Forget iPhone 15 Pro — two major iPhone 16 Pro upgrades just tipped

Two features that could be coming to the iPhone 16 Pro may tempt you to hold off on ordering an iPhone 15 Pro when it (likely) launches next month.

A research note from Jeff Pu, an analyst for Haitong International Securities (via MacRumors) and an often reliable source on Apple's future iPhone activities, has claimed that next year's Pro iPhones could feature a 48MP ultrawide camera and support for Wi-Fi 7.

The iPhone 14 Pro introduced a 48MP camera to iPhones last year, but it sounds like the 2024 iPhone will extend this to the ultrawide camera, which currently stands at 12MP on all iPhones.

More pixels means either greater resolution compared to the current 12MP ultrawide camera found on iPhones, or improved color and brightness if Apple decided instead to keep the camera taking 12MP shots by creating "super pixels" by binning groups of four pixels together. This is a common process, seen on the iPhone 14 Pro's default main camera photos, and many of the best Android phones.

A 48MP resolution could mean that Apple expands the 48MP ProRAW camera mode to the ultrawide camera too. Camera enthusiasts, or anyone just looking for the highest quality images possible from their iPhones, would no doubt enjoy having the greater freedom that a choice of 1x and 0.5x zoom levels offers.

Wi-Fi upgrades

Most manufacturers are still working on introducing the current Wi-Fi 6E standard to their devices. Apple is one example, with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max expected to be the first iPhone models to support it. But it seems like we could see two Wi-Fi upgrades in a row if the iPhone 16 Pro does indeed receive Wi-Fi 7 compatibility. 

Wi-Fi 7 uses three frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz) to move data around simultaneously, making for stronger and speedier connections. But as a new standard, it could be a while before you buy or come across a Wi-Fi 7 router that can make use of the iPhone 16 Pro's full Wi-Fi potential. Good news for futureproofing at least.

The iPhone 15 series is basically a given for this year, assumedly launching at the Apple September event that's been rumored for September 12. By that logic, the iPhone 16 will come next year, meaning that there's still time for Apple to change these features. 

Whatever happens, we'll be keeping up with the rumors and leaks to ensure you have the latest news on both phones, such as the iPhone 15 Pro's Action button and iPhone 15 Pro Max's periscope telephoto camera, larger displays and under-display Face ID for the iPhone 16 series.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone 15 release date: Here’s when the new iPhone is tipped to launch
• iPhone 15 USB-C port features a mysterious extra chip — and that's got us worried
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Will it be worth upgrading?