iPhone 16: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors

We might see the introduction of a periscope camera and in-display Face ID, but 2024 is still a long way away

By
Tim Fisher
Photo of Tim Fisher, Lifewire GM and Writer
Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

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Updated on May 24, 2023

iPhone 16 is the inevitable successor to the yet-to-be-released iPhone 15. Expected in late 2024, this lineup could include the iPhone Ultra with under-display Face ID, larger displays, and Apple's own modem chip.

When Will the iPhone 16 Be Released?

Apple follows a fairly stable timeline with its smartphone releases, basically guaranteeing a new one each year. Since the iPhone 15 is still set to be released this year, the iPhone 16 won't show up until next year.

There will probably be several models, like in previous years: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and maybe even an iPhone 16 Ultra.

Lifewire's Release Date Estimate

We think the iPhone 16 will come out in late 2024, likely around September. This is the typical release date cycle that's been used for past iPhone models.

iPhone 16 Price Rumors

Considering the iPhone 15 price hasn't yet been officially declared, it's a bit early to make good guesses about this phone's price. One thing we can say this early is the iPhone Ultra, which could be the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 model, could sit at over $1100, which means the rest of the lineup would fall somewhere below that.

For reference, the basic iPhone 15 model is expected to start at $799.

Pre-Order Information

You'll be able to order the iPhone 16 from Apple's website shortly after the phones are announced. We'll provide a link here when one becomes available.

iPhone 16 Specs & Features

For starters, let's clarify that the iPhone 15 still hasn't been announced, at least not officially. This means the following information relies on expectations from those rumors, which could change at any time.

Ross Young, of Display Supply Chain Consultants, says the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will have larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays (the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays). As for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, we'll have to wait for more information on their screen sizes, because Young hasn't yet indicated if they will also have larger displays.

The 2024 iPhones might include in-display Face ID, which could change the way the whole front of the device looks. If this rumor from The Elec ends up true, the iPhone Pro models might have just the front-facing camera cutout:

Apple is expected to apply the 'Under Panel Face ID' function that hides Face ID under the screen from next year's iPhone 16 series Pro lineup.

Frequent Apple leaker and reporter, Ming-Chi Kuo, predicted this same rumor as early as April 2022.

However, trusted leaker, Ross Young, thinks that due to sensor issues, under-panel Face ID will be pushed to at least 2025 and therefore arrive with the iPhone 17 Pro. If he's right, the 2024 phones will no doubt follow the iPhone 15 series in regard to the overall design (i.e., all models will have the Dynamic Island cutout).

A periscope camera lens is expected to make its way into this phone, which means better zoom capabilities. Kuo reported in early 2023 that his latest survey "indicates only one/highest-end new iPhone 16 model in 2H24 will have the periscope camera." There's a good chance this rumor is referring to the iPhone Ultra.

Like the iPhone 12, the iPhone 16 is rumored to have a vertical camera arrangement.

The current iPhone has four storage options ranging from 128 GB to TB. We don't foresee a 2 TB model yet, so we think those will remain the same with iPhone 16. While we could see Apple dropping the lowest option and instead starting off with 256 GB we think it's still unlikely.

Apple has used Qualcomm modem chips in their phones for years, but 2024 might be when Apple switches to using its own modem chip. It's unclear what, if any, benefit this would provide to the buyer.

iOS 18 will be the operating system that ships with the iPhone 16. We'll know more about what to expect in that OS after iOS 17 has been confirmed.

Check out our iPhone 15 and iPhone Ultra articles to see what else we expect to see with the iPhone 16. For example, we think USB-C is making its way into the 2023 phones and will therefore carry over to the 2024 lineup as well.

The Latest News About the iPhone 16

You can get more smartphone news from Lifewire, but here are other related stories and some rumors we've found about the iPhone 16 specifically:

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