Updated April 17: article originally posted April 16.
One of the biggest discussion points around the iPhone range was Apple’s choice of materials and properties for the action and capture buttons. Now, a new video has given us a clearer look at the design.
Following on from the reveal of iPhone 16 blanks by Sonny Dickson, more details on the new design have been showcased by EFTM’s Trevor Long.
These models are machined blanks rather than mockups using the same external materials you would see in the final iPhone models, which suggests that these are an earlier part of the design process. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that these blanks represent the final design choices of Tim Cook and his team and reflect the hour phones we will see in September.
It should also be obvious that these offer no indication of the functionality that will come in software—for that, we need to look to June’s Worldwide Developer Conference and Apple’s presumed move into the generative AI space with new versions of iOS and macOS for the new iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices to launch in late 2024.
What can we learn from the new footage and details from the iPhone blanks?
Apple’s decision to introduce an Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max altered the UX for the premium iPhones but left the smaller and cheaper iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models with the traditional mute switch. Unlike the addition of the Touch Bar on the MacBook, including the programmable action button is an easy enough accommodation for developers to make.
As illustrated by the blanks, the action button has been added to all four iPhone 16 models, so developers can be confident that it is present on any new iPhone. However, backward compatibility with millions of older devices means that apps cannot assume that the action button will always be present.
It has been known for some time that Apple has been considering the addition of a second new button along the edge of the iPhones. After numerous options have been leaked, the blanks heavily imply that the final decision has been made.
Not only will all four iPhone 16 models pick up the presumptively named Capture Button, but the recessed design in the blanks point to using a capacitive button, presumably with Apple’s “Taptic Engine” creating enough feedback to give a genuine button feel. Undoubtedly, if the consumer feedback on this feedback is welcoming, Apple could move to fewer physical and more capacitive buttons in future designs.
Although we previously had a clear image of the camera lens layout, it’s nice to get confirmation of the vertical lens arrangement that will offer a side-by-side arrangement to allow for stereoscopic video recording and later playback on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Update: Wednesday April 17: While the blanks do not offer any details on the components or specifications of the upcoming iPhone 16 family, they do highlight that the design is essentially complete. If that’s the case then the internal design will be complete as well.
This means that the capabilities of the next iPhones will become clearer over the next weeks and months. The blanks show one key change to the camera, with the Capture Button now featured across all four models. They also show the vertical housing of the camera lenses, which allows for stereoscopic viewing in landscape mode. And the latest leak on the new ultrawide camera lens potentially reveals a new feature.
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max currently feature a 12-megapixel Ultrawide camera, which, in conjunction with the main camera lens, allows for stereoscopic video recording for regular playback on display or stereoscopically in the Apple Vision Pro using Apple’s “Spatial Video” branded system. Due to the 12-megapixel lens, these videos were limited to 1080p resolution. By upgrading to a 48-megapixel lens, the iPhone 16 Pro handsets can record these videos at 4K resolution and offer a crisper and sharper reproduction in the headset.
Long has also taken the chance to compare some of the blanks with their current counterparts, noting that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is larger than the 15 Pro Max on sale today, which suggests a larger screen and more internal volume that is likely to be used for a larger battery;. However, the increased power requirements of the next Apple Silicon chip, which will run demanding AI processes, may need more space and materials to keep it running cool.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 family on September 10th, the traditional second Tuesday of September.
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