iPhone 16 Rumored to Get Vertical Camera Layout; Improved Titanium Coating for 16 Pro

For the past few months, the iPhone 16 series has been all over the news, giving us an idea about what to expect from the upcoming iPhones. Right from when the leaks first surfaced on the horizon, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were expected to arrive with a new, vertically aligned rear camera bump. Those reports have resurfaced to give us another preview of the rumored vertical camera arrangement on the vanilla iPhone 16 models. Also, the iPhone 16 Pro models are likely to feature a new polished titanium finish with improved scratch resistance.

iPhone 16’s New Vertical Camera Design

An X (formerly Twitter) user, Sonny Dickson shared the photos of the first iPhone 16 cases, showing a new camera cutout designed for vertically aligned cameras. Over the last few months, Apple has reportedly experimented with different prototypes for the iPhone 16& 16 Plus, all of which have shown a vertical camera arrangement.

In February, an image was leaked on X that features the same vertical arrangement housing with two separate camera rings for the Wide and Ultra Wide cameras within a pill-shaped raised surface. Well, this isn’t a major redesign. We all have already seen it on older iPhones, remember? The iPhone X featured a similar design, and it seems Apple has to draw inspiration from older iPhone models to bring in some changes. The camera flash is located outside the bump, while the microphone sits just right to the lenses.

By switching to the vertically aligned camera design, Apple is expected to bring spatial video recording to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have a diagonal camera arrangement and they cannot capture spatial video. Currently, this feature is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the Apple Vision Pro.

In addition to the redesigned rear camera bump, the recent ‌iPhone 16‌ prototypes have also featured an Action Button that’s currently found only on iPhone 15 Pro models. Furthermore, the entire iPhone 16 lineup is expected to arrive with an additional, Capture button that sits flush with the frame and makes it easier to shoot horizontal videos.

iPhone 16 Pro’s New Titanium Finish

Like every year, the 2024 iPhone flagships will feature an array of Pro-exclusive features, including bigger displays, powerful cameras, and more capable processors. Now, a new rumor coming out of Korea claims the iPhone 16 Pro models will utilize an improved process for finishing and coloring titanium. Thanks to the improved manufacturing process, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature a more polished look than the iPhone 15 Pro models, which feature a brushed finish.

Now, that means the iPhone 16 Pro models will feature a glossy appearance, closely resembling the polished stainless steel material on the previous Pro models. That said, compared to the stainless steel, the new titanium finish will be less prone to scratches.

The current iPhone 15 Pro models have a ‌‌brushed finish that’s comparatively less reflective than the finish of previous Pro iPhones. Also, it’s more resistant to fingerprints and has reduced scratch visibility. The Titanium frame not only differs in looks, but it also helped Apple to cut down the weight of the devices. The Cupertino tech giant also believes that the titanium frame and aluminum substructure offer better heat dissipation than any previous iPhone Pro models with stainless steel frames.

Talking about the iPhone 16 Pro colors, a leak claims that the 2024 iPhone Pro models will come in “Space Black” and “Rose” Titanium options. The Space Black option will replace the current “Black Titanium” finish of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Whereas, “Rose” will be a shade of Gold which is a major missing in the iPhone 15 Pro lineup.

Apple is expected to release its iPhone 16 lineup sometime in September 2024. Besides all the hardware improvements and additions, all the models of the iPhone 16 series will arrive with the iOS 18 software magic right out of the box.