iPhone 16 Pro: Anticipating Wi-Fi 7, Enhanced 5G Modem, and a 48MP Ultrawide Camera Upgrade

Apple has just released the iPhone 15, but already, there are whispers about what the iPhone 16 Pro might bring to the table. Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities has shared some insights into what fans can anticipate. According to Pu, the iPhone 16 Pro will boast a faster 5G modem, Wi-Fi 7, and a new ultra-wide lens on the rear camera.

The Rumored iPhone 16 Pro Upgrades

In a report addressed to investors and published by 9to5Mac, Pu outlines his projections for the iPhone 16 lineup, based on information from Apple’s supply chain. The most noticeable change is that the new iPhones will have slightly larger displays, increasing by 0.2 inches compared to the current 6.1- and 6.7-inch sizes. This aligns with earlier predictions by analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young about larger iPhone 16 sizes.

With the standard iPhone 16 Pro getting a size bump, Apple will have the space to incorporate the same tetra-prism lens with 5x optical zoom found in the iPhone 15 Pro Max into the smaller Pro model. Jeff Pu emphasizes that both the Pro and Pro Max versions will feature a 12-megapixel tetra-prism lens for enhanced zoom capabilities.

The report also reveals that Apple intends to upgrade the Pro models with a new ultra-wide lens, a component that has seen minimal changes since the iPhone 13 Pro. In the iPhone 16 Pro models, the ultra-wide lens will be equipped with a new 48-megapixel sensor, a substantial improvement from the current 12-megapixel sensor.

In terms of performance, the iPhone 16 Pro will be powered by the new A18 Pro chip, manufactured using the same 3-nanometer process as the A17 Pro. This chip will retain the 8 GB of RAM from the current iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.

When it comes to connectivity, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to deliver even faster speeds, whether over Wi-Fi or 5G. Pu speculates that these new iPhones may feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem, which can achieve 5G download speeds of up to 7.5 Gbps thanks to a new “5G Advanced” standard.

While the iPhone 15 Pro introduced support for Wi-Fi 6e, the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro might come with Wi-Fi 7, the latest Wi-Fi standard capable of reaching speeds up to 46 Gbps, which is four times faster than Wi-Fi 6.

As for the regular iPhone 16, Jeff Pu suggests that it will stick with only two rear lenses in the camera (without optical zoom), and the ultra-wide lens will retain its 12-megapixel sensor without auto-focus or macro capabilities. Apple is also expected to introduce a slightly less powerful version of the A17 chip for the iPhone 16, equipped with 8 GB of RAM (as opposed to the 6 GB RAM in the A16 Bionic) and no significant upgrades to the 5G modem. While the iPhone 16 Pro may support Wi-Fi 7, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus might receive a more modest upgrade to Wi-Fi 6e.