iPhone 16 Ultra

The top of the technical pyramid in smartphones is represented by Apple phones, the breakthrough devices that have succeeded in making a name and reputation for themselves and have been able to sit on the throne of the best smartphones year after year, and series after series. They are the true embodiment of sophistication, luxury and distinction in a market where hundreds of phones are issued annually, but Only a few dozen of them succeed, and speaking of luxury, sophistication and distinction, we are talking about the iPhone 16 Ultra, the beast of the American company and the undisputed best in 2024.

The iPhone 16 Ultra isn't likely to arrive until the fall of 2024, which means we have a very long wait before the new phone arrives. But that doesn't stop rumors about what the next flagship iPhone might offer from surfacing several months before the phone's official release.

So here are the expected specifications and price of the iPhone 16 Ultra, and everything you want to know about the most powerful Apple phone ever, which appears to us for the first time after the Pro Max version that accompanied us all those past years was abandoned. This article will be constantly updated to keep up with all the rumors and leaks that come out on a regular basis, so fasten your seat belts and get ready to take off on a journey with us as we explore the secrets of the best iPhone in 2024.

iPhone 16 Ultra specs

iPhone 16 Ultra price and expected release date

It's too early to say for sure how much the iPhone 16 Ultra might cost. But given that the iPhone 15 Pro Max carries a $100 price hike, we hope Apple leaves the previous pricing unchanged for at least another year. If that's the case, we could see the iPhone 16 Ultra price starting at $1,200 for the 256GB model.

Note that these are the company's official prices, and will certainly increase depending on several factors that vary from one country to another and from one market to another, such as customs, taxes, greed of merchants, etc., so the price of the phone in some markets may reach $1,500.

Apple typically announces new iPhones in early-mid-September, and the only time that hasn't happened in the past several years was during the coronavirus pandemic. In many cases, the event is in the second or third week of the month – often on a Tuesday.

If Apple maintains a similar pattern, the September 2024 Apple event could be September 10. Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Ultra will begin on Friday, September 13, and the iPhone 16 Ultra release date may be on September 20. But this is ultimately just speculation and that timeline could certainly change.

Design and display

According to early rumours, the iPhone 16 Ultra could get a size increase next year – the screen size will increase from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. This would make the device the largest iPhone ever, and slightly larger than another phone that comes with a 6.8-inch screen, which is Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

iPhone displays are usually provided by Samsung, and supply chain rumors indicate that the version of the displays that the iPhone 16 Ultra and other phones in the series will be based on will be more energy efficient. This is because OLED materials are expected to switch from blue fluorescent technology to blue phosphor technology.

We've also heard some speculation that Apple might hide the remaining Face ID sensors under the phone's screen, which would reduce the screen's notch to a single small circle housing the front camera, instead of the usual dynamic island notch. However, we may have to wait until 2025 and the launch of the iPhone 17 Pro to see that become a reality.

An iPhone 16 Pro prototype shows what this design might look like, but even the tipster sharing the leaked image believes that won't happen until the iPhone 17 at the earliest.

It is rumored that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Ultra  may get an additional button, in addition to the newly launched Action button. It is claimed that this new button will likely help you capture photos and videos quickly.

Performance, battery and other things

Given how Apple is accustomed to giving high-end iPhones a better chipset than the standard model and the Plus version as well, it is very likely that Apple will do the same with the iPhone 16 series. This means that we are likely to see the A18 Pro chip on the iPhone 16 Pro and Ultra models.

Although we don't know what this chip might include, reports already claim that the chip will be slightly different from the A17 Pro. Apple will apparently use chips built using TSMC's N3E process, rather than the N3B used in the A17 Pro's design. This process is said to be more cost effective and has higher yields, besides enhancing performance and efficiency as well.

Some people have speculated that Apple could increase the RAM capacity of its phones to accommodate more AI-powered features, but one leaker claimed that this is unlikely to happen. Instead, it looks like the Ultra version will continue with 8GB of RAM. Wi-Fi 7 support also seems to be a more likely rumor.

Battery rumors are pretty thin at this point in time, but we've heard that Apple is looking at ways to reduce temperature rises, including using a crystalline metal casing and a new connector in the iPhone 16 Ultra's battery. . Apple is also looking to diversify where it assembles its batteries, to avoid the problem that led to shipping delays for iPhone 15 Pro Max orders last fall.

iPhone 16 Ultra cameras

There are only a few rumors about the expected upgrades in the phone's camera so far. The phone's telephoto lens could have a focal length of 300mm, more than double the 120mm lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is also claimed that the Ultra version will have a 1/1.4-inch sensor, which is slightly larger than the 1/1.28 sensor found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

This should allow the camera to capture more light, which should improve overall performance – which is especially key given rumors that the iPhone 16 Pro will adopt the iPhone 15 Pro Max's quad-designed telephoto lens to be on par with the iPhone 16 Ultra's camera capabilities.

Many rumors have also been circulating that both models of the iPhone 16 Pro could come with a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, which would be a huge boost over the current 12-megapixel lens.

Software

Like the rest of the iPhone 16 series phones, we believe that the iPhone 16 Ultra will come supported by the iOS 18 operating system, which is already under development at Apple. Details are sparse, but the first word is that AI is a big part of that upcoming system, and Apple will likely include its own AI-powered chatbot in the final release.

Since the AI capabilities targeted for iOS 18 may require a significant amount of processing power, iPhone 16 models may have unique on-device AI features while older iPhones will need to shift to the cloud. And to help with all the AI features, iPhone 16 models could have an improved microphone.

In conclusion

We're still too early in the iPhone 16 Ultra's development cycle to really know much about what to expect. But the few rumors we've heard suggest that this phone could be an absolute beast, as it features a larger display, a more powerful camera system, the long-awaited camera sensor boost, and a new dedicated button that we might see as well. Stay tuned for more rumors and leaks about the phone, as we will constantly update you over the coming months about anything new regarding this best phone from Apple ever.

Specifications and price