Apple"s annual iPhone launch event was renewed for 2024, and the Cupertino giant dropped its latest hardware updates: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus with Action Button. Yes, the successor to the good old mute switch has trickled down to the regular iPhone this time.
However, a highlight of the iPhone 16 is the new button on the right side of the device, which Apple likes to call "Camera Control." Stating the obvious, the button gives you dedicated hardware to click photos using your iPhone and finally move away from using the volume button to get the job done.
In other words, you can press the Camera Control button to click pictures and slide your finger along its length to tweak the zoom level. The touch-sensitive capacitive button also works with visual Apple Intelligence features like learning about objects and places in the vicinity.
iPhone 16 packs the freshly baked A18 SoC, which Apple claims is about 30% faster than the A16 Bionic and consumes 30% less power to process the same workload. While the Apple Intelligence features will work on iPhone 15 Pro devices, Apple said during the live stream event that the iPhone 16 is "built from the ground up" for Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence will use a mix of on-device processing powered by A18 and cloud processing using Apple"s Private Cloud computing infrastructure.
Just like before, Apple"s non-Pro smartphones come in two screen sizes. The regular iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch display, and the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, both featuring Apple"s toughest glass to date.
Apple said that its latest generation Ceramic Shield is about 50% tougher than the first generation. The company has made internal changes for better heat dissipation and to fit a larger battery inside that"s also easier to remove.
iPhone 16"s upgraded camera setup features a new 48 MP ultra-wide lens. It can capture 3D photos and videos that can be viewed on Apple"s $3,499 spatial computing headset Vision Pro.
The devices will be available for pre-order starting this Friday, with a price tag of $799 for iPhone 16 and $899 for iPhone 16 Plus. This year, the base storage for the non-Pro iPhones again starts at 128GB and the devices will be available in ultramarine, teal, pink, white, and black color options.
Apart from this, Apple also launched the iPhone 16 Pro series, Apple Watch Series 10, and 4th Generation AirPods.