This iPhone 16 hands-on video is our best look at Apple’s design changes

The iPhone 16 is about a month away, with Apple widely expected to unveil the 2024 phones on September 10th. As in previous years, iPhone fans who have been following the rumors season closely already know what to expect from the new devices.

But even if you don’t follow leaks closely, there is one thing you probably expect from the next-gen iPhones. Apple is likely to keep in place the iPhone design it has used for the past several years. There is no point in changing what works here, not that you can do anything crazy with smartphone design these days.

The iPhone 16 models won’t be carbon copies of their predecessors. Apple has further tweaked the design, making several changes to it. These have leaked time and again this year: The vertical camera setup, the Action button, and the new Capture button.

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We saw renders showing the design changes in the past few months. Then, photos of dummy units appeared. First, the metal mockups leaked. Then, we saw iPhone 16 dummies featuring the purported colors Apple has chosen for the new line.

That brings us to what’s easily the best look at the iPhone 16 before the handset hits store display tables. We have a hands-on video that walks us through all the design changes.

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YouTuber Zollotech got his hands on five iPhone 16 dummy units. We’re looking at the same color options we saw a few days ago when images of the same iPhone 16 dummy units made their way online. That’s white, black, blue, green, and pink.

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Purported iPhone 16 color options. Image source: YouTube

Unlike those images, the video gives us a 360-degree look at the iPhone 16. The iPhone 16 Plus will feature the same design, of course.

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The hands-on video tells us the iPhone 16 will be about as big and about as thick as its predecessor, though I expect a difference of a few millimeters between the two.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16 dummy: Camera module design. Image source: YouTube

The iPhone 16 will have three distinct design elements to set it apart from the iPhone 15. First, the camera module on the back just got a big change. We’re looking at a vertical arrangement for the two cameras instead of the diagonal setup that Apple has used for the past few years.

The reason for the change is easy to guess. Apple probably wants the cheaper models to be able to shoot spatial videos, which look amazing on the Vision Pro.

The Action button seen on an iPhone 16 dummy unit. Image source: YouTube

Then, there’s the Action button, which replaces the mute switch above the volume keys. The iPhone 15 Pros introduced the Action button, which will be available on all four iPhone 16 models this year. It’s a great addition to the cheaper iPhones, in my opinion. I’m still on the iPhone 14 Pro and can’t wait for an Action button.

I’m even more excited about the Capture button on the opposite side. The new button sits below the standby/power button, as seen in the hands-on video with these iPhone 16 dummy units. It appears to be capacitive, with rumors saying the Capture button will perform different actions depending on the pressure of your touch.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16 dummy: Capture button location. Image source: YouTube

The Capture button might be the biggest hardware upgrade in the history of the iPhone, and I’m sure I’ll put it to good use once I get an iPhone 16.

As for the iPhone 16 display, I’ll say again that these are dummy units, not functional phones. These are devices that accessory makers use to design and test their products before the next-gen iPhone launch. Therefore, the screen doesn’t work, so there’s nothing to see in the hands-on video below. Expect the same Dynamic Island display on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

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