Updated on August 23 with another big design change: the new cameras expected on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16.
When Apple unveils the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max this fall (and you can read exactly when that will be here), the handsets will come in new colors, one of which will be completely different from the current iPhone 15 Pro lineup. That’s not the only change grabbing attention, as a new report about design changes to the cameras is also taking center stage.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro introduced titanium to the iPhone range. The iPhone 16 Pro will be available in … (+)
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will stick with two cameras, according to a detailed report on Apple Insider that covers many aspects of the upcoming devices.
The 48-megapixel main camera will remain unchanged and the 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera will have a faster aperture, from f/2.4 to the wider f/2.2. It is also believed that there will be macro capabilities on the regular iPhones as well.
The bigger changes, however, will be made to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. As reported elsewhere, the 5x zoom equivalent of the telephoto lens will be available on both Pro sizes (currently it’s exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max due to space constraints, I’m told). The main camera remains the same as on the current Pro models and has a resolution of 48 megapixels.
The most striking news, however, is the introduction of a second 48-megapixel sensor. The ultra-wide-angle camera on the Pro and Pro Max will switch to this sensor and offer the same features as the main camera, i.e. the ability to shoot in full resolution and combine adjacent pixel sides to create better 12-megapixel images.
Along with all these updates, there is also the much-awaited record button, which will be available on all iPhone 16 models (Pro and non-Pro), according to the report. It will be used to take a photo or start a video, and since it is a capacitive button, it cannot be accidentally triggered in your pocket.
Back to the new shades that the Pro iPhones will sport. The four colors in the range were detailed by Majin Bu, a regular leaker who was recently embroiled in controversy for posting an alleged invitation to the event where the iPhone will be announced. The invitation was fake (as I described here) and Majin Bu was quick to set the record straight.
I suspect they’re on firmer ground here when they say the colors will be white, black, gold, and gray, but that Apple won’t call them that. Majin Bu posted about this on X. The current colors of the Pro model are called Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. The more keen-eyed will have noticed that Apple likes to flaunt the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro is made of titanium.
The new lineup appears to be similar, with gray likely being a new version of Natural Titanium. And the gold? According to the leak, it will be called Desert Titanium. Majin Bu says in a separate post: “The Desert Titanium color is a kind of dark gold, similar to the old purple color, relatively subtle and deep.”
Deep Purple was a color on the iPhone 14 Pro lineup and was actually dark enough to be unobtrusive. The new color is said to be a warm brown tone, although the original could be different. Predictions of the exact shades Apple will use are rarely completely accurate.
But the name – if it turns out to be correct – gives us a clue, suggesting something lighter and more eye-catching than the rest of the range.
This fits in with a number of other rumors and dummy versions of the recently released iPhone 16 Pro series. As always, just because multiple commentators predict the same details doesn’t mean it’s true, although sometimes the numbers increase the probability.
The new report also agrees with others that say the blue iPhone will be discontinued in the current Pro lineup and replaced by the new color.
Majin Bu recently reposted an image that could show the new color, saying, “This image might resemble the new Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro, what do you think?” He also backtracked a bit, adding, “The image is based on rumors, it is not certain if the official colorway reflects this 100%.”
Another detail: In the earlier post, Majin Bu showed camera rings for the iPhone 16 Pro in the four colors. The rings look shiny, possibly indicating that the brushed titanium of the 15 Pro series could be replaced with something more polished.
The iPhones will be available in stores this time next month, so we’ll know more soon.
