Apple will launch the iPhone 16 next month, with rumors pointing to September 10th as the likely date for the event. Almost everything has leaked about 2024 iPhones, and I expect Apple Intelligence to be at the center of Apple’s marketing efforts for the iPhone 16 handsets.
But the new iPhones will also have to be great cameras, regardless of iOS 18’s AI abilities. That’s what we expect from each new iPhone. Well, camera processing will include AI (machine learning algorithms), but we had those even before generative AI became a thing.
With a few weeks left until Apple’s September iPhone event, a new report gives us the purported specs for all 16 iPhone models. It also claims that all four phones will feature the brand new Capture button, which I’m so excited about.
A few days ago, I told you the Capture button is a must for me. At the time, a report claimed only the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max would get it, contrary to all previous rumors. AppleInsider now says that all four handsets will get it.
The Capture button is a capacitive button placed near the lower right corner. That way, your index finger will sit on the button when holding the iPhone 16 in landscape mode for photos and videos. The image below, from a video showing purported iPhone 16 dummy units, gave us the same location for the Capture button.
The button will work exclusively with camera apps, so you won’t be able to customize it like the Action button. iPhone users will be able to choose whether a press of the button opens the default camera app or an alternative. The report notes that you won’t be able to activate the camera accidentally while the phone is in your pocket.
The Capture button will also support all sorts of gestures, as it has force-sensing powers. A half-press will autofocus, while a full-press will take the photo. Sliding the finger on the button will let you zoom in and out. Camera app developers will have new API tools to customize these behaviors for their needs.
The report also listed the camera specs for the four phones and some of the expected new features:
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus:
- 48-megapixel wide camera with f/1.6 aperture and 2x telephoto zoom
- 12-megapixel ultra wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
- possible macro photography support
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max:
- 48-megapixel wide camera with 1.22μm pixels, f/1.77 aperture and 2x optical-quality telephoto shots
- 48-megapixel ultra wide camera with 0.7μm pixels (1.4μm pixels in 12-megapixel mode) and f/2.2 aperture
- possible 48-megapixel ProRaw photos
Finally, the report says that Apple will introduce a new image format to the iPhone 16 phones. That format is JPEG-XL, joining the existing HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRaw, and ProRAW Max modes.
For video, Apple will let iPhone 16 Pro models record 3K video at 120fps with support for Dolby Vision.
It’s unclear where the information comes from, but the camera specs align with current expectations based on other rumors. Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait until we find out whether it’s accurate. Apple should announce the iPhone 16 keynote date in the coming days.