Apple's newest phones are official. At its "Glowtime" event on Monday, the company took the wraps off of its latest iPhones, with the base models predictably called the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Pricing remains the same as last year's phones: the 128GB iPhone 16 starts at $799 and the 128GB iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899. The phones will be available for pre-order on Friday and available on Sept. 20.
The new iPhones will have a redesigned rear camera bump that aligns the sensors vertically, similar to how they appeared on the back of the iPhone X, XS, XR, 11 and 12 (the iPhone 13, 14 and 15 had rear cameras that were diagonally aligned). Vertically aligning the cameras makes them capable of recording spatial photos and videos for viewing on Apple's Vision Pro headset.
More notably for those looking to improve their photo and video shooting, there is now a dedicated camera control "button" along the side of the device that Apple calls the "camera control." Apple has long pitched that the iPhone was on par with DSLRs, and this dedicated button may make it even easier to capture moments and memories.
"Camera Control" on the iPhone 16 allows you to more quickly adjust camera features.
AppleClicking the button takes a photo, while sliding can adjust zoom. Double pressing can switch modes or settings. Apple says the "camera control" will be usable in third-party apps.
As for camera specs, the main camera remains a 48-megapixel shooter (capable of 2x telephoto shots at 12-megapixels) while there is a new ultra-wide sensor that Apple says "can capture up to 2.6x more light."
The camera button isn't the only new addition to the iPhone 16 line, with both models gaining an "Action" button similar to what was added to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max last year. This button lets you set shortcuts to open specific apps or tasks (like setting the phone to "Do Not Disturb," opening the flashlight or setting a direct coffee order from Dunkin').
Displays for the new phones will be similar to 2024's iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: 6.1 inches on the smaller model and 6.7 inches on the larger Plus. Those looking for larger displays will need to look at the newiPhone 16 Pro (now 6.3 inches) and 16 Pro Max models (now 6.9 inches). The Pro models will also have improved cameras and even faster processors.
All iPhone 16 models will run iOS 18 on the new A18 processor which is capable of tapping into the company's new Apple Intelligence AI features. Apple says the iPhone 16 will have a "bigger battery", but it did not reveal how much longer the battery will last during the presentation. Like the iPhone 15 line, the phones will be able to physically charge over USB-C or wirelessly over MagSafe or Qi2.
A new "Visual Intelligence" feature, accessed by holding down the "camera control" button, lets you use the camera and Apple Intelligence to scan the world around you. Apple says it can identify objects for shopping on Google or use AI services like ChatGPT to help with homework.
The new base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus colors are white, black, "ultramarine" (blue), "teal" (green) and pink.
This story is developing.
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