It’s about that point once more after we start to listen to hypothesis and leaks about how a lot storage Apple will pack into its newest iPhone fashions. First amongst these is a report that the usual iPhone 16 Professional will elevate the ground to 256GB like final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professional Max.
It’s a report that ought to be taken with a larger-than-normal dose of your favourite savory seasonings, if for no different cause than how usually we’ve heard these songs.
For instance, we’ve been listening to a few 2 TB iPhone since 2021, when pundits predicted that the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional Max would achieve that as a top-tier storage choice. Nevertheless, immediately the very best capability iPhone 15 Professional Max out there nonetheless tops out at 1 TB.
That specific rumor got here on the heels of the iPhone 13 Professional gaining a brand new 1 TB variant, marking the primary time any iPhone had been out there in 4 storage capacities concurrently.
That was additionally the primary 12 months the usual iPhone fashions moved their storage capacities up a notch, dropping the 64 GB entry-level mannequin that had been the norm for the reason that iPhone 8 elevated the bottom storage in 2017 and changing it with a 512 GB model on the highest finish.
That development continued into 2022 with the iPhone 14 lineup, which featured similar storage configurations to their iPhone 13 predecessors. Ditto for the iPhone 15 fashions, with one exception: the iPhone 15 Professional Max misplaced the 128 GB model, thereby rising its place to begin to 256 GB. That was probably what prompted rumors of a worth enhance for the bigger mannequin, though the value technically stayed the identical; we simply misplaced the cheaper choice from the lineup.
Now, in a put up on the Mac Observer, LeaksApplePro notes that Apple could also be contemplating following go well with with the smaller iPhone 16 Professional. Citing “individuals near the business,” the report says that Apple “might be contemplating” rising the bottom storage, which means that it might even be largely speculative.
It’s not clear how a lot stable proof there may be to again up this declare, however even when it’s hypothesis, it definitely appears believable. Apple’s higher-end iPhones have provided greater storage tiers than their commonplace fashions for the reason that iPhone XS ushered within the 512 GB model in 2018, however final 12 months was the primary time in the whole historical past of the iPhone that two sizes in the identical iPhone class have been provided in several storage configurations. Whereas the reasoning behind that was by no means clear, it’s an aberration that Apple would in all probability wish to handle ultimately.
Theoretically, Apple might repair this by introducing a 128 GB model of the iPhone 16 Professional Max, however that appears extremely unlikely. Not solely would it not be a step backward, however the improved photographic capabilities of the Professional iPhones demand extra storage; Apple even limits some storage-hungry options on 128 GB fashions, reminiscent of ProRes video recording in 4K.
Eliminating the 128 GB model on each iPhone 16 Professional fashions would make much more sense in a number of methods, as it will scale back the lineup to the extra conventional three storage tiers and in addition assist to set the Professional fashions aside from the usual iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, which can virtually definitely nonetheless begin at 128 GB (and certain cap out at 512 GB).
There’s additionally the chance that we might lastly see a rise to a 2 TB storage configuration this 12 months. If that’s the case, one thing must go to make room for that since Apple isn’t more likely to begin promoting 5 storage configurations. Whereas it’s doable Apple might depart a niche within the storage tiers — it wouldn’t be the primary time, for the reason that iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 Professional all omitted a 128 GB model in between the 64 and 256 GB fashions — it nonetheless makes extra sense to eliminate the runt of the litter and begin the entire household at a more healthy 256 GB.
What that may do to the value of the brand new fashions is a extra advanced query. The $999 beginning worth for the iPhone 15 Professional is a candy spot that Apple is probably going reluctant to desert. This may imply that Apple must double the storage on the iPhone 16 Professional whereas maintaining the value the identical because the iPhone 15 Professional, placing the iPhone 16 Professional Max in a extra awkward place of getting to both preserve a extra vital $200 hole or drop $100 in worth from its predecessor.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]