Leaked iPhone 16 prototypes suggest major design changes, finally

HIGHLIGHTS

• iPhone 16 could come with a vertical camera layout.
• iPhone 16 prototypes suggest two designs of this camera arrangement.
• The new iPhones may also bring a capacitive Action Button and Capture Button.
• Apple is expected to rejig the rear camera layout of the iPhone 16 to look like the iPhone 12. The newly out iPhone 16 prototypes show both this and an iPhone X-like design. We also learn about the presence of a capacitive Action Button, and a capacitive Capture button, among other things. Let’s see what’s all new we can expect from the iPhone 16 design.

·        iPhone 16 prototypes: What’s new

• As per MacRumors, Apple is testing iPhone 16 prototypes with a rear camera arrangement like that of an iPhone 11 or 12. So, from diagonal placement, Apple could be moving back to the vertical layout of the dual rear cameras on this phone. This could be a design cue for prospective buyers to discern the new iPhone.
• If Apple designers decide to take things even back, the iPhone 16 could look like an iPhone X. That would make it really distinct but somewhat dated. Meanwhile, the position of the flash is expected to remain the same.
• Speaking of the same, the volume rockers could also appear as two mechanical buttons on the left side, unlike the unified volume button on earlier prototypes. This was being tested as part of the now-cancelled Bongo project within Apple.
• On the other side, there could be an Action Button on all the iPhone 16models this time around. It is said to be capacitive and different sizes are being tested.

Beneath it, we could get a new capacitive button called Capture Button. For it, Apple has reportedly moved the mmWave antennas to the left side. Not all prototypes have this button though which suggests it could be ditched if Apple faces some hiccups in testing. Also, we don’t exactly know its purpose yet. That’s about everything new we gather from these prototypes. The iPhone 16, codenamed DeLorean, could continue improvements from the iPhone 15 like the Dynamic Island, and USB-C port. It could come in colours like midnight, pink, and yellow. The new iPhone could also get the colours that were developed for the iPhone 15 but didn’t make the final cut.

Key Specs

Apple iPhone 16

Apple A17 Pro | 6 GBProcessor

6.12 inches (15.54 cm)Display

48 MP + 12 MPRear camera

12 MPSelfie camera

3449 mAhBatter

• iPhone 16 series to get Action Button on all models.
• This will be a new and improved Action Button with more features.
• The iPhone 16 Action Button is expected to be different in design and perhaps in size too.
• iPhone 15 Pro models swapped the Mute Switch for Action Button, a configurable multi-purpose switch. The regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus missed out on the feature. However, if a new rumour is true, then, the vanilla iPhone 16and iPhone 16 Plus will also have the Action Button along with the Pro models. Not just that, this upcoming Action Button would be different in design from the current-gen and allow more functionalities.

·        Apple iPhone 16 with Action Button: What to expect

• As per MacRumours, all iPhone 16 models with feature an Action Button that will be capacitive in nature. The ones on the iPhone 15 Proand iPhone 15 Pro Max are mechanical buttons. This means the new Action Button could function like the Touch ID Home button on older iPhones or the Force Touch Trackpad on newer MacBooks.
• The internal documents reveal the Action Button codename is Atlas and that it will have a force sensor capable of analyzing pressure and “tact-switching functionality”. Also, the documents mention a Capturebutton on the iPhone 16 series that could function similarly to the Action Button.

The details are a little hazy but the company is expected to ship all future iPhones including the iPhone SE 4 with the Action Button. So, Apple seems to be ditching the signature Ring/Silent button in favour of this new button. MacRumours also claim Apple is working on bigger-sized Action Buttons too that look like the iPhone volume rocker.

In time, we should see more renders and leaks regarding this. For now, we can safely assume the Action Button to carry forward the following features:

iPhone 15 Pro Action Button features

• Silent Mode:This is an alternative to the mute switch and does the same job of turning on the silent or ringer mode.
• Camera:Quickly turn on the Camera viewfinder and click a photo or shoot a video.
• Magnifier:Zoom in using the iPhone camera by tapping the Action Button.
• Translate:Use the built-in translator to find translation between two languages.

• Flashlight:Trigger the ‌iPhone‌ flashlight with a press.
• Voice Memo: Do voice recording in a jiff.
• Focus: Activate the Focus Mode that suits the situation. Press the button again to toggle it off.
• Shortcuts: Use the Action Button to access any of the Shortcuts you have saved on your iPhone.
• Accessibility features: Toggle any of the accessibility settings to aid your use, especially if you are specially-abled in case of hearing or vision.