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iPhone 16
Camera Control, the Action button and Apple Intelligence on the standard iPhone.
Overview
The iPhone 16 brought the Action button to the standard model and added a second new control, Camera Control, a touch-sensitive button on the right side that opened the camera and let users slide a finger to adjust zoom, exposure and other settings. Capacitive and pressure sensing together recognized a light press versus a full press.
It was designed from the start as a vehicle for Apple Intelligence, the company's on-device and cloud AI system. The A18 chip had a faster 16-core Neural Engine and the phone carried 8GB of memory, the minimum required for the features. The A18 was also noticeably more efficient, and an improved internal layout made the phone easier to repair.
The back glass had a new color-infused process, and a vertical camera pill returned for the first time since the iPhone X, enabling spatial photo and video capture. The ultra wide lens now offered autofocus for macro shots, and the phone shipped with Wi-Fi 7 and 25W MagSafe charging.
Why it mattered
It reset the standard iPhone around AI, with a hardware platform sized for Apple Intelligence from day one.
At a glance
- Announced
- September 9, 2024
- Released
- September 20, 2024
- Launch price
- $799
- Chip
- Apple A18
- Display
- 6.1"
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Status
- Available
Highlights
- Camera Control button
- Action button on the standard model
- A18 chip with 8GB RAM
- Macro-capable 12MP ultra wide camera
- Wi-Fi 7 and 25W MagSafe
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 6.1-inch
- Type
- Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, True Tone
- Resolution
- 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)
- Refresh rate
- 60 Hz
- Brightness
- 1,000 nits typical, 1,600 nits peak (HDR), 2,000 nits peak (outdoor)
Chip
- Chip
- Apple A18 (3nm, six-core CPU)
- GPU
- 5-core
- Neural Engine
- 16-core
Memory
- RAM
- 8GB
- Storage options
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Camera
- Rear cameras
- Dual: 48MP Fusion wide f/1.6 (2x telephoto crop) and 12MP ultra wide f/2.2 with macro
- Front camera
- 12MP TrueDepth, f/1.9 with autofocus
- Video recording
- 4K Dolby Vision HDR at up to 60 fps; Cinematic mode at 4K 30 fps; spatial video
Battery
- Video playback
- Up to 22 hours
- Charging
- USB-C, MagSafe up to 25W, Qi2 wireless, fast charge to 50% in 30 minutes with 20W adapter
Connectivity
- Cellular
- 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Gigabit LTE
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Connector
- USB-C (USB 2, up to 480 Mb/s)
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- SIM
- Dual eSIM in the US; nano-SIM plus eSIM elsewhere
- Ultra Wideband
- Second-generation U2 chip
- Satellite
- Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance and Messages via satellite
Design
- Dimensions
- 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm
- Weight
- 170 g
- Materials
- Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front, color-infused glass back
- Water resistance
- IP68 (up to 6 m for 30 minutes)
Security
- Authentication
- Face ID (TrueDepth camera)
Software
- Launch OS
- iOS 18
How it compares
More in the iPhone 16 family
iPhone 16 Plus
The large iPhone 16, with the best battery life of any non-Pro model.
iPhone 16 Pro
A bigger 6.3-inch display, A18 Pro and a 48MP ultra wide camera.
iPhone 16 Pro Max
The biggest iPhone display yet and the longest battery life.