IPhone 16 explained

iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
Brand:Apple
Manufacturer:Foxconn
Colors:
  • Ultramarine
  • Teal
  • Pink
  • White
  • Black
Networks:2G GSM/EDGE, 3G UMTS/HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G NR
Soc:Apple A18
Modem:Qualcomm X71 5G
Memory:8 GB[1]
Os:Original: iOS 18
Predecessor:iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
Front Camera:12 MP, 1.9, 23 mm (wide)
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 7 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) tri-band
Bluetooth 5.3 (A2DP, LE)
Ultra-wideband (UWB)
Thread
NFC (reader mode, Express Cards)
USB-C: USB 2.0 480 Mbit/s
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou
Related:iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
Type:Smartphone

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are smartphones developed and marketed by Apple. They are the eighteenth-generation iPhones, succeeding the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and those phones succeed the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The devices were unveiled alongside the higher-priced iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max during the September 9, 2024 Apple Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.[2]

History

The devices were unveiled during an event on September 9, 2024, marking the first time an iPhone release had been announced on a Monday.[3] It is also the first iPhone to not come included with Apple stickers, as Apple removed it for "environmental reasons", but the stickers can be included if a customer asks for it at an Apple Store.[4]

Design

Like the iPhone 15, the device features rounded edges, a slightly curved display, and back glass.

Display

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus retain their screen sizes of 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively. They feature a full-edge screen design with slim borders.[5] [6]

Camera

iPhone 16 features a more refined dual-lens array on the back, with a 48 megapixel Fusion wide-angle lens and 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens. The cameras are now aligned vertically, similar to iPhone 12, instead of diagonally like on iPhone 15, enabling spatial video capture.

There is also an improved Photographic Styles feature for real-time lighting and color adjustments, allowing specific tones and colors to be manipulated.[7]

Colors

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus come in five colors: ultramarine, teal, pink, white and black.[8]

Color Name
Ultramarine
Teal
Pink
White
Black

Hardware

The iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus use an Apple A18 system on a chip. The chip is optimized for running Generative artificial intelligence and features a Neural Engine that is twice as fast as its predecessor.

The iPhone 16 includes an updated 48-megapixel Fusion camera, the same resolution as the iPhone 15, with 2 μm, quad pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). It has a new ultrawide camera with a wider aperture, automatic focus and 1.4 μm, 100% Focus Pixels.[9]

All ‌iPhone 16‌ models have an improved thermal design. The main logic board has been updated, centralizing chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. The recycled aluminum substructure dissipates heat for up to 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming.[10]

Every model in the iPhone 16 lineup has support for WiFi 7.[11]

Action Button

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus come with the Action Button, first featured on the iPhone 15 Pro lineup. By default, the Action Button toggles silent mode. However, users can change the button's feature to do different things other than silent mode, like open the Camera app or toggle a focus mode.

Camera Control button

All iPhone 16 models now come with a new button called Camera Control. This button is on the right side of the device, and allows the user to open the camera app, switch between different camera controls and features, and taking photos and videos. The button can distinguish between light and hard presses. By pressing the button once, it opens the camera app. By lightly pressing it twice, it opens a small menu with different camera controls, such as zoom or tone. Pressing the button hard once takes a photo, while holding for a few seconds starts a video.[12]

Battery and charging

The iPhone 16 has been upgraded in terms of battery capacity.[13]

The base iPhone 16 has video playback duration of up to 22 hours, while the iPhone 16 Plus has video playback up to 27 hours. The iPhone 16 has duration of audio playback up to 80 hours, 20% less than the iPhone 16 Plus with 100 hours of audio playback. The MagSafe wireless charging standard has been refreshed with a longer cable as an option, allowing the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to charge at a faster speed of 25W with a 30W power adapter.

Enclosure

The enclosure is made up of 85% recycled content.

Software

See main article: iOS 18. The iPhone 16 launched with iOS 18. While the device was announced alongside Apple Intelligence, these features were delayed until after release.[14]

iOS 18 includes RecoveryOS on the iPhone 16 series that allows users to recover and restore firmware wirelessly using another iPhone.[15]

The newest software that is possible to download to iPhone 16 is iOS 18.1

Specifications

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have a vertical camera layout, similar to the iPhone 12, as opposed to the diagonal layout for iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15. USB Type-C port is used, albeit with USB 2.0 data transfer speeds up to 480 Mb/s.[16]

Release and pricing

The iPhone 16 has a starting price of, while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at . Pre-orders began on September 13, 2024, and sales started September 20.[17]

Availability by region

September 20, 2024
September 26, 2024
September 27, 2024
October 18, 2024

Indonesian sales ban

On October 20, 2024, the Indonesian Ministry of Industry announced a formal ban on the sale and use of iPhone 16 models in Indonesia, citing that Apple has not fulfilled their promised investments in the country.[18]

Reception

The iPhone 16 has received positive feedback for several aspects, but also shows a few limitations. The upgraded design is a favourite, bringing a refreshed aesthetic with the available vibrant colour options, which feel more dynamic than past models. The display maintains Apple’ Super Retina HDR quality, but is limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate, which some users find outdated compared to faster displays on cheaper competitor phones.[19] [20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All iPhone 16 Models Equipped With 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence. September 9, 2024. MacRumors.
  2. Web site: Haslam . Karen . Macworld . September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 (2024) complete guide: Launch date, features, specs and more . September 11, 2024 . . en.
  3. Web site: Phelan . David . iPhone 16 Release: Apple Confirms Special Event, On A Surprise New Date . Forbes . 12 September 2024 . en.
  4. Web site: iPhone 16 Retail Box Contents No Longer Include Apple Stickers. Redmond Pie.
  5. Web site: Apple iPhone 16 - Full phone specifications . 2024-11-12 . www.gsmarena.com.
  6. Web site: Apple iPhone 16 Plus - Full phone specifications . 2024-11-12 . www.gsmarena.com.
  7. Web site: September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus . October 28, 2024 . en.
  8. Web site: Cooper . Gael . September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 Brightens Up With New Ultramarine, Teal and Pink Color Choices . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240910011055/https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-16-brightens-up-with-new-ultramarine-teal-and-pink-color-choices/ . September 10, 2024 . September 9, 2024 . . en.
  9. Web site: Field . Hayden . Capoot . Ashley . Leswing . Kif . Haselton . Todd . September 9, 2024 . Here's everything Apple just announced: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4 and more . September 9, 2024 . CNBC . en.
  10. Web site: September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 is powered by A18 chip up to 30% faster than iPhone 15 . September 13, 2024. 9to5Mac. en-US.
  11. Web site: Espósito . Filipe . September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 lineup adds support for faster Wi-Fi 7 . September 11, 2024 . . en-US.
  12. Web site: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus . 2024-09-21 . Apple (Australia) . en-AU.
  13. Web site: September 9, 2024. iPhone 16 is powered by A18 chip up to 30% faster than iPhone 15 . September 13, 2024. 9to5Mac. en-US.
  14. News: July 28, 2024 . Apple's artificial intelligence features to be delayed, Bloomberg News reports . Reuters.
  15. Web site: Shivam . Harsh . September 18, 2024 . iPhone 16 allows wireless firmware recovery using another iPhone: Report . Business Standard.
  16. Web site: Clover . Juli . September 9, 2024 . iPhone 16 USB-C Still Limited to USB 2, No Change for 16 Pro Either . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240910011200/https://www.macrumors.com/2024/09/09/iphone-16-usb-c-usb-2-speed/ . September 10, 2024 . September 9, 2024 . MacRumors.
  17. Web site: Apple iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max launched, Price and Specifications . 2024-09-13.
  18. News: 2024-10-26 . Apple iPhone 16: Why is it off-limits in Indonesia? Here's what you need to know about the new ban . 2024-10-29 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  19. Web site: 25 September 2024 . Apple iPhone 16 - Review 2024 - PCMag UK . 2 November 2024 . PCMag UK.
  20. Web site: 5 October 2024 . iPhone 16 review: Who needs the Pro? . 2 November 2024 . Digital Trends.