Leaks continue to pour in ahead of the iPhone 16 series' launch this September. Much of the recent information has focused on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models. However, there will still be upgrades to the standard iPhone 16 models that will launch alongside Apple's flagships.

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iPhone 16 has many expected upgrades. Photo: Appleinsider

Here are the features Apple fans can expect from the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

A17 Chip

One thing that is almost certain is a chip upgrade. Since the iPhone 14, Apple has kept the latest chip for the Pro models, while the standard iPhones will use an older chip model.

The chip models for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are the A16 Bionic and A17 Pro respectively, while the standard iPhones of these two lines use the A15 Bionic and A16 Bionic.

This allows the Pro iPhones to have significantly more powerful chips than the standard models without Apple having to design two different chips each year.

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Apple Intelligence is seen as a factor driving iPhone upgrades. Photo: Appleinsider

If it continues with the iPhone 16 series, the A17 Pro chip will be reused for the iPhone 16 while the iPhone 16 Pro series will switch to the A18 chip. Additionally, there are also rumors that the A18 chip will be widely used in all new iPhone models.

Regardless of whether it's the A17 Pro or the A18, the chip changes will be significant for the iPhone 16. The A17 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM as standard for the iPhone to be compatible with Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence is a big step forward for Apple in machine learning. General AI and more contextual responses are a big part of how Apple can put the iPhone in the race with Android rivals.

To ensure the presence of Apple Intelligence, the iPhone must at least use the A17 chip while the A16 is not possible. Therefore, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus equipped with A17 is a must for the next generation of Apple iPhone.

For reference, the A16 Bionic's 16-core Neural Engine can handle up to 17 trillion operations per second, while the A17 Pro's can reach 35 trillion operations per second.

Screen

The display is considered a crucial part of any smartphone experience, where people interact the most with the device.

While the prominent leaks are for the Pro models' displays, the iPhone 16 is also expected to feature some changes.

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The iPhone 16 may also have super thin screen bezels. Photo: Appleinsider

Soon after the iPhone 15 was launched, rumors began to circulate that iPhone screens would get bigger. However, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to get a 0.2-inch increase in screen size, the standard iPhone 16 models are said to be the same size and weight as the iPhone 15 generation.

In theory, that means the iPhone 16 will have a 6.1-inch display and 6.7-inch for the Plus version.

Despite the same physical dimensions, there is another change that could improve the device's display. In March 2024, rumors said that Apple was applying Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology to the iPhone 16 series. In April 2024, a report said that the iPhone 16 series' display bezels would continue to get thinner.

By June 2024, leaks suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have the “world’s thinnest bezels.” If these rumors are true, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be the world’s most beautiful high-end smartphones with edge-to-edge displays.

While again, the issue of ultra-thin bezels is mainly brought up with the Pro models, there's at least a chance that the standard models will get this as well.

Camera

Again, most of the camera rumors are related to the two iPhone 16 Pro models. Sources say that the tetraprism lens will be equipped on both iPhone 16 Pro models (previously only on the iPhone 15 Pro Max), but the possibility of equipping the standard iPhone 16 is very low.

What is expected in the standard iPhone 16 is a change in the camera cluster layout. Leaks all suggest that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will have a vertically arranged rear camera cluster, instead of the diagonal module of the iPhone 15.

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The iPhone 16's camera placement allows the device to shoot space videos. Photo: Appleinsider

With this lens arrangement, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will have spatial video recording to support the Apple Vision Pro virtual reality glasses.

Another possibility that seems unlikely for the standard iPhone 16 is anti-reflective optical coating technology, which reduces flare and ghosting. This anti-reflective coating for the lens is expected to be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro.

Action button

The addition of an Action button to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max means that the mute switch has been replaced with a multi-function button. However, the standard iPhone 15 retains the mute switch.

However, the action button will be on the iPhone 16. A source from December 2023 claimed this. It is also part of the trend of transferring features from the Pro iPhones to the standard iPhones of Apple.

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iPhone 15 Pro Action button management interface. Photo: Appleinsider

Additionally, there have been reports that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a Capture button. While it is unclear whether the shutter button will be included on the standard iPhone 16, it is not out of the question.

Battery

Battery life is a feature that isn't often considered flashy, but it's important. Apple has worked to improve battery life over time, either by increasing battery capacity or optimizing software to save power.

According to leaked information, Apple is likely to improve battery capacity for most iPhone 16 models, including both the Pro and standard versions.

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The iPhone 16 battery capacity is expected to increase. Photo: Appleinsider

As for the iPhone 16, it is said to have a 3,561mAh battery capacity, up from the 3,367 of the iPhone 15.

However, the iPhone 16 Plus is rumored to have a reduced battery capacity. The 16 Plus is expected to have a 4,006mAh battery, lower than its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Plus (4,407mAh). However, at this point, it is still unclear how accurate that rumor is.

Apple is said to be considering graphene cooling and high-performance cathode technology for the new iPhone. There are also rumors that Apple will increase the capacity of the battery, with the battery cells holding more charge, helping to extend the battery life of the new iPhone.

The iPhone 16 series is expected to be launched by Apple next September. The new AI features - Apple Intelligence, which Apple just introduced at WWDC 2024, are expected to be the focus of attention for not only the iPhone 16 Pro models but also the standard iPhone 16.

Watch the iPhone 16 concept video with vertically arranged rear camera cluster (Video: EvolutionofTech ET):

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