Here’s a Sneak Peek at What the iPhone 16 Will Look Like
Credit: Sonny Dickson / XToggle Dark Mode
There’s been no shortage of rumors giving us hints of what we can expect from this year’s iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, but other than some early leaked prototypes of the standard model, we haven’t had too many opportunities to visualize the design of this year’s models.
Even those early prototypes were vague, as they only showed us that Apple would be moving back to a tandem layout for the two cameras, effectively rolling back the switch to a diagonal arrangement it made with the iPhone 13 in 2021.
This was purportedly to introduce support for Spatial Video recording across the entire iPhone 16 lineup — a feature Apple introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Those models also got a rearranged camera layout, but most people didn’t notice as Apple simply swapped the positions of the telephoto and ultra-wide lenses.
The iPhone 16 prototypes showed three possible designs for the dual-camera system. While Apple seemed to be leaning toward the iPhone 12 style of having two distinct lenses in a square bump, it turns out that it may be going with a more throwback design instead.
Last night, renowned tech insider Sonny Dickson shared some never-before-seen images of dummy units for the full iPhone 16 lineup. That’s the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, assuming Apple uses the same naming convention.
The dummy units show few changes in the camera array for the iPhone 16 Pro models, although the much-rumored Capture button is clearly present. As expected, the measurements are also slightly larger, corroborating longstanding reports that Apple will be moving to 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays on those models.
What’s more significant are the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus molds, which show a camera array reminiscent of the iPhone XS era — a pill-shaped protrusion that wraps around both a wide and ultra-wide lens. However, unlike the earlier 2018 design, the camera lenses are distinct and extend beyond the bump, and the flash appears to be off to one side, outside of the bump, rather than in between the two lenses. It’s a nostalgic nod to the iPhone X, but it’s still distinct in its own right.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus also show the Action button above the volume controls, replacing the venerable ring/silent switch. They also have the same Capture button as the Pro models, located in the same place a few inches below the side button on the right.
The Action button has been expected to come to the standard iPhone 16 since even before it arrived on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro. This would be in keeping with Apple’s trend of introducing significant UI design changes on the premium models before bringing them down to the standard ones the following year, as it did with the Dynamic Island between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15.
What’s more encouraging is seeing the Capture button on all four models. Many believed Apple was planning to do this, but considering what Apple did with the Action button, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see the Capture button reserved for this year’s iPhone 16 Pro lineup before coming to the iPhone 17 next year.
The provenance of the images shared by Dickson isn’t clear. Dummy units such as these are typically milled slabs of solid aluminum designed as molds for case makers. However, these aren’t provided by Apple; instead, they’re created by third-party companies based on specs that may not be final or even accurate in the first place.
Apple eventually shares specific dimensions with its third-party accessory makers, but it’s too early to know if that time has come or if some companies are relying on unofficial sources to get a head start. Nevertheless, while case makers don’t always get it right, it’s in their best interests to create molds that are as accurate as possible, so it’s fair to say these are more than mere speculation or concept designs.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
