Apple has been actively working on the design of the iPhone 16 for some time now, considering several possible options for the model’s development. The MacRumors managed to get information about early prototypes of the iPhone 16, or DeLorean, as Apple engineers call it inside the company.

Based on this data, renders were created that demonstrate how the iPhone 16 might look like, down to the exact colors the company uses for testing.

The iPhone 16 prototype, shown in yellow, has the very first known button design with an Action Button, a unified volume key, and an iPhone X-style camera protrusion. The pink iPhone has an Action Button and separate mechanical volume buttons, while the dark gray iPhone has a larger capacitive rather than mechanical Action Button and a new shooting button. It is the latter design option that the company considers a priority at this stage.

As part of the iPhone 16 development process, Apple prototyped several hardware configurations. Although they look similar at first glance, there are a number of differences between them.

Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone 16 will have vertically aligned rear cameras, which should make the smartphone easier to identify as the latest model. Although the vertical arrangement of the rear cameras has remained unchanged at various stages of development, Apple is considering two different design options for this unit:

Design in the style of the iPhone 12, with two camera lenses located one above the other;
The design is in the style of the iPhone X, with a single pill-shaped lens that contains two cameras.

Apple is also experimenting with a new button on the right side of the iPhone 16. It is expected that this generation will feature a completely new capacitive button for shooting, which is currently being developed under the codename Project Nova.

Information from the publication’s sources indicates that this button will not be mechanical, but will respond to the force of pressure and provide tactile feedback. The shutter button is located in the same place as the mmWave notch on iPhone models sold in the United States, so the mmWave antenna was moved to the left side of the device in the iPhone 16 prototypes.

Although it looks like the company will still add another button to the iPhone, Apple has developed alternative hardware configurations that do not contain additional buttons, and to which it can return if any hardware problems arise during development.

The front panel of the iPhone 16 has not yet undergone any noticeable changes and continues to use the Dynamic Island notch. The iPhone 16 is expected to have a display similar to the one used in the iPhone 15, with no major differences. So, users can still expect a panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Fortunately, the USB-C port at the bottom of the device is not going anywhere.

As for colors, early prototypes have been spotted in three colors: yellow, pink, and a dark gray “midnight”, while documentation suggests that other color options originally developed for the iPhone 15 were also used for testing at some point.

To summarize, while the iPhone 16 will not have any noticeable changes to its body, it will receive the following key updates:

The vertical camera position is probably similar to the iPhone 12;
A new capacitive shutter button;
Capacitive Action Button.

The information presented here reflects and describes early designs for the iPhone 16, but the presence of multiple hardware configurations suggests that Apple’s design plans are not yet finalized. The iPhone 16 is still a long way off, and additional changes are always possible.