6 features I want to see in iPhone 16

Despite Apple’s reputation for innovation, the company does not always adopt the latest cutting-edge smartphone technology. This year, I hope the company adds these six features in iPhone 16 — all of which you can find in Android phones.

Here’s my iPhone 16 wish list.

Wish list: iPhone 16 features I want to see

With every new iPhone, Apple typically introduces one major new feature along with several minor ones. For instance, the Action button stood out as the big new feature of the iPhone 15 Pro lineup (although Apple touted the phones’ titanium chassis in a big way and the Pro Max also received a 5x telephoto shooter).

This year, Apple Intelligence — the suite of AI features coming to iPhone, Mac and iPad — likely will steal the show at the iPhone 16 launch event, rumored to occur on September 10. However, I hope Apple focuses on bringing several smaller but potentially more important features to the iPhone 16 — things that already deliver a better user experience in several Android phones.

Table of contents: iPhone 16 features I want to see

1. Faster charging speeds
2. Longer battery life
3. Bigger telephoto sensor
4. Repositioned Action button
5. Better thermals
6. Anti-reflective cover glass

1. Faster charging speeds

Phones like the OnePlus 12 support 80W wired and 50W wireless charging speeds. In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max can pull a maximum power of 25W over USB-C when it’s got a fully depleted battery.

Apple says the iPhone 15 Pro/Max can charge to 50% in around 30 minutes. This sounded plenty fast four or five years ago, but not anymore. Many Android phones can charge from zero to 100% in the same amount of time.

Wirelessly charging the iPhone is another exercise in patience, with speeds topping out at 15W. Essentially, charging an iPhone from zero to 100% wirelessly can take a few hours.

Many might argue that faster charging speeds can cause batteries to wear out faster. While that might be the reason behind Apple’s conservative approach to the iPhone’s slow charging speeds, it does not hold up well in real life.

The battery health of my iPhone 15 Pro Max, purchased in October 2024, already fell to 95% after nearly 250 charging cycles. If anything, Apple should make battery replacement easier and cheaper, something the EU will force Apple eventually.

Faster charging is one feature I hope Apple adds to the iPhone 16 Pro this year, bumping the speed to 30W or 35W. While not as fast as some flagship Android phones, it should bring a noticeable reduction in charging times without increasing battery wear.

2. Longer battery life

The iPhone’s slow charging times sting even more due to the device’s mediocre battery life. While the iPhone 15‘s battery life is not bad, it’s certainly not exceptional. On days with heavy use, I often need to top up the battery of my iPhone 15 Pro Max in the evening.

The iPhone’s so-so battery life becomes annoying on vacations when my wife and I use the phone to take a lot of pictures. We usually carry a power bank to top up the iPhone’s battery when required. Add in the slow charging speeds, and getting the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s battery becomes a bit of a burden.

The last iPhone I used that stood out for fantastic battery life was the iPhone 13 Pro. Despite Apple’s claims, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series don’t last as long — at least in my use. Apple should prioritize improved battery life when it comes to must-have iPhone 16 features.

That might happen, too. Apple reportedly will fabricate the iPhone 16’s A18 chip using TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm technology. It also should use a higher-density battery. Combined, I hope these changes allow the iPhone 16 to provide longer battery life than its predecessor. Rumors suggest the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery could get a sizeable energy density upgrade, too.

3. Bigger telephoto sensor

As mentioned, Apple switched to a longer 120mm 5x telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The additional reach is a welcome improvement, allowing you to take stunning pictures from a distance. However, the 12MP sensor it uses is relatively small. So, while it can capture decent photos in daylight, its performance falls apart in indoor and low-light conditions.

If you zoom in on indoor pictures taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x telephoto camera, you will notice the blotchiness and lack of details.

Besides a bigger sensor, Apple should consider adding macro support to the telephoto camera. While the iPhone’s Ultra Wide camera already offers this feature, macro support on the telephoto camera seems much more useful. It would enable you to capture stunning macro shots from a distance.

4. Repositioned Action button is on our iPhone 16 features list

With the iPhone 15 Pro series, Apple replaced the ring/silent switch with a customizable Action button. This sounds like a handy addition on paper, as you can toggle the flashlight, trigger shortcuts, and more with just a key press. However, the Action button’s placement significantly limits its usability. Fixing this would make the customizable button one of iPhone 16’s best features.

Apple located the Action button in the same spot as the ring/silent switch, making it difficult to reach. This position would work if the key only toggled between ring and silent modes — an action you’ll likely do a couple of times a day. But for something as potentially useful as the Action button, the placement is a design disaster. To press the Action button, you need to adjust your grip on the phone, limiting the button’s usefulness.

Rumors indicate Apple will bring the Action button to the iPhone 16 series this year. Here’s hoping the company also repositions the key to a lower location for better accessibility.

5. Better thermals

The A17 Pro chip inside the iPhone 15 Pro ranks among the fastest mobile SoCs on the market. Apple’s chips stand out for their performance and efficiency, and the A17 Pro is no different. However, unlike the past few iPhones, the iPhone 15 Pro tends to get very warm when under load. You can read numerous complaints about this on Apple’s support forums.

The phone does not overheat, but it gets noticeably warm — an issue I never faced with previous iPhones. The lack of a sophisticated internal cooling solution inside Apple’s 2023 flagship iPhones might be to blame.

Almost all high-end Android flagships use a vapor cooling chamber for better heat dissipation. In this day and age, vapor cooling inside smartphones seems like a necessity. It’s time Apple adopts this feature with the iPhone 16 Pro. It should help the chip run cooler and provide better sustained performance under load.

6. Antireflective cover glass

Apple uses newer OLED panels on its iPhones every year, capable of reaching higher brightness levels. The iPhone 15 Pro’s Super Retina XDR display can hit a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, according to Apple. With the iPhone 16 Pro, the company will likely use a newer-gen OLED panel that can hit an even higher peak brightness.

While I welcome brightness improvements, Apple should take a cue from Samsung and use an antireflective cover glass. The Korean company uses Corning’s Gorilla Armor Glass on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which supposedly reduces reflections by 75%. This might not seem like a big deal, but it delivers significant real-world improvements. Even better, the new glass offers better durability and scratch resistance than the previous version.

Apple heavily invested in Corning over the years, so Cupertino also should stand at the forefront of adopting the glass-maker’s technological innovations. Sadly, a rumor indicates Apple might not get around to using an antireflective cover glass until the iPhone 17 in 2025. If so, it would be a big miss, especially given the benefits delivered by the new cover glass.

iPhone 16 features: Apple needs to take a cue from Android devices

None of the features on my iPhone 16 wish list are breakthroughs. Android phones already benefit from them. Apple just needs to take inspiration from its competition to deliver a better usability experience with the iPhone 16.

If not this year, there’s always next year.