Report: iPhone 16 to feature more RAM and faster Wi-Fi; upgraded 5G coming to iPhone 16 Pro

Now that the calendar has officially turned to 2024, we can officially say the iPhone 16 is coming “later this year.” In a new investor note seen by 9to5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu has details on what to expect for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineups. This includes details on specs, camera upgrades, and more.

According to the analyst, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be powered by the A18 processor. This will mark the first time that the base model iPhones use a processor built on the more powerful and more efficient 3-nanometer fabrication.

Alongside the new A18 chip, the iPhone 16 will also feature 8GB of RAM, Pu says. This is an increase from the 6GB of RAM currently found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The iPhone 16 Pro models will use the new A18 Pro chip.

As for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Pu says that these devices will feature the Qualcomm X75 modem. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, meanwhile, will use the Qualcomm X70 modem. Currently, the entire iPhone 15 lineup uses the Qualcomm X70 modem inside, which offers a noticeable boost in 5G speeds compared to the Qualcomm X65 modem used in the iPhone 14.

Here’s how Qualcomm describes the X75 modem:

Qualcomm Technologies’ 6th generation modem-to-antenna solution is the first ready to support 5G Advanced, the next phase of 5G. It introduces a new architecture, a new software suite and includes numerous world’s first features to push the boundaries of connectivity including coverage, latency, power efficiency and mobility.

Snapdragon X75 technologies and innovations empower OEMs to create next generation experiences across segments including smartphones, mobile broadband, automotive, compute, industrial IoT, fixed wireless access and 5G private networks.

If Pu’s reporting is correct, this means Apple is planning to bifurcate the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineups by modems – and therefore also by 5G speeds.

Pu also reiterates that the iPhone 16 Pro will get an upgraded Ultra Wide camera this year, with an increase in resolution from 12MP to 48MP. This has also been reported by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and it could lead to an upgrade in spatial video recording as well.

Finally, Pu says that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get support for Wi-Fi 6E, which is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus only support Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6E touts faster speeds, lower latency, and improved overall network performance

The iPhone 16 Pro models “might” support Wi-Fi 7, according to Pu. Wi-Fi 7 officially launched last week, and a number of different improvements.

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