07/16 2024 554
As the leader in the global mobile phone market, Apple's new generation of iPhones always garners significant attention from the outside world. Following past practices, barring any unexpected circumstances, the annual "Tech Spring Festival Gala" is expected to be held around September 10th this year, when the all-new iPhone 16 series will officially meet the public. Currently, the series is preparing to enter mass production, and recently, there have been increasingly accurate leaks.
Firstly, according to leaked information, the iPhone 16 has reverted to a vertical dual-camera design, a design that was well-received from iPhone X to iPhone 12.
The reason for this classic design's reintroduction is that Apple wants to make the iPhone 16 series more convenient for recording spatial videos when paired with the Vision Pro headset. Currently, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, due to their diagonal camera design, cannot achieve this function.
Moreover, the iPhone 16 series offers seven color options: black, white, yellow, purple, pink, green, and blue.
The front still features the Dynamic Island display, and this time, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus maintain a standard 60Hz refresh rate, with only the Pro series supporting ProMotion.
It's worth noting that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will come equipped with larger displays, measuring 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively.
Incidentally, insiders have recently released the length, width, and height dimensions of the iPhone 16 series. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have dimensions similar to their predecessors, while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max series have wider lateral dimensions compared to the previous generation, with thickness remaining the same.
Additionally, according to previous leaks, Apple is making several improvements to battery technology. The Pro models are expected to adopt a new stacked battery technology, increasing battery capacity and lifespan. This new technology allows batteries to provide more energy within limited space, thereby extending device battery life.
Apple has traditionally been conservative in terms of fast charging, but the iPhone 16 series will upgrade charging power to 40W. Although this still lags behind domestic mobile phones, it represents a significant improvement for Apple. However, it's worth noting that the 40W charger needs to be purchased separately, and MagSafe magnetic charging may also be upgraded to 20W.
Battery capacity has also been enhanced. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are equipped with 3355mAh and 4676mAh batteries, respectively, while the standard iPhone 16 comes with a 3561mAh battery. Although the battery capacity of the 16 Plus has slightly decreased, the overall battery life performance remains promising.
Compared to the previous iPhone 15 series, the iPhone 16 series shows significant improvements in fast charging and battery life. The charging power and battery capacity of the iPhone 15 series have been the focus of user complaints, and these improvements undoubtedly respond positively to user needs.
In terms of photography, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max series have undergone significant upgrades. Building upon the 48MP main camera of their predecessors, these new models also feature a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, enabling spatial video resolution up to 4K. The 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro will also be equipped with a periscope telephoto lens, supporting 5x optical zoom, with zoom experience on par with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
It's worth mentioning that, according to the latest news, the iPhone 16 has made significant upgrades in photography.
It is reported that the iPhone 16 is testing a 48MP sensor main camera produced by Samsung. This suggests that Apple may adopt Samsung's technology to enhance its camera performance. Past iPhone models typically used Sony's CIS sensors, but cooperation issues emerged last year, leading to uncertainty in the iPhone 15's launch timeline.
Beyond photography upgrades, the iPhone 16 series boasts other noteworthy features. According to leaks, the new iPhone 16 will be powered by the A18 chip, and it is expected that the entire series will come standard with the A18 processor. Furthermore, Apple is sprinting towards AI, and the computational power of the iPhone 16 series may exceed industry expectations. Market rumors suggest that Apple is developing the A18 chip for the iPhone 16 series to be launched this year, with computational power potentially surpassing even the M4 chip, currently Apple's most powerful AI chip. This means that the iPhone 16 series will be better equipped to run AI models on end devices, adapting to various AI tasks.
By the way, leaks indicate that the iPhone 16 Plus will be Apple's last Plus model, with the iPhone 17 series next year expected to include the iPhone 17 Slim, replacing the Plus series.
Moreover, according to foreign media reports, Apple is confident in the sales prospects of the new iPhone generation and has increased production of the iPhone 16 series. Within the past month, Apple has twice increased production of the iPhone 16 series, reaching 95 million units. This indicates Apple's strong confidence in the sales of its new products.
Earlier reports suggested that the Apple Intelligence feature introduced in iOS 18 would be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and subsequent models for a complete experience. However, supply chain sources indicate that Apple plans to launch this feature at WWDC 2024 and hopes to stimulate upgrade demand through it, thereby boosting sales of the iPhone 16 series.
It is understood that the industry initially estimated that Apple would prepare around 92 to 95 million units of the iPhone 16 series for this year, but now it seems that the number could exceed 95 million. At the same time, supply chain sources also indicate that Apple's decision to increase iPhone 16 production is not solely based on the belief in significant upgrade demand but also on their confidence in strong sales in the Chinese market. They are considering partnering with manufacturers to ensure AI services are available for the iPhone 16 when it launches in the Chinese market.
In addition, some analysts believe that the introduction of Apple AI will stimulate consumer demand for upgrades.
Since powerful AI computing power is required, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max currently support AI. Users with older iPhone models who wish to experience Apple AI must upgrade to the iPhone 16 series.
Regarding the limitation of Apple AI to the iPhone 15 Pro series, Apple states that this new technology requires significant bandwidth, NPU, and robust device performance to function properly.
Theoretically, AI can run on older iPhone models, but at a much slower speed.
At the same time, Apple denies that limiting AI functionality to the iPhone 15 Pro series is a marketing strategy to encourage users to purchase new iPhones.
Finally, considering the currently exposed information about the iPhone 16 series, it is not difficult to see that in addition to the usual hardware configuration upgrades, the series is also expected to bring further performance enhancements. In particular, the standard models are highly likely to adopt a vertically arranged rear camera module, offering more visual appeal in terms of appearance details. However, specific details about the series' models await confirmation from subsequent information. Interested parties may wish to continue following developments.
For consumers considering whether to upgrade their phones, the iPhone 16 series undoubtedly represents an attractive option. It not only satisfies users' dual demands for aesthetics and practicality but also provides powerful hardware support for future AI applications. Despite annual criticisms of new iPhones, sales consistently remain robust. Even though the iPhone 15 series saw rapid price drops, sales exceeded those of the iPhone 14 series. With Apple leading in shipments, domestic brands like Xiaomi and Transsion are also striving for breakthroughs. Huawei's Mate 60 Pro offers satellite calls, while Xiaomi's 13 Ultra boasts a powerful camera. Amidst such fierce competition, Apple must continue to innovate.
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