Apple Introduces JPEG-XL Format in iPhone 16 Pro Models: Faster Speed, Smaller Size, and Lossless Support

There were early rumors that Apple would introduce the JPEG-XL format for the camera in the iPhone 16 series. This file format is known for its fast rendering speed, smaller file size, and support for both lossy and lossless compression.

However, it has now been confirmed that not all models will support the JPEG-XL format. According to the latest code in iOS 18, only the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will support JPEG-XL.

On these models, the JPEG-XL format will be available alongside other formats like HEIC, but HEIC will remain the default format used by Apple. Users will have the option to choose JPEG-XL format if they prefer.

The file extension for JPEG-XL format is .JXL, which is the latest version of JPEG images, offering a higher compression rate. This means that JPEG-XL can provide smaller file sizes and faster rendering speeds at similar levels of clarity.

This format also supports both lossy and lossless compression. Apple's currently used HEIF file format (with the .HEIC extension) is based on H.265. While the HEIF format may still be very good for average users, professionals might consider using JPEG-XL for saving lossless images.

The reason why the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus do not support JPEG-XL is still unclear. Since these models do not support it, it is unlikely that Apple will retroactively add support to the iPhone 15 and older models.

Thus, existing iPhone users will still need to use the HEIF file format or formats like ProRAW for photography, although ProRAW and similar formats do not support the capture of dynamic images.