With the expected release of the iPhone 16 just a few months away, the rumor mill continues to grind. As is often the case each year, there are plenty of solid, plausible predictions, highly accurate inside leaks, and a whole lot of unfettered noise, too.
To that end, we’ve picked out four of the most recent iPhone 16 rumors to give you some insight into how we vet and understand certain leaks and their veracity, all while giving you a look at some exciting new features (possibly) coming to Apple’s next best iPhone in the process.
Here’s what’s currently circulating in regards to leaks and rumors around Apple’s next iPhone — and whether or not we think there’s any truth to be found in them.
Face ID changes
There have been numerous reports that Apple might make a change to Face ID in the iPhone 16. Specifically, the company might shift the front-facing camera configuration to bring us an under-display Face ID mechanism that would make Dynamic Island smaller. In May, The Telegraph revealed an entire UK chip facility faced closure because its primary customer Apple had pulled the plug on a lucrative supply deal of current Face ID components, presumably in anticipation of a change in design. The report came with the future-looking suggestion that Apple “is expected to overhaul the system” in the iPhone 16.
In terms of likelihood, this is a strong opening contender. It comes from a trustworthy outlet, and a company of the nature highlighted here would have no vested interest in putting out this information if it wasn’t true. That being said, The Telegraph isn’t known as an inside source of Apple’s upcoming plans and is likely speculating based on the aforementioned existing Face ID rumors. Those rumors do exist, however, and it seems a certainty based on corroborated rumors that Apple is planning a big Face ID change for the iPhone in the near future.
However, whether that’s the iPhone 16, or the iPhone 17, remains to be seen. It’s very possible this leak is entirely accurate in substance, but has been attached to the wrong device cycle and is instead a glimpse at next year’s iPhone.
Exact dimensions
Just before WWDC 2024, it was purported that the exact dimensions of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max had been revealed. Specifically, “the iPhone 16 Pro's border is trimmed down to a slim 1.2 mm from the previous 1.71 mm. That's a 30% reduction. The Pro Max sees a similar diet plan, dropping from 1.55 mm to 1.15 mm – a 26% reduction. Compare this to Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra with its 1.5 mm border, and Apple’s touting the "narrowest screen frame in the world."
While I’d usually caution against any leak that pertains to revealing specific information down to .01 of a mm, the information comes from two separate and highly reputable sources. Both IceUniverse and Instant Digital have proven track records of revealing Apple’s plans before they hatch. That doesn’t mean this specific information is correct, but we’d be more surprised if it wasn’t. The reports of bezel reduction and the size changes listed have also previously been repeated elsewhere, corroborating the notion.
Powerful A18 Neural Engine?
A leak this week from a source claims the A18 chip’s Neural Engine (NPU) which powers AI functionality on the iPhone, will be “even more powerful than what is in the M4.” The story has been picked up by some outlets, but the source, @MappleGold on X, has no track record to speak of. You won’t find the name on any major Apple website, including ours. There are good reasons to believe the iPhone 16 will focus heavily on AI processing power, but we can already glean that from other reputable sources. Economic News Daily reported in February that “The new generation of M4 and A18 processors used in terminal devices such as iPad, Macbook and iPhone will significantly increase the number of built-in AI computing cores,” and we expect A18 to move to TSMC’s more potent N3E manufacturing process. Apple’s heavy emphasis on Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is also reason to believe the A18 will be something of an AI powerhouse, but we wouldn’t put too much stock in the latest leak.
Thinnest bezels ever?
Building on that report regarding dimensions, another leak in early June from one of the above sources revealed that “iPhone 16 Pro will reduce bezel, surpassing Galaxy S24 to become the world's narrowest bezel mobile phone, which seems to be very close to the dream form.” Thin bezels are a huge theme of the iPhone 16 leaks this year. More broadly, Apple is expected to adopt technology dubbed “Border Reduction Structure” or BRS to make the bezels smaller on the iPhone this year.
Appl’s iPhone 15 Pro saw its bezels reduced to 1.55mm, so the idea they could get any smaller seems wild. However, multiple sources are reporting this left and right, and IceUniverse remains a strong insider with a staunch track record of being right about these things. Again, there’s nothing to say they’re not wrong, but there’s enough pedigree here to make us sit up and take notice.
Conclusion
So there we have it, four reasonably likely iPhone 16 upgrades coming in September, and a look at some of the scrutiny that goes into what makes a good iPhone leak. If you can't wait for the iPhone 16, get a taste of the future of iPhone right now by downloading the iOS 18 beta (if you know what you’re doing.)
