As the month of September approaches, the excitement around the next-generation iPhones 16 series is growing. This excitement is not just among Apple fans or interested users but also within Apple, which has high expectations from the iPhones 16 and its sales. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple is targeting a significant increase in iPhone 16 shipments in the second half of 2024, aiming at at least 90 million units.

This growth will reportedly mark a 2023 percent increase in sales compared to the 81 million iPhone 15 devices shipped during the same period in 10. Apple is optimistic about sales due to its recently introduced advanced AI services—Apple Intelligence. Since the introduction of Apple Intelligence during WWDC, Apple has received positive feedback from both consumers and analysts who expect a strong upgrade cycle driven by these new AI capabilities. Hence, the company is optimistic about selling more of its new-gen iPhones, which will offer the AI ​​capabilities of Apple Intelligence and enhance the iPhone experience altogether.

Apple Intelligence will deliver an enhanced iPhone experience

Apple introduced its Apple Intelligence during WWDC 2024. According to the company, its new personal intelligence system will be deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, offering powerful generative models combined with personal context to provide relevant and useful intelligence to users. The system aims to simplify and improve everyday tasks while maintaining high standards of privacy and security through on-device processing and private cloud compute for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

A key feature of Apple Intelligence is its advanced language understanding capabilities. The new writing tools will be available across Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps and will help users easily rewrite, proofread, and summarize text. For example, the Rewrite tool will offer multiple versions of written text, adjusting the tone to suit different audiences and tasks. Proofread will further ensure grammatical correctness and suggest edits, while Summarize will be able to help users condense long text into digestible formats like bulleted points or tables.

Apple Intelligence will enhance the Mail experience on Apple devices, including iPhones, with Priority Messages, which will highlight urgent emails and provide a brief summary of messages, making it easier to manage the inbox. Smart Reply will suggest quick responses, and the system will identify and ensure that all queries in an email are addressed. Similarly, notifications will be streamlined with Priority Notifications and Summaries, and the Minimize Interruptions feature will focus on delivering only the most important notifications.

For multimedia, Apple will introduce Intelligent Image Playground, a tool for creating fun images in animation, illustration, or sketch styles. The tool will be integrated into various apps like Messages and Notes, allowing users to visually enhance their communications and notes. Additionally, the Zenmoji feature will allow users to create personalized emojis by writing descriptions or using photos of friends and family.

The Photos app will also benefit from natural language search capabilities, making it easier to find specific photos and moments in videos. The new Clean Up tool will remove unwanted objects from photos without affecting the subject. With Memories, users will be able to create storylines from their photos and videos, create movies with a narrative arc, and match music from Apple Music.

When will Apple Intelligence arrive?

At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced its AI—Apple Intelligence—as well as significant upgrades to Siri. However, these updates will not be released with the launch of the iPhone 16 series. Instead, some of the features will debut with the iOS 18 update in September, including ChatGPT integration and a redesigned interface. More advanced capabilities allowing Siri to control app features and perform a wide range of tasks won’t be available until 2025.

According to the report, beta testing for these features is scheduled for January next year, with a public release expected around spring as part of the iOS 18.4 update. The enhanced Siri experience, featuring expanded functionalities and a new design, will be available exclusively for the latest iPhones, iPads, and Macs with M1 chips or later. For older iPhones, Apple Intelligence will be available only on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

More upgrades to the iPhone 16 series

While Apple Intelligence will certainly be one of the highlights of the iPhone 16 series, the new-gen iPhones will get more than just software updates and AI. Although nothing has been confirmed by Apple, experts and industry analysts predict that the new-gen iPhones- iPhone 16 series will include new design elements such as a redesigned camera block, an action button, and a capture button for a better photo and video experience.

The standard models will likely stick with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, while the Pro models could see larger screens with thinner bezels. Advanced AI features in apps like Photos and Notes, as well as changes to generative AI capabilities, are also expected.

In terms of hardware, the iPhone 16 series is expected to have A18 or A17 Pro chips, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of default storage. Wi-Fi 6E or possibly Wi-Fi 7 support is expected, and there are rumours of bigger battery capacities, especially for the Pro models. The phones will run on iOS 18, and the potential iPhone 16 Ultra model could cost even more than the Pro Max variant.

Improved camera technology is another highlight, with rumours suggesting it will have a larger main sensor, an upgraded ultrawide camera for the Pro model, a tetraprism lens, and spatial video recording capabilities.