About a year after the release of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, Apple has revealed the date for their fall event: September 12, 2023. The new iPhone 15 series, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as well as some other conceivable surprises, will be released at this time. We haven’t had long to wait before the formal announcement of the iPhone 15, but rumors about it have been churning along regularly over the past year.
iPhone 15: models
The iPhone small was discontinued once the iPhone 14 was released, despite the fact that Apple introduced it with the iPhone 12 lineup and continued to use it with the iPhone 13 series. The normal iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro retained their former 6.1-inch sizes, while the bigger iPhone 14 Plus replaced it, increasing the screen size from 5.4 inches to a huge 6.7 inches (the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max).
With the iPhone 15 series, which includes the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, it is anticipated that Apple would maintain this practice. This time, instead of the iPhone 14’s 6.1-inch display, the regular iPhone 15 is anticipated to have a 6.2-inch display. Other smartphones, such Apple the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are anticipated to maintain their previous screen sizes. For the iPhone 15 Pro, this translates to a 6.1-inch screen and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max may have a different moniker, though. There are suspicions that the name “Pro Max” may be changed to “Ultra” to be more in line with the Apple Watch Ultra.
iPhone 15: design and sizes
The iPhone 15 lineup won’t be drastically redesigned, which will disappoint anyone who was hoping for it. With flat sides and camera modules, the iPhone 15 range will largely resemble its iPhone 14 forebears in terms of appearance.
The Dynamic Island, which debuted last year only with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, may, however, be made available throughout the entire iPhone 15 lineup and not just the more expensive models, according to new speculations. This would remove the notch from all of the available iPhone models.
Another rumor that appears to be true is that all models of the iPhone 15 will switch from Lightning to USB-C. This is most likely because the EU compelled Apple to make the change, although it is still unclear whether this will actually result in higher charging speeds for the iPhone 15 series.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or Ultra) will have significantly thinner display bezels than earlier models. The Pro Max model is said to have the smallest bezel yet, measuring just 1.55mm; the current record-holder is the Xiaomi 13, which has a bezel that is 1.81mm thick. The bezels on the ordinary iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus appear to be a little thicker than those on the Pro models, so those models won’t be getting the superthin treatment. Again, it’s likely that Apple will keep its 120Hz ProMotion display for the iPhone 15 Pro models while sticking with a 60Hz display for the ordinary iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
Although earlier rumors appeared to suggest that the traditional volume buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models will be replaced by solid-state ones, that plan appears to have been abandoned for the time being. It appears that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will still have two physical volume buttons because Apple may have experienced manufacturing process technical challenges as a result of the complexity of requiring three haptic engines for solid-state buttons.
The Action button, which is akin to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra, will take the place of the mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro models, which is one of the greatest changes. This button could be configured to do a variety of functions, such as enabling silent mode by default or activating the camera by pushing it twice. The ordinary iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will continue to include the traditional mute switch like every previous iPhone; this change will only apply to the Pro models.
However, it appears from the case samples that all of the button positions will somewhat alter, making previous cases incompatible.
Last but not least, the titanium frame for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to replace the stainless steel frame currently used. This might make the iPhone 15 Pro lighter, and titanium has the potential to be more resistant to scratches than stainless steel. Since the selection appears to be primarily different shades of gray, with the exception of the dark blue color, Apple will also have a difficult time with colors due to the titanium finish.
iPhone 15: colors
According to recent rumors, the ruby red color we previously saw won’t be appearing. Instead, the color options will be more constrained because the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max might have a titanium frame. According to recent rumors, Apple may discontinue offering the gold color option for the Pro line, possibly because titanium makes it impossible to achieve a gold tint that looks attractive.
The potential color options for the iPhone 15 Pro are currently Space Black, Silver, Titan Gray, and Dark Blue. Similar to the Apple Watch Ultra, the Titan Gray appears to be a genuine titanium color. But if it is the color lineup, it’s a little disappointing because it’s all just different tones of gray.
However, this year’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus may feature a much more subdued, pastel color scheme. It appears that the basic iPhone 15 will be offered in the following hues: black, green, blue, yellow, and pink, according to a report from 9to5Mac. Although the colors are fairly light and delicate, some people could find them appealing. Additionally, it would be the first time that there isn’t a default white option.
iPhone 15: Action button
Since the 2007 release of the first iPhone model, the physical mute switch has become one of the device’s most recognizable characteristics. Since that time, very little has changed. However, the iPhone 15 Pro might change things.
According to rumors, the mute switch will now be replaced by an Action button, much to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra. The ordinary iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, however, will continue to include the mute switch that has been on the iPhone since its inception. This only pertains to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The Action button on the Pro versions can be customized, or it can simply be used to toggle mute on and off. The camera app could be opened, the flashlight feature toggled, the light or dark mode selected, Low Power Mode turned on, a screenshot or screen recorder used, Shazam, shortcuts, and more could all be assigned to the Action button. Due to the limitations of wearable technology, the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button has fewer options than the iPhone 15 Pro.
The downside of this is that it would make the iPhone 15 Pro less accessible for some people since it would no longer be possible to detect by physical contact whether the phone is quiet or not. However, it would open up a whole new world of customizing options for the user.
Additionally, if Apple does indeed replace the mute switch with an Action button, it may also do away with the volume down button you previously had to click in order to turn off your phone in favor of a side button.
iPhone 15: processor and specs
The current iPhone 14 Pro’s A16 chip may be used in the basic iPhone 15, while the new A17 chip may only be available in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This seems to be the new distinction Apple has made between the regular and Pro versions of the iPhone, starting with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.
According to rumors, the A17 chips will be produced using a 3nm process by TSMC, a longtime supplier of semiconductors for the iPhone. The A17’s power consumption would increase as a result, and the amount of heat produced when using it would decrease. The 3nm A17 processor will also be 30% more power-efficient than the existing 5nm devices while having a 15% increase in speed and power. A more recent claim from MacRumors, however, indicates that Apple may actually convert from the N3B process to a N3E procedure over the next 12 months. This would save Apple money, but it would also result in a decline in efficiency. However, it’s not clear whether it’s too late to change the complete procedure, thus the iPhone 16 may be affected rather than the iPhone 15.
According to another report, the iPhone 15 Pro’s RAM may increase from 6GB to 8GB. The present 6GB RAM for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, albeit it might be the faster LPDDR5 RAM found in the iPhone 14 Pro models, may stay in place.
Although the base storage may vary depending on the features the iPhone 15 offers, storage capacity could be variable. The iPhone 14 Pro now has 1TB of top-tier storage, while the iPhone 15 Pro might have 2TB.
And although there were reports that Apple would be developing its own internal modem processors, the work has not yet yielded any fruit. It’s likely that Apple will continue to use Qualcomm modem chips in the iPhone 15.
Wi-Fi chip schematics for the iPhone 15 have been leaked, confirming that Apple will be moving to Wi-Fi 6E. The normal iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will continue to use Wi-Fi 6, as this will only apply to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unbeknownst to you, Wi-Fi 6E has more bandwidth, enabling quicker transmission speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity. The 6GHz band also offers a 1.2GHz spectrum, which would enable residential gigabit coverage for iPhone 15 Pro models.
According to a different rumor from The Elec, all iPhone 15 models will use the M12 material set, which is the most recent generation of materials for OLED panels.
iPhone 15: cameras
The only information we have on the camera is that Apple has been developing periscope lens technology, which might only be used on the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max variant. Additionally, the dual-camera setup is anticipated to continue on the standard iPhone 15, with lidar remaining a Pro-only feature.
You may acquire an optical zoom with a periscope lens that is more than what is currently available, such a 5x or 10x optical zoom. A periscope lens would be a substantial increase over the 3x optical zoom offered by the existing iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Yet again, it appears that the periscope feature will only be available on the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max.
It appears like you will need to wait till the iPhone 16 series of phones in order to acquire the periscope lens on a non-Pro Max iPhone without having to pay more money for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 series may have the periscope lens for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro, claims market insider Ming-Chi Kuo.
The iPhone 15 was said to include an 8P camera, which stands for “elements in the lens material,” according to earlier sources. The inclusion of a second component in the lens may, in theory, result in less distortion in the captured image. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst, claims that, at least with the iPhone 15, this does not seem to be the case.
iPhone 15: battery, charging, and USB-C
In an effort to limit e-waste, European regulations require a standard charger for all electronics, including the iPhone. Apple’s deadline to move to USB-C and abandon Lightning is 2024, but it may be able to get a head start by converting the iPhone 15 to USB-C in 2023.
Apple’s smartphone would more closely resemble the iPad and MacBook lines, which have largely been utilizing USB-C for some time, if it adopted USB-C. The last iPad generation still using Apple’s exclusive Lightning charger was the iPad 10th Gen (2022), which made the switch to USB-C last year.
The EU’s decision is supported by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated in mid-November that his “latest survey indicates all 2H23 new iPhones will abandon Lightning and change to USB-C.”
What’s intriguing is Kuo’s assertion that this change will only affect the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in terms of better data transfer speeds. Although the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will have a USB-C port, they will only be able to transfer data at the slower USB 2.0 speeds now supported by Lightning.
Even though the iPhone 15 will likely use USB-C, Apple may still implement an MFi program that is identical to the Lightning cable program. In order to get the fastest data transfer and charging rates for the iPhone, Apple might choose USB-C cables that are “optimized” for the device. This would be disappointing, but not at all unexpected.
By imposing such restrictions on its USB-C charging, Apple may be playing with fire and may find itself in legal issues with the EU once more. Maltese lawmaker Alex Agius Saliba tweeted, “Pity that today Apple rejected an invitation for an exchange of views to conform/deny that they are planning to bypass our rules by limiting charging speed to sell only their chargers.”
Even while the EU had not previously made any mention of charging speed for a required standard charging method, in this example, USB-C, things appear to have changed. Devices are now required to “ensure that any additional charging protocol allows the full functionality of the USB Power Delivery, irrespective of the charging device used.”
If Apple intends to limit charging speeds with USB-C cables that aren’t MFi, things could become complicated, but it appears like we’ll just have to wait and see how things turn out in the end. However, Apple does things that way.
The iPhone 15 will, however, enable 15-watt wireless fast charging from all wireless chargers, not just those that have received MagSafe certification, according to a recent report. According to a report from Weibo shared by a Korean news aggregate blogger, the iPhone 15 won’t require the certification for third-party wireless chargers to benefit from the faster charging speeds. Previously, wireless chargers needed official Made for MagSafe certifications to make the most of the phones’ 15W charging speeds.
iPhone 15: price prediction
According to rumors, the iPhone 15 Ultra would start at $1,200 or $1,300, which would be reasonable if the frame is constructed of titanium. As an illustration, Apple does charge more for a titanium Apple Watch than a stainless steel one, and there is a sizable premium over the standard aluminum one.
