Rumors out of Cupertino about the upcoming iPhone 16 is getting stronger every day. Back in December, MacRumors reported that Apple was testing three prototype designs for the new iPhone. Now it is being said that the camera bump on the iPhone 16 will be a larger but thinner version of the pill-shaped module on the iPhone X from 2018.
Apple Testing Vertical Camera Placement For iPhone 16, Similar To iPhone X
According to MacRumors, Apple’s latest leaked prototype for the iPhone 16 shows a vertical camera arrangement with a pill-shaped raised surface and an offset flash. While the placement of the camera lens and flash remains unchanged from the other prototypes, it’s just the design of the camera module that has been refreshed.
The pill-shaped module features two separate camera rings, one for the wide-angle lens and the other for the ultrawide camera. The findings align with schematics recently shared by Apple leaker Majin Bu on X. Although he has shared accurate details in the past, his track record isn’t the best.
Rumors speculate that Apple is experimenting with designs that take cues from older iPhone models, such as the iPhone X. The company previously implemented a vertical camera setup on the iPhone 12, which had a wider square-shaped bump that also housed the flash and microphone.
Spatial Video And Action Button May Be Coming To Base Model iPhones This Year
The vertical camera layout may suggest that Apple is bringing Spatial Video recording to the standard iPhone 16 and Plus models. As of now, the feature is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max variants and the Vision Pro headset.
The standard iPhone 15s have a diagonal camera arrangement that is not capable of capturing spatial video. The Pro models’ 48-megapixel main camera and 12 MP ultra-wide camera work together to capture the immersive 3D video that can only be viewed on Apple’s mixed reality headset.
Apart from the redesigned camera module, the more recent iPhone 16 prototypes suggest that the Action Button is coming to the base models. The latest prototype units feature a smaller Action Button alongside a new pressure-sensitive Capture Button that sits flush with the frame of the design.
Initially, Apple planned on bringing a capacitive Action Button to the iPhone 16 range but later scrapped the idea.
While the camera bump redesign is largely cosmetic and affects the device’s glass backplate, the new Action Button and Camera Button seem to be the more significant of the changes to the iPhone 16 from last year’s iPhone 15 series.
Also Read: Apple To Drop “Pro Max” Moniker For “Ultra” In iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Launch Could Be Delayed
It is out of the ordinary for Apple to be working on the upcoming iPhone’s design this late into the development cycle, which may be indicative of the device’s launch being slightly delayed this year due to supply chain issues. Rumors also suggest that the prototype designs could be from months ago.
MacRumors noted that the information received from its sources may not be final as the iPhone 16 is still in its pre-production phase. Apple is known to create multiple designs and hardware configurations for the iPhone as part of the developmental process.
More credible information on the devices will come to light as it moves closer to the Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) phase of development.
Other rumors suggest that the higher-end Pro models may be larger this year, with both iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max getting a tetra-prism camera arrangement. At present, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max has the arrangement that enables it to increase optical zoom from 3x to 5x.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 series in September 2024.
