iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: Five new features coming next month – 9to5Mac

We talk a lot about the new features coming to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, such as larger screens and upgraded cameras. However, there are also some exciting upgrades coming to Apple’s non-Pro models this year, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

Head below as we round up five of the most exciting changes coming to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus this year.

A18 chip and Apple Intelligence

Usually, I wouldn’t consider a new processor to be a very “exciting” upgrade for a new iPhone. This year, however, the story’s a bit different. According to multiple rumors, the iPhone 16 will be powered by the A18 chip and feature 8GB of RAM (upgraded from 6GB in the iPhone 15).

This change will enable the iPhone 16 to run Apple Intelligence features. Currently, Apple Intelligence features are only supported on the iPhone 15 Pro models. This means that the entire iPhone 16 lineup will support Apple Intelligence. The first Apple Intelligence features are currently in beta testing with iOS 18.1, which is expected to be released to the public in October. More features will be added over the next year.

Action button

The iPhone 15 Pro introduced a big change, replacing the classic mute switch with an all-new Action button. This year, the Action button will expand to the entire iPhone 16 lineup. The Action button can be assigned to things like the Camera, silent mode, Shortcuts, the flashlight, the Translate app, and more.

Plus, with iOS 18, the Action button is also getting more powerful and can be assigned to a wide variety of new system controls.

Capture button

In addition to the Action button, the iPhone 16 is expected to feature a new Capture button on the right-hand side of the phone. The Capture button will serve as a quick way to open the Camera app. It will also be touch sensitive, according to The Information. This means you will be able to swipe left and right on the Capture button’s surface to zoom in and out.

The Capture button will also make it easier to bring images into focus without tapping on your iPhone’s display. You’ll be able to press the Capture button lighting to bring an image into focus, then press more firmly on the button to actually take the picture.

Smaller camera bump

Since the iPhone 11, Apple has used a square camera bump design. With the iPhone 16 this year, however, Apple is expected to redesign the camera bump.

The two camera lenses will be arranged vertically, stacked on top of each other, instead of diagonally. This will essentially cut the size of the camera bump in half in terms of width. This also means the flash will be located on the outside of the camera bump itself for the first time since the iPhone 8.

Why is Apple redesigning the iPhone 16’s camera bump? It all comes down to spatial video. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will likely support recording spatial video that can then be viewed on Vision Pro. Currently, this feature is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Battery life changes

Finally, Apple is planning changes to the iPhone 16’s battery technology that could ultimately lead to longer battery life. First, the iPhone 16 will reportedly use a new stacked battery design that will allow for increased battery density. With increased battery density, the iPhone 16 could offer longer battery life with the same battery size or lower battery size.

This correlates to Apple’s plans for the iPhone 16 battery capacity, as the iPhone 16 Plus could actually feature a smaller battery.

iPhone 15: 3,349 mAh battery
iPhone 15 Plus: 4,383 mAh battery

iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh battery (6% increase)
iPhone 16 Plus: 4,006 mAh battery (8.6% decrease)

Wrap up: iPhone 16 expectations

The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to be released in September. Just this week it was reported that iPhone 16 production has hit full flow, with Apple partner Foxconn hiring 50,000 more workers to ramp up to peak production.

There’s no word on pricing for the iPhone 16 lineup. Typically, pricing information for upcoming iPhone models doesn’t leak until closer to the release date – if it leaks at all.

Are you planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16 this year? If so, what features are you most looking forward to trying? Let us know in the comments.