Leaked iPhone 16 cases hint at design overhaul, dedicated camera button

The primary design change between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 16 is the camera array. The iPhone 16 will have a vertically stacked camera island with two cameras, contrasting with the diagonally positioned camera unit of the iPhone 15, first introduced with the iPhone 13 in 2021. Hence, iPhone 15 cases will not be compatible with the iPhone 16.

The new vertically aligned cameras on the iPhone 16 are said to enable 3D video recording, also known as Spatial videos, currently limited to “pro” iPhones. The flash unit is now outside the camera island and looks similar to that of the iPhone X. However, this camera unit seems to be much bigger than the one on the iPhone X or the iPhone Xs.

Another major design change on the iPhone 16 is the introduction of the action button, replacing the mute switch. Apple first introduced the action button on the iPhone 15 Pro series in 2023, and this year, it is coming to the entire iPhone 16 series.

In terms of size, the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus are reported to come with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch 60Hz OLED screens, similar to their predecessors. Both smartphones are expected to be powered by a toned-down version of the A17 Pro chip, possibly with 6/8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.