It was rumored earlier this year that Apple's adoption of new flash storage technology could allow the iPhone 16 Pro to house up to 2TB of storage capacity. However, such rumors have emerged in the past, and the final product did not see daylight with extended storage support. This year, we are expecting Apple to jump to the 2TB mark with the launch of the iPhone 16 Pro models, at least. If you are expecting such an upgrade, check out what the rumors have to say and what potential drawbacks it could bring.
Could Apple introduce a 2TB version of the iPhone 16 Pro? Here are all the rumors in favor of the move
Apple bumped up the base storage from 128GB to 256GB on the iPhone 15 Pro models, but the device also came with an additional price. For the storage to go up to 2TB on the iPhone, it was rumored back in January that Apple aims to adopt Quad-Level Cell or QLC NAND flash memory. The technology would allow Apple to incorporate additional strange in a smaller space and also reduce the cost of the module compared to the Triple-Level Cell or TLC NAND storage. However, we have to consider the fact that QLC storage is slower than TLC in terms of read and write speeds., which brings us to the compromising end.
As mentioned, we have heard similar reports in the past, which suggested that the iPhone 14 Pro could be the company's first device to boast up to 2TB of storage, but that did not happen, and we are still stuck at 1TB for the maxed out version. However, never say never, as the technology could make it to the iPhone 16 Pro lineup, and we have more evidence supporting this claim.
Apple was recently reported to introduce a new JPEG-XL format alongside its existing HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRAW, and ProRAW Max formats. The new formats take up a lot of space for photos and videos, and it would not only be important but a necessary step for Apple to increase the maximum storage option from 1TB to 2TB on the iPhone 16 Pro models.
Other than this, Apple is also working to bring a new Capture Button to the mix of buttons on the iPhone 16, which would solely respond to the camera capabilities. With a dedicated button on the side, Apple wants users to take more pictures and record more videos, which could incur extra storage space on the iPhone, and offering a new storage option would be a wise way forward.
Lastly, Apple is bringing a handful of camera upgrades to the iPhone 16 lineup, especially the 'Pro' models. The new features and editing tools, thanks to Apple Intelligence, will take more space on the iPhone, and while 1TB would suffice, some users prefer to remain street-free regarding the storage on their device. The bigger the camera sensor, the more data it would collect regarding the subject, and ultimately, it would be reflected in the size of the image or video. This gives us another clue that the iPhone 16 Pro's upgraded cameras could open the door for 2TB of storage capacity.
These are some of the factors that give us an idea that a 2TB variant of the iPhone 16 might be coming later this week. The company will announce the iPhone 16 Pro on September 9 alongside the Apple Watch X and the iPad mini 7. We will cover the event in extensive detail, so be sure to stick around for more.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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