Apple will unveil the iPhone 15 series in early September, which means we have about a month to go through a plethora of last-minute leaks and rumors that will probably verify all the previous leaks so far. A new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recaps the novelties Apple has planned for this year’s iPhone series, with the reporter calling the iPhone 15 series the biggest iPhone update since Apple added 5G support to iPhone three years ago. The use of titanium for the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max is one of the upgrades mentioned in the report.
I’d pay more for the iPhone 15 Pro just for that titanium case. And yes, Gurman mentions the price hikes for the iPhone 15 Pro models without ruling out price changes for the base models in international markets.
I listed recently six little things I appreciate about the iPhone 15 Pro, based on the recurring rumors we’re seeing. The titanium chassis was one of them, as I believe titanium might fix one of the worst things about the iPhone 14 Pro, which I currently own: The weight.
At the time, I thought the titanium case would be restricted to the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max model, a phone size I don’t like. The titanium case paired with the new telephoto camera could be a differentiating factor that would help Apple explain a bigger price hike for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Rumors say the iPhone 15 might be $100 more expensive than its predecessor. The new Pro Max might get an up to $200 price hike.
Gurman says in his Power On newsletter that the iPhone 15 series will help Apple get closer to manufacturing the iPhone of its dreams. A truly all-screen phone with no borders around the displays and no cutouts for cameras and sensors. Frankly, that’s the iPhone of our dreams as well.
In addition to bringing the Dynamic Island to iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple will reduce the bezels of both Pro models with the help of new tech for OLED screen manufacturing. The low-injection pressure over-molding, or “LIPO,” processes will help reduce the bezels from 2.2mm to 1.5mm.
But Gurman also mentioned the use of titanium for the Pro handsets. This has nothing to do with Apple’s dream of an all-screen iPhone. But it should improve the iPhone experience nonetheless.
Gurman says that both iPhone 15 Pro models will get titanium frames. Titanium is lighter and “more premium,” with Apple having used the metal in the Apple Watch design as a test for bringing it to the iPhone.
Another interesting design detail concerns the insides of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple has redesigned the internals so the iPhone 15 Pros are easier to repair. They’ll be similar to the iPhone 14 chassis in that regard. And that’s another important detail concerning the titanium frame.
The reporter also notes the iPhone 15 Pro models will retain the frosted glass back of the previous model. But the phone edges won’t be as sharp.
The report notes other upgrades for the iPhone 15 series. All models will get USB-C connectivity, but only the Pros will feature faster data transfer speeds. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will also get a major camera upgrade, including updated lenses and better zoom. The latter is probably an indication that Apple will use periscope lenses for the first time, although Gurman doesn’t mention periscope cameras specifically.
Finally, the Bloomberg reporter mentions the replacement of the mute switch with an Action button on both iPhone 15 Pro models. The customizable button would resemble the touchpad of MacBooks. It’ll make you feel like you’re pressing a button when, in reality, you aren’t.
With all that in mind, any iPhone fan would expect price hikes for the iPhone 15 series. Gurman mentions “minor price increases across all four models outside of the US.” The iPhone 14 series already came with price hikes last year, while Apple kept the iPhone 13 price structure in the US.
He also says that a price increase in the US can’t be ruled out, “at least for some of the pro models.” The titanium frame and the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max camera system are reasons for that. Gurman says that Apple charges $100 more for the titanium Apple Watch than the stainless steel models.
While I might not upgrade to the iPhone 15/Pro this year, I’m thrilled to see Apple switch to titanium. That means my next iPhone upgrade will come with a titanium case, and I’ll gladly pay more for it. After all, we might hate the iPhone price hikes, but we will accept them.
