At today’s “It’s Glowtime” event, Apple announced the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
They’re built for Apple Intelligence, the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence. The iPhone 16 lineup also introduces Camera Control, which brings new ways to capture memories, and will help users quickly access visual intelligence to learn about objects or places around them faster than ever before.
The powerful camera system features a 48MP Fusion camera with a 2x Telephoto option, giving users two cameras in one, while a new Ultra Wide camera enables macro photography. Next-generation Photographic Styles help users personalize their images, and spatial photo and video capture allows users to relive life’s precious memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro.
Apple says the new A18 chip delivers a huge leap in performance and efficiency, enabling demanding AAA games, as well as a big boost in battery life.
A New Design
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are beautiful and built to last, according to Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. She adds that the iPhone holds its value longer than any other smartphone thanks to its industry-leading durability, including the strong back glass, a water- and dust-resistant design, regular software updates, and the latest-generation Ceramic Shield with an advanced formulation that is 50% tougher than the first generation and 2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone.
The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier. With the new internal design and advanced power management of iOS 18, the batteries are optimized to offer a big boost in battery life. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, the Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology.
The Action button comes to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, allowing users to access a variety of functions with just a press. Users can quickly open the camera, flashlight, or controls; switch between Ring and Silent; recognize music with Shazam; activate Voice Memos, Focus, Translate, and accessibility features like Magnifier; or use Shortcuts for more options. The Action button can also access in-app functionality, like helping a user unlock and lock their car with FordPass.
Introducing Camera Control
The new Camera Control is packed with innovation, including a tactile switch that powers the click experience, a high-precision force sensor that enables the light press gesture, and a capacitive sensor that allows for touch interactions, Drance says. It can quickly launch the camera, take a photo, and start video recording so users don’t miss the moment. A new camera preview helps users frame the shot and adjust other control options — such as zoom, exposure, or depth of field — to compose a photo or video by sliding their finger on the Camera Control. Additionally, developers will be able to bring Camera Control to third-party apps such as Snapchat.
Camera Control provides instant, easy access to the camera with just a click.
Later this year, Camera Control will unlock visual intelligence to help users learn about objects and places. Users can click and hold Camera Control to pull up the hours or ratings for a restaurant they pass, add an event from a flyer to their calendar, quickly identify a dog by breed, and more.
Camera Control will also serve as a gateway into third-party tools with specific domain expertise, like when users want to search on Google to find where they can buy an item, or to benefit from ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills. Drance says that users are in control of when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.
New Camera Experiences
The new camera system is designed to help users capture both everyday moments and cherished memories like never before. The 48MP Fusion camera enables a 2x optical-quality Telephoto option, which is like having two cameras in one, so users can get closer to the subject to easily frame a photo.
In addition to wider-angle shots, the new 12MP Ultra Wide camera with autofocus enables macro photography. The Ultra Wide camera also gathers up to 2.6x more light for higher image quality. Additionally, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus now take spatial photos and videos to help users relive memories with depth on the Apple Vision Pro.
Drance says that next-generation Photographic Styles help users express their creativity and customize their photos by locally adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time. Styles also have a deeper understanding of skin undertones, so users can personalize how they appear in photos.
Unlike filters, which often use a one-size-fits-all approach by adding a color to an entire scene, adjustments are applied to specific colors of a selected style. A wider set of styles offers more creative options for editing a photo’s aesthetic, and styles can be rendered during live preview, applied after a photo is taken, or even reversed later.
Video can now be captured in Spatial Audio for immersive listening with AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, or a surround sound system. Both iPhone models introduce new ways to edit video sound with Audio Mix — allowing users to adjust their sound after capture to focus on the voice of the person on camera, make it sound like the video was recorded inside a professional studio, or position vocal tracks in the front and environmental noises in surround sound. With wind noise reduction, machine learning (ML) algorithms reduce unwanted noise for better audio quality.
Powered by Apple Intelligence, users can search for specific photos in the Photos app using natural language, and search for specific moments in video clips. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without altering the subject.
A18: Next-Level Performance and Mobile Gaming
A18 delivers a huge leap in performance and power efficiency, and is built on second-generation 3-nanometer technology to further accelerate Apple Intelligence, Drance says. An upgraded 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models and purportedly runs ML models up to 2x faster than the A16 Bionic chip.
The 6-core CPU is 30% faster than the A16 Bionic chip and faster than all the competition, Apple boasts. It is also more power efficient and can run the same workload with 30% less power than A16 Bionic, adds the tech giant.
The 5-core GPU is reportedly up to 40% faster and 35% more efficient than the A16 Bionic. Now with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, games on iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus more accurately represent the behavior of light with up to 5x higher frame rates than with software-based ray tracing.
Both models support the AAA games previously only available on iPhone 15 Pro, as well as new titles like Honor of Kings: World with an ultra graphics mode optimized for the iPhone 16 lineup, coming next year.
Game Mode in iOS 18 delivers more consistent frame rates while making AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories more responsive. The efficiency of A18 and the device’s rearchitected internal design deliver up to 30% higher sustained performance for gaming while ensuring Apple Intelligence runs efficiently on iPhone, according to Apple.
Expanded Communication and Safety Capabilities
The iPhone 16 lineup features ways to stay connected and provides enhanced safety capabilities. Powered by the same g technology as Emergency SOS via satellite, users are able to connect to the nearest satellite to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Messages via satellite in iOS 18 are end-to-end encrypted. Also new with iOS 18, Emergency SOS Live Video allows users to share a live video feed or photos with participating emergency dispatchers during an emergency call. Later this fall, Roadside Assistance via satellite — which connects users to a roadside assistance provider if they have car trouble while off the grid — expands beyond the U.S. to the U.K.
Better for the Environment
Apple says the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are designed with the environment in mind. They feature more than 30% recycled content overall, including 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 80% or more recycled steel across multiple components.
The battery is made with 100% recycled cobalt and — in a first for iPhone — over 95% recycled lithium. The packaging is entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of removing plastic from its packaging by next year.
Pricing and Availability
- iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in ultramarine, teal, pink, white, and black in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities. iPhone 16 starts at US$799 or $33.29 per month, and iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 or $37.45 per month.
- Apple offers ways to save and upgrade to the latest iPhone. Customers can get $180 to $650 in credit when they trade in iPhone 12 or higher, or up to $1,000 in credits to put toward an iPhone 16 Pro with a carrier offer. Customers can take advantage of these offers by visiting the Apple Store online or an Apple Store location. For carrier offer eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. To see what their device is worth and for trade-in terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.
- Customers in more than 58 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the U.K., and the U.S., will be able to pre-order iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus beginning at 5 a.m. PDT this Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
- The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in Macao, Vietnam, and 19 other countries and regions beginning Friday, September 27.
- iOS 18 will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 16.
- Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update. The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In the coming year, Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages, including Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.
- In addition to an iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Clear Case, available for $49, a Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 in black, denim, fuchsia, lake green, plum, star fruit, stone gray, and ultramarine. Apple cases for the iPhone 16 lineup work seamlessly with Camera Control, featuring a sapphire crystal coupled to a conductive layer that communicates finger movements to the Camera Control. FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe will be available for $59 in black, blackberry, dark green, and deep blue.
- A new MagSafe Charger enables faster wireless charging up to 25W, is Qi2 certified, and is available in a 1-meter length for $39 or a 2-meter length for $49 (U.S.).
- AppleCare+ for iPhone provides service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know iPhone best.
- iCloud+ plans start at 50GB for $0.99 per month and offer up to 12TB for $59.99 per month, providing additional storage to keep files, photos, videos, and more safe in the cloud, accessible across devices, and easy to share with others. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features, including Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domains, and HomeKit Secure Video support.
- Customers who purchase iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will receive three free months of Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+ with a new subscription.
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