iPhone 16

iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus

iPhone 16 in Ultramarine
Brand	Apple
Manufacturer	Foxconn
Type	Smartphone
First released	September 20, 2024; 2 months ago (2024-09-20)
Predecessor	iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
Related	iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
Compatible networks	2G GSM/EDGE, 3G UMTS/HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G NR
Colors	Ultramarine   Teal   Pink   White   Black
Dimensions	16: H: 147.6 mm (5.81 in) W: 71.6 mm (2.82 in) D: 7.8 mm (0.31 in) 16 Plus: H: 160.9 mm (6.33 in) W: 77.8 mm (3.06 in) D: 7.8 mm (0.31 in)
Weight	16: 170 g (6.0 oz) 16 Plus: 199 g (7.0 oz)
Operating system	Original: iOS 18 Current: iOS 18.2, released December 11, 2024[1]
System-on-chip	Apple A18
Modem	Qualcomm X71 5G
Memory	8 GB[2]
SIM	Dual eSIM (US models) Dual nano-SIM (mainland China and Hong Kong, Macau models) nano-SIM and eSIM (worldwide except the US and China)
Rear camera	48 MP, f/1.6, 26 mm (wide) 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm (ultrawide)
Front camera	12 MP, f/1.9, 23 mm (wide)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) tri-band Bluetooth 5.3 (A2DP, LE) Ultra-wideband (UWB) Thread NFC (reader mode, Express Cards) USB-C: USB 2.0 480 Mbit/s GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou

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The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are smartphones developed and marketed by Apple. They are the eighteenth-generation iPhones, succeeding the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The devices were unveiled alongside the higher-priced iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max during the September 9, 2024 Apple Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.^[3]

The devices were unveiled during an event on September 9, 2024, marking the first time an iPhone release had been announced on a Monday.^[4] It is also the first iPhone to not come included with Apple stickers, as Apple removed it for "environmental reasons", but the stickers can be included if a customer asks for it at an Apple Store.^[5]

Like the iPhone 15, the device features rounded edges, a slightly curved display, and back glass.

The iPhone 16 is equipped with an aluminum design with a color infused glass back. 

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus retain their screen sizes of 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively. They feature a full-edge screen design with slim borders.^[6][7]

For more specifics, here is each individual display

iPhone 16: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2556x1179 pixels.

iPhone 16 Plus: 6.7-inch Super Retine XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2796x1290 pixels.

iPhone 16 features a more refined dual-lens array on the back, with a 48 megapixel Fusion wide-angle lens and 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens.^[6] The cameras are now aligned vertically, similar to iPhone 12, instead of diagonally like on iPhone 15, enabling spatial video capture.

There is also an improved Photographic Styles feature for real-time lighting and color adjustments, allowing specific tones and colors to be manipulated.^[8]

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus come in five colors: Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black.^[9]

The iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus use an Apple A18 system on a chip. The chip is optimized for running Generative artificial intelligence and features a Neural Engine that is twice as fast as its predecessor.

The iPhone 16 includes an updated 48-megapixel Fusion camera, the same resolution as the iPhone 15, with 2 μm, quad pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). It has a new ultrawide camera with a wider aperture, automatic focus and 1.4 μm, 100% Focus Pixels.^[10]

All ‌iPhone 16‌ models have an improved thermal design. The main logic board has been updated, centralizing chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. The recycled aluminum substructure dissipates heat for up to 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming.^[11]

Every model in the iPhone 16 lineup has support for WiFi 7.^[12]

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus come with the Action Button, first featured on the iPhone 15 Pro lineup. By default, the Action Button toggles silent mode. However, users can change the button's feature to do different things other than silent mode, like open the Camera app or toggle a focus mode.

All iPhone 16 models now come with a new button called Camera Control. This button is on the right side of the device, and allows the user to open the camera app, switch between different camera controls and features, and taking photos and videos. The button can distinguish between light and hard presses. By pressing the button once, it opens the camera app. By lightly pressing it twice, it opens a small menu with different camera controls, such as zoom or tone. Pressing the button hard once takes a photo, while holding for a few seconds starts a video.^[13]

The iPhone 16 has been upgraded in terms of battery capacity.^[14]

The base iPhone 16 has video playback duration of up to 22 hours, while the iPhone 16 Plus has video playback up to 27 hours. The iPhone 16 has duration of audio playback up to 80 hours, 20% less than the iPhone 16 Plus with 100 hours of audio playback. The MagSafe wireless charging standard has been refreshed with a longer cable as an option, allowing the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to charge at a faster speed of 25W with a 30W power adapter.

The enclosure is made up of 85% recycled content.^[10]

The iPhone 16 launched with iOS 18. While the device was announced alongside Apple Intelligence, these features were delayed until after release.^[15]

iOS 18 includes RecoveryOS on the iPhone 16 series that allows users to recover and restore firmware wirelessly using another iPhone.^[16]

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have a vertical camera layout, similar to the iPhone 12, as opposed to the diagonal layout for iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15. USB Type-C port is used, albeit with USB 2.0 data transfer speeds up to 480 Mb/s.^[17]

Action Button - customizable button for quick access to various functions

Water & Dust Resistance - Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes)

Operating Systems - iOS 18 with Apple intelligence for enhanced privacy and productivity features.

The iPhone 16 has a starting price of US$799, while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at US$899. Pre-orders began on September 13, 2024, and sales started September 20.^[18]

On October 20, 2024, the Indonesian Ministry of Industry announced a formal ban on the sale and use of iPhone 16 models in Indonesia, citing that Apple has not fulfilled their promised investments in the country, and failing to meet the 40% local content requirement threshold for certification.^[19] Apple subsequently offered a $100 million investment in exchange for lifting of the ban, but the Ministry of Industry rejected this offer, stating that it "has not met principles of fairness"^[20] and demanded a larger amount,^[21] which later said to be at least $1 billion.^[22]

The iPhone 16 has received positive feedback for several aspects, but also shows a few limitations. The upgraded design is a favourite, bringing a refreshed aesthetic with the available vibrant color options, which feel more dynamic than past models. The display maintains Apple's Super Retina HDR quality, but is limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate, which some users find outdated compared to faster displays on cheaper competitor phones.^[23][24]