iPhone 16: 5 Things Buyers Should Know Right Now

Thinking about waiting for Apple’s iPhone 16? Here are some important things potential iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro buyers should know at the start of the new year.

The iPhone 15 launch has come and gone which means some people in the market for a new smartphone have shifted their attention to the 2024 iPhone, presumably called iPhone 16.

We’ve heard a lot about Apple’s new iPhone 16 models and rumors will continue to pickup as we push through 2024.

The iPhone 16 series will reportedly come with some big upgrades including new cameras, an assortment of performance improvements, and bigger screens.

These rumors might have some people thinking about holding off on an upgrade until the iPhone 16 arrives. As of right now, we expect the iPhone 16 release date to land in September, 2024. That’s a long way away.

With that in mind, we want to outline some important things prospective iPhone 16 buyers need to know right now.

If you’ve been following iPhone 16 rumors like a hawk, or if you’ve been doing extensive research ahead of a potential upgrade, you might know some of this already. If not, here’s your primer for early 2024 and beyond.

Potential Price Jump

The iPhone 15 series is expensive, but according to one analyst, we could see a price hike in 2024.

According to a report from Nikkei Asia, iPhone 15 production costs could prompt Apple to increase the price of the iPhone 16 series.

Japanese research company Fomalhaut Techno Solutions says if Apple continues to absorb these costs, it might increase the price of the iPhone 16 series and push some of the cost onto consumers.

Of course, we don’t know how big of a jump we might see. Apple likes to sell a lot of iPhones, so we probably won’t see an enormous leap. A hike somewhere in the vicinity of $50-100 makes a lot more sense.

This is something to keep an eye on as we push toward the iPhone 16’s arrival, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Rumors Are Great, But Things Can Change

Again, we’ve seen a lot of iPhone 16 rumors emerge and you can expect the same in the spring, summer, and fall of 2024. And while it’s important to track the latest information, don’t put too much stock in them right now.

If you’ve been through an iPhone release cycle you probably know this already, but if this is your first time or your first time tracking a new iPhone in awhile, here are some pointers.

The iPhone 16 is in development and Apple’s plans can, and probably will, change in the months leading up to the release date.

The company could tack on additional features to the iPhone 16 series. On the other hand, it could strip away some features as development progresses behind the scenes.

Tracking the latest iPhone 16 rumors is important because it will help you get familiar with potential features/changes and also help you set proper expectations.

Biggest Changes Thus Far

Speaking of iPhone 16 rumors, we’ve heard a lot about the 2024 iPhones and here are the biggest changes Apple’s reportedly making this year:

• New A18 Pro processor for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
• New A18 processor for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
• Larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
• Wi-Fi 7 support
• Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem which brings the “5G Advanced” standard
• 5x optical zoom for the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera
• Upgraded 48MP Ultra Wide lens on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
• A new Capture button located below the power button

Those are the basics. If you want to learn more about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, check out our roundup. It goes over these changes in more detail.

iOS 18

The iPhone 16 series won’t be powered by iOS 17, Apple’s current operating system for iPhone. No, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will run Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 software out of the box.

iOS 18 will debut this summer during Apple’s annual WWDC developer conference. WWDC 2024 should take place in early June.

As we push into 2024, we’ve heard more about Apple’s plans for iOS 18. According to Bloomberg, Apple is working to deploy new AI features in iOS 18 including AI-recommended replies in Messages and AI-recommended playlists in Music. The software should also bring upgrades to Siri.

The iPhone 16 series should have exclusive features in order to set the devices apart from their predecessors.

We expect iOS 18 rumors to outline at least some of these changes well in advance so it’s important to track the latest information as the year goes on.

iPhone Deals

While you might be tempted to wait for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, don’t discount the deals on Apple’s current iPhone lineup.

We’ve seen Apple, carriers, and retailers offer stellar trade-in offers and these can help you save a lot of money on a new iPhone 15 model, another version of the iPhone, or a device that falls outside of Apple’s ecosystem.

If you’re current on the fence about what to do about an upgrade, keep your eyes peeled for offers as the year goes on.

Who knows, you might find a device at a price you like long before the iPhone 16 arrives. And if you really like what you see, you could always trade-in the device you buy now for an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro later on.

Wait for the Best Version of iOS 18

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We've heard a lot about the iPhone 16's hardware, but the software might offer the biggest changes. The iPhone 16 series will be powered by iOS 18, Apple's new operating system. It will debut in the summer at WWDC 2024.  Thus far, everything we've heard about iOS 18 points to major AI upgrades. A leak from Tech_Reve on X states that Apple's using LLMs, or large language models, to "revamp Siri into the ultimate virtual assistant." The leak also suggests that some of these AI features will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 series. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, in a report about iOS 18, says the "update also needs to be extra-impressive because the iPhone 16’s hardware won’t have any major advances" in 2024. He says Apple is "banking on the software to sell people on the new models." In an earning's call covering, Apple CEO Tim Cook essentially confirmed the company's big plans for AI during the company's Q1 2024 earnings call.  Cook says the company continues "to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort" on artificial intelligence and the company's "excited to share the details of our ongoing work in that space later this year." In follow-up comments made to shareholders, Cook stated that Apple believes it will "break new ground" with "transformative" AI features later this year. Due to the processing power required for advanced AI features, the iPhone 16 series will likely have a leg up on the iPhone 15 series and older models.  For more about iOS 18, check out our guide.

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