iPhone 16 Full Specifications: Everything You Need to Know

The Apple iPhone 16, introduced in September 2024, represents Apple's latest iteration of its flagship smartphone, designed to cater to a broad user base while integrating cutting-edge technology.

Positioned alongside the more premium iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are engineered to be the ideal choice for most consumers, offering a compelling balance of features, performance, and value.

• Release Date: September 20, 2024
• Weight: 170g (6.00 ounces)
• Thickness: 7.8mm (0.31 inches)
• OS: iOS 18, up to future updates
• Storage Options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, No card slot
• Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED , 2556x1179 pixels resolution
• Main Camera: 48MP Fusion (Wide), 4K video recording
• RAM: 8GB RAM
• Chipset: Apple A18 (3-nanometer process)
• Battery: 3561 mAh , supports 20W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, and 15W Qi2 wireless charging
• Optional Quick Links: [Prices], [Pictures], [Compare], [Opinions]

Key Information

This section provides an in-depth, categorized breakdown of the iPhone 16's specifications, offering comprehensive details for technical evaluation.

Network Technology

• Technology: GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO

Launch

• Announced: September 9, 2024
• Status: Available. Released: September 20, 2024

Body

• Dimensions: 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches)
• Weight: 170 g (6.00 oz)
• Build: Ceramic Shield glass front (2024 generation), color-infused glass back (textured matte finish), aerospace-grade aluminum frame
• SIM: Dual eSIM (two active cellular numbers, stores eight or more eSIM profiles). Not compatible with physical SIM cards in certain regions.
• Durability: IP68 dust/water resistant (maximum depth of 6 meters for 30 minutes)
• Other: Apple Pay certification

Display

• Type: Super Retina XDR OLED, all-screen display. Features HDR10, Dolby Vision.
• Size: 6.1 inches (diagonal), 91.7 cm² active area, ~86.8% screen-to-body ratio
• Resolution: 1179 x 2556 pixels , ~460 ppi density
• Protection: Ceramic Shield glass (2024 generation)
• Brightness: 1000 nits (typical), 1600 nits (peak HDR), 2000 nits (peak outdoor). Minimum brightness of 1 nit.
• Other Features: Dynamic Island, True Tone, Wide color (P3), Haptic Touch, 2,000,000:1 typical contrast ratio, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. Standard 60Hz refresh rate. No ProMotion or Always-On display.

Platform

• OS: iOS 18, upgradable to subsequent updates
• Chipset: Apple A18 (3-nanometer process)
• CPU: New 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency cores)
• GPU: New 5-core GPU
• Neural Engine: New 16-core Neural Engine, optimized for large generative models

Memory

• Card slot: No
• Internal: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB. Likely NVMe technology.
• RAM: 8GB RAM across all iPhone 16 models.

Main Camera

• System: Advanced dual-camera system
  • 48MP Fusion (Wide) Camera:
    • Lens: 26mm equivalent focal length, ƒ/1.6 aperture
    • Sensor: 1/1.56" sensor size, 1.0µm pixel size
    • Stabilization: Sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS)
    • Autofocus: 100% Focus Pixels, dual pixel PDAF
    • Resolution: Supports super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
    • Telephoto: Enables 12MP 2x Telephoto option (52mm equivalent) via sensor cropping
  • 12MP Ultra Wide Camera:
    • Lens: 13mm equivalent focal length, ƒ/2.2 aperture
    • Field of View: 120˚
    • Pixel Size: 0.7µm
    • Autofocus: Dual pixel PDAF, 100% Focus Pixels
    • Macro: Doubles as a macro camera
• Zoom: 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, 4x optical zoom range. Digital zoom up to 10x.
• Features: Camera Control button, Sapphire crystal lens cover, True Tone flash, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 5, Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting with six effects, Night mode, Panorama (up to 63MP), Latest-generation Photographic Styles, Spatial photos, Macro photography, Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos, Lens correction (Ultra Wide), Advanced red-eye correction, Auto image stabilization, Burst mode, Photo geotagging. Image formats: HEIF and JPEG.
• Video:
  • Resolutions/FPS: 4K@24/25/30/60fps , 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps (slow-motion)
  • HDR: HDR video with Dolby Vision HDR support up to 60fps
  • Sound: Stereo sound recording
  • Spatial Video: 1080p@30fps for Apple Vision Pro
  • Other: Macro video recording (including slo-mo and time-lapse), Time-lapse video with stabilization, Night mode Time-lapse, QuickTake video, Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video (Fusion), Digital zoom up to 6x, Audio zoom, Cinematic video stabilization, Continuous autofocus video, 8MP still photos while recording 4K video. Video formats: HEVC and H.264.

Selfie Camera

• System: TrueDepth camera system
  • Single 12MP Camera: ƒ/1.9 aperture, 23mm equivalent wide focal length
  • Autofocus: PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) and Autofocus with Focus Pixels
  • Optional Sensor: SL 3D (depth/biometrics sensor)
• Features: Retina Flash, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 5, Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting with six effects, Animoji and Memoji, Night mode, Latest-generation Photographic Styles, Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos, Lens correction, Auto image stabilization, Burst mode.
• Video:
  • Resolutions/FPS: 4K Dolby Vision video at 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p Dolby Vision video at 25/30/60fps
  • Cinematic Mode: Up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30fps
  • Slow-motion: 1080p@120fps
  • Other: Time-lapse video with stabilization, Night mode Time-lapse, QuickTake video, Cinematic video stabilization, Spatial Audio, Stereo recording, Wind noise reduction, Audio Mix.

Sound

• Loudspeaker: Yes, with built-in stereo speakers
• 3.5mm jack: No
• Audio Playback: Supported formats include AAC, APAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos; Spatial Audio playback; User‑configurable maximum volume limit.

Comms

• WLAN: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO, dual-band, hotspot
• Bluetooth: 5.3, A2DP, LE
• Positioning: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, Digital compass, Wi-Fi, Cellular, iBeacon microlocation
• NFC: Yes, with reader mode and Express Cards with power reserve
• Radio: No
• USB: USB Type-C 2.0, supports charging, DisplayPort, data transfer up to 480Mb/s

Features

• Sensors: Face ID , Barometer , High dynamic range gyro , High-g accelerometer , Proximity sensor , Dual ambient light sensors
• Other Unique Features:
  • Action Button: Customizable (Silent Mode, Focus, Camera, Visual Intelligence, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Recognize Music, Translate, Magnifier, Controls, Shortcut, Accessibility)
  • Camera Control Button: Dedicated button for camera experience (zoom, settings, AI features)
  • Dynamic Island: Interactive pill-shaped cutout for alerts, activities, Live Activities
  • Apple Intelligence: A personal intelligence system built into the iPhone helps with writing, expression, and tasks, with groundbreaking privacy protections.
  • Ultra Wideband (UWB) support: Second-generation UWB chip for enhanced spatial awareness
  • Emergency SOS via satellite: Send emergency messages without cellular/Wi-Fi
  • Roadside Assistance via satellite: Connectivity for roadside emergencies
  • Messages via satellite: Text communication without cellular service
  • Find My via satellite: Locate device when offline
  • Thread networking technology: Smart home connectivity
  • Apple Pay: Pay with iPhone using Face ID in stores, apps, web; Apple Cash; Mac purchases; Express Transit

Battery

• Type: Built-in, non-removable lithium-ion battery
• Capacity: 3561 mAh
• Charging:
  • Wired: Fast-charge capable (up to 50% in ~30 min with 20W+ adapter and USB-C cable). Maxes out at ~30W.
  • MagSafe Wireless: Up to 25W with 30W+ adapter
  • Qi2 Wireless: Up to 15W
  • Qi Wireless: Up to 7.5W
  • Reverse Wired: 4.5W
• Battery Life (Official Estimates): Up to 22 hours video playback , up to 18 hours streamed video playback , up to 80 hours audio playback
• Battery Life (Active Use Score): 15 hours and 42 minutes

Misc

• Colors: Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine
• Models: A3287, A3081, A3286, A3288, iPhone17,3
• SAR: 1.08 W/kg (head), 1.17 W/kg (body). EU: 1.24 W/kg (head), 1.41 W/kg (body).
• Price (Starting): $799 (US), £799 (UK), AU$1,399 (Australia)

Performance Tests

This section provides objective benchmark scores and measured performance metrics for the iPhone 16, offering a quantitative assessment of its capabilities.

Performance Benchmarks

• AnTuTu (v10): 1,539,646
• GeekBench 6 (CPU):
  • Single-core: 3,091
  • Multi-core: 7,129
• 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (GPU):
  • Score: 3,881
  • Average frame rate: 23.2 frames per second
  • Performance compared to other devices: Better than 86%

Display Performance

• Max Brightness (measured): 857 nits (typical), 2000 nits (peak outdoor)

Loudspeaker Performance

• Loudspeaker: Stereo speakers

Battery Performance

• Active Use Score: 15 hours and 42 minutes

Pricing Table

The following table details the starting prices for the iPhone 16 across its available storage configurations in key markets.

Note: Prices may vary by retailer and region. Check current listings for the most up-to-date pricing.

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Curious about what's next for mobile tech? Find more guides, tips, and news on mobile technology and get the most out of your device.

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Conclusions

The iPhone 16 emerges as a highly capable and strategically enhanced smartphone within Apple's ecosystem. Its release in September 2024, followed by the iPhone 16e in early 2025, underscores a diversified product strategy aimed at capturing various market segments and introducing new technologies incrementally.

The device maintains a familiar yet refined design, featuring a durable Ceramic Shield front, an aluminum frame, and a notable shift to a vertical camera alignment that facilitates spatial content creation for Apple Vision Pro. This design choice is a clear signal of Apple's long-term vision for integrating its hardware into an expanding spatial computing environment.

A big upgrade is the inclusion of the Action Button across all iPhone 16 models, previously a Pro-exclusive feature. This standardization enhances user customization and accessibility, streamlining interactions. The display, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, offers excellent brightness and color accuracy, though the retention of a 60Hz refresh rate and the absence of Always-On display technology serve as key differentiators for the Pro models.

Performance is driven by the Apple A18 chipset, built on a 3-nanometer process. While the A18 Pro in the higher-end models offers a slight edge in raw benchmarks, the A18's most critical advancement lies in its "new 16-core Neural Engine," which is optimized for generative AI models.

This hardware design prioritizes on-device AI processing, indicating that future iOS features and user experiences will heavily leverage Apple Intelligence for personalized and efficient interactions. The increase to 8GB of RAM across all iPhone 16 models further supports these memory-intensive AI functionalities, ensuring a smooth and responsive user experience.

The camera system receives substantial enhancements, with a 48MP Fusion main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens that now supports autofocus for macro photography. The ability to capture spatial videos is a particularly forward-looking feature, directly linking the iPhone 16 to the Vision Pro ecosystem.

Connectivity is modernized with Wi-Fi 7 support, preparing the device for future network advancements. The full transition to USB-C is complete, though the base iPhone 16 retains USB 2.0 speeds, a deliberate segmentation from the Pro models' faster USB 3.0. The introduction of Apple's in-house C1 modem in the iPhone 16e also highlights Apple's long-term strategy to reduce reliance on third-party component suppliers.

Overall, the iPhone 16 is positioned as a highly capable and intelligent device, not just through incremental hardware upgrades but through strategic integrations that align it with Apple's broader ecosystem, particularly in the realms of AI and spatial computing.

Battery life is improved through a combination of a slightly larger capacity and the A18 chip's efficiency, providing reliable all-day usage.

It offers a compelling value proposition, maintaining a consistent price point while delivering significant advancements in core capabilities and future-oriented features.

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