Apple announced the iPhone 16 lineup as a series of new iPhones packed with features. These include the new A18 chips, the Camera Control, larger displays on the Pro models, Apple Intelligence and much more.
However, surprisingly, many new features won't be available when the iPhone 16 handsets officially hit shelves on September 20.
We've assembled a list of all the features you'll need to wait for when the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models arrive.
Apple Intelligence
Apple has been hyping up Apple Intelligence since the WWDC event in June. The Apple take on AI is supposed to come to every iPhone 16 device and even the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not immediately.
Exploratory iPhone owners have been able to play with some AI features in the developer betas since June, and the public beta went live in July.
However, those who waited will still be waiting as no Apple Intelligence features will be available on any iPhone 16 handset when they launch next Friday.
A report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman before Apple's Glowtime event said that we could see AI features slowly rolled out well into next year.
Here's a list of notable Apple Intelligence features we won't see at launch:
- ChatGPT integration
- Image Playgrounds
- Genmojis
- Photos app: Clean up tool
- Priority AI notification summaries
- Writing tools
Apple Intelligence will still be in beta when iOS 18.1 launches in October. Some AI features should show up though including the notification summaries, email summaries and the Clean Up tool.
Other AI-powered features like Genmojis aren't expected until December when iOS 18.2 is supposed to launch.
There are more AI features that we didn't mention in above like the the the Image Wand, Smart Reply or the updated search in the Photos app. Those will be spread out in the 18.1 and 18.2 updates and well into 2025.
Camera Control: two-stage shutter
One of the big new features on the iPhone 16 is the addition of a new button called Camera Control.
Camera Control allows you to swipe the button to change photo settings and modes, including zoom. Pressing the button takes a photo.
However, one announced feature is the two-stage shutter. This feature lets you lock focus and exposure with a light button press. Once you're ready, you can press the button to take an image.
Apple says this feature will be available "later this year." Unfortunately, they did not provide a more specific date.
Siri 2.0
Apple's voice assistant Siri, is going to see the most choppy launch of all the AI-boosted features the company announced.
In fact, we might not see a full Siri update until Spring 2025. That said, Siri will see updates between October and then. It's just unclear what bits of Siri will get upgraded within that long time frame.
A Gurman report suggests that Siri 2.0 will launch in beta starting January of next year.
At launch, the iPhone 16 will have the version of Siri that currently exists.
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence is Apple's take on Google Lens, which utilizes the phone's camera to learn about places and objects seen through the lenses.
Within the camera app, you will be able to hold the camera control to see the hours or ratings of a nearby restaurant or identify a dog by breed. Supposedly, it will add events to your calendar when scanning flyers, for example.
It will be utilizing Google Search and GhatGPT when it launches.
It's an impressive feature and could be an excellent tool for travel; for example, it could help translate signs in other languages.
Apple claims Visual Intelligence will integrate with any app or service running on the iPhone.
We don't know when it will come to the iPhone 16 as Apple has only said, "later this year."
Outlook
When people get their hands on the new iPhone 16 models, will offer plenty with a powerful new chip, the Capture button (even lacking some features) seems like a game changer for photography.
However, if you're excited for Apple Intelligence on a phones built "from the ground up for AI", you will be waiting.
