Despite the fact that Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lineups were just released, there are numerous rumors circulating about the next iteration: the iPhone 15. It’s still early, as these devices aren’t expected to be released until fall 2023, but the rumor mill never stops.
Remember, everything we know so far is based on rumors and other media reports — nothing has been finalized yet, and it probably won’t be until we get closer to the typical new iPhone season in September. While you may be (rightly) skeptical of some rumors, they do point to the direction Apple is likely to take with the next iPhone.
iPhone 15 models
Though Apple introduced the iPhone mini with the iPhone 12 lineup and continued to use it with the iPhone 13 series, the mini was discontinued when the iPhone 14 was released. It was replaced by the larger iPhone 14 Plus, which went from a 5.4-inch screen to a massive 6.7-inch display (same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max), with the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro remaining at the previous generation’s 6.1-inch size.
Apple is expected to continue this with the iPhone 15 lineup, which will include an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Again, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are expected to have 6.1-inch displays, while the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max will have 6.7-inch displays.
However, the name of the iPhone 15 Pro Max may differ. According to rumors, the “Pro Max” moniker may be replaced with “Ultra,” similar to the Apple Watch Ultra.
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Processor and Specs
The standard iPhone 15 may use the A16 chip found in the iPhone 14 Pro, while the new A17 chip may be reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This appears to be Apple’s new method of distinguishing between standard and Pro iPhone models, which began with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lineup.
TSMC, a long-time supplier of iPhone chips, is said to be using a 3nm process for the A17 chips. This would make the A17 more energy efficient and reduce heat generated during operation. The 3nm A17 chip will also be 15% faster and have 30% more power savings than the current 5nm chips.
According to another report, the iPhone 15 Pro’s RAM could be increased from 6GB to 8GB. Storage capacity may also differ, though the baseline storage may be determined by the features offered by the iPhone 15. Though the iPhone 14 Pro’s top-tier storage is currently 1TB, the iPhone 15 Pro could be upgraded to 2TB. And, despite rumors that Apple was developing its own in-house modem chips, the efforts have so far yielded no results. Apple will almost certainly continue to use Qualcomm modem chips in the iPhone 15.
Design and Sizes
Those hoping for a drastic redesign of the iPhone may be disappointed, as the iPhone 15 may look similar to the iPhone 14. While the Dynamic Island pill-and-hole cutout was previously limited to iPhone 14 Pro models, Apple may be expanding it to all iPhone 15 models. If this is the case, the iPhone 15 will be the first iPhone lineup to do away with the notch entirely.
As previously stated, four iPhone 15 models are expected: the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max (or Ultra).
According to a recent report, the iPhone 15 may ditch the physical buttons in favor of haptic, solid-state power and volume controls. This would function in the same way as the iPhone 7 Home button. Instead of physically depressing when pressed, it would use haptic feedback to simulate how it would feel if a button was pressed.
If the report about solid-state buttons is correct, it would need two Taptic Engines on the left and right sides. Such a change would also have an impact on case compatibility; even if the iPhone 15 models were the same size and thickness as the iPhone 14 (including the camera bump), you’d need a case that allows for constant access to the haptic buttons.
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iPhone 15 cameras
The only thing we know about the camera is that Apple has been working on periscope lens technology, which may only be available on the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max model.
A periscope lens could provide optical zoom beyond what is currently available, such as 5x or 10x optical zoom. Because the current iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max only have 3x optical zoom, a periscope lens would be a significant improvement. However, it appears that only the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max will have periscope functionality. Previous rumors suggested that it would have an 8P camera, which refers to the number of elements within the lens material. In theory, having another element in the lens could aid in reducing image distortion in the final image. However, Ming-Chi Kuo claims that this does not appear to be the case — at least not with the iPhone 15.
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Battery and charging
In an effort to reduce e-waste, recent European regulations require a common charger for all electronics, including the iPhone. The deadline for Apple to transition to USB-C and eliminate Lightning is 2024, but Apple could get a head start by transitioning the iPhone 15 to USB-C in 2023. Given the regulations, it’s highly likely, but Apple could also wait until 2024.
The iPhone’s switch to USB-C would bring Apple’s smartphone in line with the iPad and MacBook lineups, which have mostly used USB-C for some time. The most recent iPad (2022) was the last iPad model to use Apple’s proprietary Lightning charger before switching to USB-C.
iPhone 15 release date and price
If Apple sticks to its usual iPhone release schedule, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro should be announced in September 2023. Prices should be comparable to those of the current iPhone 14 lineup, which starts at $799 for the iPhone 14, $899 for the iPhone 14 Plus, $999 for the iPhone 14 Pro, and $1,099 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Though many expected Apple to raise prices with the iPhone 14 models, this did not occur, at least not in the United States. So, unless the economy changes dramatically between now and next year, we should see the same prices for the iPhone 15.
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