 16 Pro: Performance and specs rumors

iPhone 16 mold compared to iPhone 15 mold — (Image credit: ShopSystem)

With the Pro models getting the best of Apple's mobile silicon for two upgrades running now, we'd look for that pattern to continue with the iPhone 16 Pro. Specifically, analyst Jeff Pu expects all the iPhone 16 Pro models to feature the upcoming A18 Pro system-on-chip, which we've heard that could offer some very impressive performance benchmark scores.

Interestingly, Pu also predicts that the standard iPhone 16 will run on a 3nm A18 chip, but it will be a less powerful version of that chipset. But at least one version of the chipset may come with more die space to allow more transistors and specialized hardware that could boost on-device AI performance. However Apple may still need to rely on cloud servers for some AI processing workload.

We've also heard that Apple may be increasing the power of the Neural Engine NPU for the A18 series of chips. This could mean it's got more AI processing power than any other Apple device on the market.

The performance of the A18 Pro may be a little underwhelming though. Alleged Geekbench CPU tests show improved results compared to the A17 Pro chip, but lower scores than what's been tipped for next-gen Snapdragon or Dimensity chips.

Regardless of how the A18 performs, Apple plans to have plenty of the chips on hand. Reports claim Apple has ordered up to 100 million units of silicon to meet the anticipated iPhone 16 demand.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max became the first Apple phone to ship with 256GB of storage space. It's possible the iPhone 16 Pro might follow suit, and word is that AI demands may see that minimum storage come to all iPhone 16 devices this year. Either way, a rumored new memory type could allow the iPhone 16 Pro to offer up to 2TB of on-board storage, double what the current highest capacity iPhone offers. But this could come at the cost of memory speed.

On the connectivity front, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to add support for Wi-Fi 7, which uses three bands to move around data for faster connections. It's pretty clear that the iPhone 16 Pro won't feature a modem that Apple builds in-house; Qualcomm's already announced it will supply modems to Apple through 2026.

iPhone 16 Pro: Battery

The main iPhone 16 Pro battery rumor is a fairly straightforward one: the battery size could increase by 2%.

That likely wouldn't enough by itself to cause a massive shift in the phone's battery life compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. But hopefully with other updates we'll get a little more daily use out of this model than we did from its predecessor. Perhaps even up to 30 hours total battery life, going by one claim.

There's some dispute over whether the iPhone 16 Pro will get the new shell and density upgrade that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is tipped to get. This would mean an even larger capacity and even longer battery life for the smaller Pro model, but that could be something the iPhone 17 Pro gets instead. That said, there are reports Apple will use a metal case for the batteries in iPhone 16 models, including the Pro, as that helps make the batteries easier to replace.

iPhone 16 Pro: software

Apple previewed iOS 18 in June, and while it's only discussed what current iPhone will support iOS 18, you'd have to figure this is the version that will run on the iPhone 16 Pro and other models coming out this fall.

iOS 18 introduces a number of new features like a redesigned Photos app, improvements to Mail, Notes and other productivity tools, and a new look as you can now more fully customize your iPhone home screen. There's the possibility of iOS 18 features tied specifically to the iPhone 16 Pro, but we won't know for certain until the new phone arrives.

To that end, the rumored A18 chipset in the iPhone 16 Pro would mean Apple's next pro device will be able to run Apple Intelligence features. Those are the AI-powered tools Apple is starting to incorporate across all its devices, not Just the iPhone.

From what we've seen, Apple Intelligence delivers writing tools to your phone that will make tone suggestions and offer proof-reading. Generative editing tools will let you create new emoji. ("Genmoji," is what Apple calls them.) And Siri is getting smarter, as the assistant will be able to apply context to your queries, though this feature may not arrive until sometime in 2025.

iOS 18 is out as a developer beta now, with a public beta to follow this month. Apple Intelligence will carry a Preview label and arrive later in the year.

iPhone 16 Pro: Outlook

The iPhone 16 Pro isn't likely to become a reality until the Apple September Event. That means there's still plenty of time for new rumors to emerge, and offer new insight into the first of Apple's Pro-series iPhone 16s.

But for now it sounds like the iPhone 16 Pro is in for one heck of an upgrade. A larger screen, the tetraprism lens with 5x optical zoom, Wi-Fi 7, an upgraded ultrawide angle camera, Apple Intelligence AI and more.

Check back frequently to see updates as we learn more about what could be coming to Apple's higher-end smartphones and whether the gap between the Pro model and the standard iPhone will continue to grow.

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.