iPhone 16 Announcement Set! Camera Specs Fully Revealed

In this article, we’ll focus specifically on the camera system of the iPhone 16 series, which is increasingly becoming just as important as communication features in modern smartphones. Despite the iPhone's reputation for high-quality imaging, it's undeniable that Apple has lagged behind some Android competitors in recent years. So, can the iPhone 16 series reclaim its status as a leader in mobile photography?

According to information leaked by AppleInsider, the iPhone 16 series will see some camera improvements, including the addition of a new physical camera button and support for the JPEG-XL image format.

Is Apple finally taking a page out of Android manufacturers' playbook by placing a greater emphasis on the imaging module in 2024? Let’s dive into the details.

1. iPhone 16 Pro/Max: Outdated Sensors, But a Telephoto Upgrade

Let’s start with the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, the higher-end models in the series. Last year, many speculated that the iPhone 16 Pro Max would feature a true one-inch sensor, along with enhancements to the telephoto and wide-angle lenses, which would allow Apple to compete with Android’s flagship cameras. However, according to recent leaks, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will still use the Sony IMX903 sensor, which is 1/1.28 inches in size—not small, but significantly smaller than the LYT-900 sensors found in Android flagships. This means that in terms of image quality, depth of field, and dynamic range, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will likely fall short of their Android counterparts. When it comes to imaging, hardware sets the lower limit, while software algorithms define the upper limit, and it’s difficult to overcome hardware shortcomings with software alone. The iPhone 16 series might struggle to outperform the top Android cameras in terms of the main sensor’s performance.

On the brighter side, the ultra-wide-angle lens on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max is expected to be upgraded from 12MP to 48MP, with pixel binning technology similar to the main sensor. In 48MP mode, the pixel size will be 0.7μm, while in 12MP mode, the pixel size increases to 1.4μm, consistent with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This marks the first time Apple has equipped an iPhone with two high-pixel sensors. Additionally, the telephoto lens is expected to see improvements, with both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max featuring a 5x zoom telephoto lens. However, it remains to be seen whether the Pro Max will once again offer a better periscope telephoto lens than the Pro, as seen with the iPhone 15 series.

Another exciting rumor is that the iPhone 16 series will support 48MP ProRaw photos, which contain more image data, making them ideal for users who enjoy post-processing their photos. However, it’s worth noting that ProRaw files are massive, averaging around 80MB per photo, so it might be best to leave this option off for everyday photography.

2. iPhone 16/Plus: A Familiar Camera Setup

For those considering the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus, the camera specs appear to be identical to the iPhone 15 series: a 1/1.5-inch, 48MP main sensor with an f/1.6 aperture. The ultra-wide-angle lens will see a minor upgrade, with the aperture increasing from f/2.4 to f/2.2. The good news for fans is that the macro photography feature, previously exclusive to the Pro models, will finally be available on the standard versions. While it’s perplexing that Apple has restricted such a basic feature for so long, it’s still a welcome upgrade for the standard iPhone 16 models.

It’s also worth mentioning that all models in the iPhone 16 series will feature a new physical camera button located on the lower right side, making it more ergonomic to use when holding the phone in landscape mode.

This design isn’t entirely new—back in 2013, the Nubia Z5 mini featured a dedicated camera button, but most manufacturers have since abandoned this design. Whether Apple can bring this feature back in a meaningful way remains to be seen. However, it’s certain that some loyal Apple fans will hail this as a “major innovation” or a “revolution in user interaction,” much like the way they celebrated the introduction of the Dynamic Island.

3. JPEG XL Format: The Secret Weapon of iPhone 16's Imaging?

Another notable addition to the iPhone 16 series is the adoption of the new JPEG-XL image format, making these devices among the very few (if not the only) smartphones on the market that support HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRaw, ProRAW Max, and JPEG-XL.

But what exactly is JPEG-XL? Most of us are familiar with JPEG, one of the most widely used image formats due to its compression capabilities. In recent years, Apple and Microsoft have promoted the HEIF format, which offers better compression without significant loss in image quality.

JPEG-XL, however, is a next-generation image format that supports both lossy and lossless compression, offering up to 60% better compression performance than JPEG. Its high compatibility is a standout feature, as it’s the only format that allows for lossless re-encoding of JPEG images.

For photographers, the ability to support more than 8-bit color depth is a significant advantage, particularly as many modern cameras output 10-bit or 12-bit images, which often suffer from color banding when converted to the 8-bit JPEG format.

Despite these advantages, JPEG-XL’s adoption has been slow due to the lack of supporting products, meaning its ecosystem is almost nonexistent.

Although the format has been around for several years, it hasn’t gained widespread popularity. Apple’s adoption of JPEG-XL could accelerate its adoption, but whether it will become a major selling point for the iPhone 16 remains to be seen.

Given the subtle impact it has on user experience, it’s unlikely to become as prominent as features like Live Photo.

4. Apple's Hardware Lags Behind, and Its Algorithmic Advantage Is Fading

There’s no denying that Apple has historically excelled at camera optimization algorithms.

Unlike many Android manufacturers that focus on tone and texture, Apple has always emphasized optimizing everyday shooting scenarios.

However, the gap in hardware capabilities between Apple and Android is widening, and Apple’s software advantage is shrinking, if not disappearing entirely. Android manufacturers, who were once known for prioritizing hardware specs over user experience, have now developed sophisticated algorithms tailored to market demands and consumer aesthetics.

Brands that have collaborated with professional imaging brands like Leica and Zeiss have created unique photographic styles that resonate with consumers.

Market feedback indicates that Android manufacturers' efforts in imaging have been highly successful, proving that they’re not just relying on hardware specs to attract buyers.

Instead, they’ve filled the gap in algorithms, making imaging an integral part of their brand identity.

Apple’s once-vaunted algorithmic and software tuning capabilities are now falling behind.

We hope that Apple pays more attention to its sharpening algorithms.

While the iPhone’s camera specs aren’t bad by flagship standards, they’re being held back by the “terrible” Deep Fusion algorithm. If this algorithm isn’t revised, even a one-inch sensor or a 200MP telephoto lens won’t make much of a difference.

In summary, the iPhone remains a leader in the smartphone market, with each new release drawing widespread attention.

However, interest in recent iPhone launches has been waning, and declining sales and market share are undeniable facts.

At past product launches, other manufacturers often compared their products to the iPhone, but today, it’s rare to see the iPhone as a benchmark.

Instead, other Android manufacturers have taken its place, perhaps reflecting Apple’s gradual decline in the imaging domain.