Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 15 series in September. As the iPhone 14 comes mid-cycle, rumors about the next generation continue to ramp up. BGR gathered the most important rumors about the iPhone 15 models. Here’s what you need to know.
Leaks and CADs of the iPhone 15 models
Over February, we’re able to get a first look at the upcoming iPhone models. 9to5Mac got its hands on a 3D render of what to expect from the Pro iPhone, revealing thinner bezels, rounded edges, and, of course, a USB-C port instead of Lightning.
MacRumors, on the other hand, received a blurry image of what seems to be an actual iPhone 15 model. This regular version, as rumored, features Dynamic Island and a USB-C port as well.
During the first months of 2023, it was believed that the iPhone 15 Pro would feature unified solid buttons with haptic feedback. Then, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said Apple had scrapped these plans for 2023 due to technical difficulties. With that in mind, the Cupertino firm would maintain the buttons as they are, although the mute switch could turn into an Action Button, just like with the Apple Watch Ultra.
The image above shows the best look yet of what to expect for this year’s release.
Design: The Dynamic Island welcomes more people
According to display analyst Ross Young, Apple will bring the Dynamic Island to all iPhone 15 models. That said, it doesn’t mean all versions will have the Always-On display technology or ProMotion. Young believes these two features will keep exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro series.
According to analysts, adding Dynamic Island to the regular models will help Apple boost sales, as the standard iPhone 14 versions are selling worse than their predecessors.
About its finish, a rumor says the regular iPhone 15 models will feature a glass and aluminum finish, the Pro version glass and stainless steel, and the Pro Max – or Ultra – model will get a glass and titanium variant.
Twitter user ShrimpApplePro believes the Pro models will have thinner bezels and curved edges, similar to recent iterations of the Apple Watch. Another leaker says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinner bezels ever in a smartphone, as it will be just 1.55mm thin.
iPhone 15 colors
9to5Mac heard from its sources that Apple is testing a very dark red color for the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models. In addition, the publication says Apple is also testing light blue and pink for the upcoming regular iPhone 15 models. That said, if the company follows the trend, we could see these two colors alongside Midnight, Starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED.
In addition to this rumor, a leaker who accurately reported that Apple would release a yellow iPhone 14 model said the company is testing a cyan color for the regular iPhone 15 that would look similar to the green iPhone 12.
Here’s how the iPhone 15 series could look color-wise:
iPhone 15 colors:
- Light Blue;
- Pink;
- Cyan;
- Midnight;
- Starlight;
- (PRODUCT)RED.
iPhone 15 Pro colors:
- Graphite
- Natural Titanium
- Very Dark Red
A17 Bionic chip, RAM, and storage options
TrendForce says Apple will continue its strategy with two different chips for the new iPhones. According to the publication, the iPhone 15 Pro will feature the new A17 chip, while the regular versions will stick with the A16. All new models will get 8GB of RAM. Information about storage options is still unclear, although it doesn’t seem Apple will offer more than it already does.
In January, Bloomberg gave a bit more information regarding how the A17 Bionic chip will affect the iPhone 15 Pro models:
“TSMC said its 3nm processes offer better performance than its 5nm chips, while requiring about 35% less power,” reported Bloomberg.
Well-known Samsung leaker Ice Universe shared the purported A17 Bionic Geekbench 6 scores on Twitter. It might top 3000 points in single-core tests and almost reach 8,000 points in the multi-core test.
The regular iPhone 15 models will likely feature the current A16 Bionic chip available with the iPhone 14 Pro versions.
A dive into the iPhone 15 cameras
TrendForce says the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra version will finally get the long-rumored periscope lens. Analysts believe the periscope lens on the bigger iPhone could go up to 6x zoom.
Kuo says it was expected that this iPhone would get an 8P lens, but it doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. These plastic elements help the camera improve picture quality and reduce distortion, but it seems Apple will stick with the iPhone 14 Pro technology.
Regarding the regular iPhone 15 models, a note shared by Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research shows that Apple has learned from the poor iPhone 14 sales and will include an important feature to these phones:
Both iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are now expected to have a three-stacked sensor with a 48-megapixel wide lens. Currently, the 48-megapixel camera is exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro models. However, the midrange iPhone 15 models still won’t have a telephoto lens for optical zoom or a LiDAR scanner.
Pricing
According to a post by user yeux1122 on Naver, Apple could change how it differentiates the regular and the iPhone Pro lines, including making the regular phones cheaper. User yeux1122 has a mixed record of accurate leaks, but they also raise valid points.
They say Apple will set a different price, meaning it could cost less than what it currently costs. If that’s the case, the regular 6.1-inch model would also see a price decrease. Here are the rumored prices:
- iPhone 15: $699
- 15 Plus: $799
For the Pro models, analyst Jeff Pu says they could have a price increase due to inflation and new features, such as a titanium frame, the A17 Bionic chip, increased RAM, and a periscope lens for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. That said, the regular Pro model could start at $1,099 and the Pro Max at $1,199.
5G modem, USB-C, naming, and more coming to the iPhone 15
This last section will share a few tidbits about the upcoming iPhone 15 models. Here they are:
- Apple is expected to keep using Qualcomm’s 5G modem as it aims for a 2025 release of its in-house 5G chip;
- Apple said it would switch the iPhone to USB-C to comply with EU law. Rumors believe the USB-C port will be limited, as the company would require a Made for iPhone accessory for fast-charging and transferring data;
- The newest iPhones will feature Wi-Fi 6E – although it’s unclear if all models or only the Pro versions.
iPhone Ultra could be a whole new phone
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple is considering releasing an iPhone Ultra as a new entry to the iPhone series. That said, the company would offer regular, Pro, and Ultra versions. As of now, it’s unclear if this will start this year or the next one.
Gurman says Apple has discussed internally adding a higher-end iPhone to the top of its smartphone lineup. iPhone 15 rumors say the iPhone 15 Ultra would replace the Pro Max. But the journalist’s information indicates that the first Ultra iPhone will come with the 2025 model and sit above the Pro versions.
BGR will keep updating this article as we learn more about the new 2023 iPhone series.
