In September, Apple is gearing up to unveil its next iPhone 16 series, and the excitement has been building for some time. There are plenty of rumors teasing us with expected specs, design changes, and some new features. Just recently, a new leak gave us a sneak peek at what could be promotional material for the iPhone 16 series, and two thoughts immediately came to mind. First of all, there is another new button on the horizon – the so-called Capture button, which is rumored to be on all iPhone16 models – I wonder how many buttons are too many. Seriously, do we really need another one? Secondly, I believe that the redesign of the rear camera island on the base model iPhone16 Models will be a major selling point alongside Apple Intelligence. Wondering why?
Can the iPhone 16’s small updates have a big impact?
Dummy units of the iPhone 16 base model show off the phone's rear camera updates. | Image credit – Sonny Dickson
Okay, let's dive into my second thought first (because, as you know, the order of a woman's brain is a complete mystery). Several rumors suggest that the iPhone16 And iPhone16 Plus will feature some minor design changes compared to its predecessors. The most noticeable change? A vertically aligned rear camera module on the standard and Plus models, ditching the diagonal arrangement we saw on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. It is said that Apple is making this change to enable images and videos captured with the iPhone16 And iPhone16 In addition, it can be displayed in 3D on the Vision Pro headset, so it looks like the design of the non-Pro iPhone16 The models will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary and I have a feeling Apple will use this as a selling point for the base models.
And it's not like the standard iPhone model needs much of a boost in terms of sales – it's been the best-selling iPhone model for years. Last year we had the iPhone 14, the year before that the iPhone 13, and before that the iPhone 12 and so on. This year the iPhone15 goes in the same direction, and I have no doubt that the iPhone16 will follow this example. And for good reasons.
The standard model of the iPhone has been at the top of the sales charts for years.
First, it is rumored that it will have the A18 chipset, which means that all iPhone16 Models will run Apple Intelligence. In the current series, this feature will only work with the Pro versions of the iPhone 15. Second, the non-Pro versions of the iPhone 16 could add the Action button that was already present on the higher-end versions of last year's model.
Third, the screen size of the standard iPhone models is expected to remain the same, unlike the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, which are rumored to get larger displays this year. This could be a big win for users who aren't interested in even bigger screens. If Apple doesn't bring back the mini model, this is the least it can do for those who prefer smaller screens. Given the trend toward ever larger displays, who knows – maybe the standard model will be marketed as a “mini” in the future!
And fourthly, the iPhone16 And iPhone16 Rumor has it that Plus will also get the new record button, which means it won't be reserved for the Pro models.
So not bad if you ask me. Although there are no major updates, these changes help to bridge the gap between the non-Pro and Pro versions, which could lead to even better sales for the iPhone16. Of course, we first have to see what the price will be.
Are five buttons too many?
The cutout in the iPhone 16 series' body suggests that a capacitive recording button could be included. | Image credit – Sonny Dickson
Okay, since I just mentioned buttons, it's time to discuss my first thought: How many buttons are too many buttons? Last year, the tech giant introduced the Action Button, which replaced the Silent Switch. I don't know about you, but I love the Silent Switch on my iPhone 13 mini and I'm definitely going to miss it when it's time for me to upgrade.
So, now we have the action button on all four iPhone16 models, along with an additional recording button, so that the iPhone16 The series is said to have five buttons in total. I know you might be thinking, “Okay, one more button – what's the big deal?” But for many users, that means one more button they might accidentally press and another bump on the side of an otherwise sleek phone. The five buttons are said to be:
- Side button: Used to turn off and lock your iPhone.
- Volume buttons: We probably don't need to explain what they do, but the volume up/down buttons let you adjust the volume when listening to music, watching videos, or playing games. When you're not using other apps, these buttons adjust the ringtone volume.
- Action button: You can customize this button to do anything you want, like open the camera app or turn on the flashlight. By default, it turns silent mode on or off.
- Rumored capture button: Positioned on the right side, where the mmWave 5G antenna is currently located in the US. The capture button could combine a mechanical design with a capacitive surface. It is expected to work like a DSLR camera button, with a light press triggering autofocus while a harder press captures the image. You may also be able to swipe along the button to zoom in and out.
In our recent poll on “Which iPhone 16 update are you most excited about?” the record button came in second, so I'm guessing a lot of people are excited about it. And yes, for good reason – it would be pretty handy for recording video and taking photos. I just hope this is the last button Apple adds to the iPhone. What do you think? Will the record button be a handy new option, or is five buttons already too many?