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Keen to see what changes are coming to the iPhone 16 series later this year? Well, we might be getting a sneak peek, as popular YouTube channel Unbox Therapy claims to have got hold of dummy units of every model in the range – and there are some intriguing changes to digest.
Unbox Therapy claims the devices are non-functioning dummy units that have likely been circulating among case makers in China. Dummy units are created to enable manufacturers to design cases to the exact specifications of upcoming phones, but – as has happened before – there’s a risk that they can leak out into the wider world.
So, what changes do these units hint at? On the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models, it looks like the iPhone X-style camera bump is back. This places two lenses in a vertical alignment, rather than the diagonal arrangement you’ll find on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
While the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models seem to be very similar to their predecessors in terms of dimensions and specs, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have apparently gained roughly 3mm in height. As well as that, the base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus might come in a new pale pink color, Unbox Therapy believes.
Finally, the video notes the presence of a new button on the right-hand side of every device, below the lock button. Unbox Therapy half-seriously speculates that this could be a “dedicated button for Apple Intelligence.” It also appears that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus might have the Action button that was previously limited to the Pro models.
The Apple Intelligence factor
Speaking of Apple Intelligence, there has been some conjecture that Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform could lead to an uptick in sales of the iPhone 16 series, particularly since it looks like it won’t work with the base-level iPhone 15, but will be compatible with every iPhone 16 variant.
However, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo doubts we’ll see any kind of sales increase spurred on by Apple Intelligence. Writing on his Medium blog, Kuo notes that Apple Intelligence won’t launch until the second half of 2024 at the earliest (it’s also rumored that some features will not arrive until 2025), and that even then it’ll only be available in US English.
As Kuo puts it, “the expectation that consumers will buy the new iPhone 16 for the beta version of Apple Intelligence in 2H24 may be too optimistic.”
Still, assuming that Unbox Therapy’s video is accurate, it’s clear that some changes are coming to the iPhone 16 lineup. Whether they’ll be enough to boost sales is another matter entirely.