The next iPhones won’t arrive until this fall, but a new report has revealed that a new, much brighter display could be in the offing for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, 20% brighter than the current iPhone 15 Pro.
According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will have a display with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits in typical use, compared to the 1,000nits found on the iPhone 15 Pro.
The iPhone 15 Pro also offers a peak brightness of 1,600 nits for HDR content, and it’s thought that the next models will match this HDR brightness.
Instant Digital has a decent track record that included a recent report that the iPad Pro would have a nanotexture glass option, and that the front-facing camera would be on the landscape edge. Both these rumors were confirmed on Tuesday, May 7 when the new iPad Pro was announced.
Something else was confirmed in that launch: that the iPad Pro would use something called Tandem OLED, a system which uses two OLED screens together (in tandem, you might say) to create a suitably bright display that one OLED on its own couldn’t manage.
Apple described the iPad Pro screen as “the world’s most advanced display.” So, it looks like Apple may have a similarly important display upgrade in waiting for this year’s Pro iPhones.
The iPhone’s typical brightness level has been 1,000 nits for almost three years now: the 1,000 nits level was introduced in 2021. Which means that if this report is correct, the everyday brightness of the iPhone 16 Pro is set to be noticeably higher than at present. These brightness levels are important, especially for users who tend to look at their phones outdoors. We can all identify with seeing screens too dim to make out in sunlight, especially through sunglasses.
There have already been several reports of updates to the iPhone 16 range, such as a new strategy for its new-generation processors, more advanced camera lenses, a new thermal design to prevent overheating, improved battery life, a new microphone to improve Siri, an extra button, designed for shooting video and an improved main camera sensor. So, the suggestion that the display is about to become much brighter is another exciting promise. Let’s see if it’s fulfilled.