Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson
Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical camera arrangement.
The latest prototype features the same arrangement with two separate camera rings for the Wide and Ultra Wide cameras, housed within a pill-shaped raised surface, suggesting Apple has drawn inspiration from older iPhone models, such as the iPhone X. The microphone sits next to the lenses, while the camera flash is located on the back of the device outside of the bump.
With the vertical camera layout, Apple is expected to bring spatial video recording to the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models. Current iPhone 15 models have a diagonal camera arrangement and are not able to capture spatial video, a feature that is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and the Vision Pro headset.
In addition to the updated camera bump design, recent iPhone 16 prototypes have also featured an Action Button similar to the one used on iPhone 15 Pro, and a pressure-sensitive Capture button for shooting horizontal video that sits flush with the frame of the device. Indeed, an opening for the Capture button can be seen in the latest cases.
The existence of cases at this early stage does not necessarily confirm that Apple has settled on this design for the iPhone 16. Third-party case makers also often base their initial case designs for upcoming iPhones on leaks and rumors, so the images may not be true representations. That said, the recent consistent trickle of leaks suggest Apple now has this year's iPhone 16 design nailed down.
Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 16 series sometime in September. For additional details on Apple's next-generation 2024 smartphones, check out our dedicated rumor roundups for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
