The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra (“Ultra” is rumored to replace “Pro Max”) release is nearly a year away, but there’s no shortage of rumors detailing Apple’s purported plans for the upcoming devices. As the iPhone 14 showed, Apple has deployed a new strategy for new iPhone flagships. The Pros always packed exclusive features that the more affordable models can’t offer. But the iPhone 14 series significantly increased the gap between the non-Pro and Pro models.
Next year’s series will deliver a similar approach. And we’ve already seen plenty of reports detailing the exclusive features that are coming to the more expensive iPhone 15 models.
In this roundup, we’ll cover seven features that are rumored to be exclusive to the Pro and Ultra, and that all sound very plausible.
iPhone 15 Pro’s brand-new A17 Bionic chip
Like the iPhone 14 series, next year’s iPhones should offer buyers a dual-chip strategy.
The new 3nm A17 Bionic System-on-Chip should equip the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra. The A16 that powers the iPhone 14 Pros will likely power the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.
Memory bump for the more expensive iPhones
A recent report from TrendForce indicated that the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra might feature 8GB of RAM instead of 6GB. The more expensive iPhones might need more memory to handle some advanced features. Speed test comparisons have shown that the iPhone 14’s SoC has no rival in the industry. But memory management could be a problem.
The more affordable models will probably rock 6GB of RAM, just like their predecessors.
Faster USB-C on iPhone 15 Pro
All iPhone 15 models should feature USB-C ports instead of Lightning. Apple has already confirmed that it plans to conform to the EU’s bill requiring smartphones to use USB-C for charging. But Apple never said that it would do so next year.
Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said recently that the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra will feature USB-C ports that support fast data transfers (USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3). But the cheaper models will only match the USB 2.0 speed of Lighting.
The first periscope zoom lens
According to rumors, Apple will also differentiate the iPhone 15 Pro from the Ultra. One unique Ultra feature might be a periscope lens to improve the zoom experience on iPhone.
In such a case, the iPhone 15 might be Apple’s first series to offer a periscope zoom experience, albeit only the more expensive Ultra.
Dual-selfie camera on iPhone 15 Ultra?
A recent report claimed that the iPhone 15 Ultra would also feature a better selfie camera experience than the smaller Pro. The most expensive iPhone 15 model will reportedly feature two cameras on the front. If the leak is accurate, this would be another first for the iPhone.
Solid-state buttons for the more expensive iPhones
Kuo said the iPhone 15 Pro models would feature solid-state volume and power buttons. The buttons would be similar to the MacBook’s trackpad, which doesn’t physically move. Apple is inching closer to a portless and buttonless iPhone design. Such a handset would likely be waterproof rather than just water-resistant.
The titanium case
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models have a stainless steel frame between the front and back layers of glass. The metal frame looks great, but it also makes the phones much heavier.
One way to reduce the weight without compromising durability is to switch to titanium. Apple already uses titanium enclosures on the Apple Watch Ultra. An insider claims that Apple wants to make the iPhone 15 Ultra out of titanium, which would be another exclusive feature for the Pro models.
That said, all these exclusive iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra features are just rumors at this time. We can’t confirm any of them, no matter how plausible they might sound. And Apple has plenty of time to change its mind until iPhone 15 manufacturing starts.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
