iPhone 15 Series: Last Minute Rumors & Everything Expected
The iPhone 15 series will be unveiled during the upcoming Apple Event titled “Wonderlust” on September 12. Apple may have note yet revealed the new devices, however several reports have already given us a glimpse into what to expect from the iPhone 15 series. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has shared several details about the anticipated iPhones in his latest report.
iPhone 15 Series Names
According to Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to unveil four new iPhones as last year:
iPhone 15, at 6.1 inches
iPhone 15 Plus, at 6.7 inches
iPhone 15 Pro, at 6.1 inches
iPhone 15 Pro Max, at 6.7 inches
Gurman believes that Apple will stick to the naming pattern of the previous years and will not introduce an iPhone 15 Ultra as several sources have leaked.
Design Changes, New Colors & Weight
According to the information provided, it seems that the design language of the iPhone 15 series will largely resemble that of the iPhone 14 series. All four devices are expected to feature a slight curve on the edges of the iPhone's frame, which will make the devices more comfortable to hold.
The two non-pro devices are anticipated to retain an aluminum chassis and a glass back, similar to the iPhone 14. However, there will be a material change in the chassis of the two pro devices, with Apple opting to utilize titanium instead of stainless steel. Titanium has previously been used by Apple in the Apple Watch. While the back glass is expected to retain its matte looks and texture, the chassis of the pro devices will shift from a glossy finish to a matte one, due to the incorporation of titanium in the chassis.
As already mentioned above, the display sizes will remain the same as last year. However, the new Pro iPhones will incorporate even thinner bezels than the 14 Pro models, with a width that is approximately one-third narrower according to Mark Gurman. On the other hand, the regular 15 models are expected to have bezels similar to the ones we saw in the 14 Pro models. The iPhone 15 Series will mark the end of an era, as the notch on the non-pro models, which was introduced with the launch of the iPhone X back in 2017, will be ditched across the entire lineup. It will be replaced by the Dynamic Island, which was introduced last year with the 14 Pro models.
The utilization of Titanium will also contribute to reducing the weight of the Pro devices compared to their predecessors. According to Macrumors, the expected weights of the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are 188 grams and 221 grams respectively. In contrast, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max weighed 206 grams and 240 grams respectively.
For the very first time, Apple is anticipated to unveil an iPhone without a Mute Switch. In fact, Apple is gearing up to launch two new devices: the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, both featuring a novel "Action Button" reminiscent of the one utilized in the Apple Watch Ultra, replacing the age-old mute switch that has been in use for 15 years. This new Action Button is expected to be programmable, granting users the ability to swiftly modify settings without the need to unlock their device. As per Steve Moser, the Action Button could empower iPhone 15 Pro users to adjust various Accessibility settings, toggle between Mute and Unmute, access the camera, initiate shortcuts, activate the flashlight, employ the Magnifier, or initiate a Voice Memo.
The new iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus are expected to be released in 5 colors: pink, white, black, yellow and blue according to Mark Gurman, while the two Pro models in Blue, Grey, Silver and Black which means that the dummy units we recently saw represent the final colors selected for release by Apple. Other sources such as ShrimpApplePro and Unknownz21 have also mentioned that Apple has also tested other colors such as Green.
Mock Up of the alleged news colors
Rumored Specifications
Apple is also anticipated to ditch the Lightning port, which was introduced in 2012, in favor of a new USB-C port across all four devices as predicted in 2022 by Ming-Chi Kuo. This change is largely attributed to legislative changes in the European Union. Apple is expected to include the new cables in the box, and according to some rumors, these cables could be covered in colored, woven material matching the color of the iPhone.
Utilizing USB-C will not only alter the appearance of the iPhone's bottom but also introduce changes in the connection and charging speeds of the new devices. The non-Pro iPhones are expected to support USB 2.0, while the Pro iPhones will feature at least USB 3.2 or even Thunderbolt speeds just like the M1/M2-powered iPad Pro models.
Images of the alleged iPhone 15 had already been leaked by Uknownz21 on Twitter since February 2023. These images reveal the new USB-C port and the the curvature of the frame.
Concerning the display, all models are expected to maintain the technology used in the 2022 models: LTPO panels with a 120Hz variable refresh rate on the pro models and standard LTPS panels with 60Hz refresh rate for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, according to Ross Young.
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will probably be powered by the A16 Bionic chip from last year's Pro models, while the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max will be powered by the new A17 Bionic chip, which is expected to be based on TSMC's new 3nm node. The new chip will be more powerful and energy-efficient and will utilize a new Image Signal Processor (ISP) that powers the iPhone's computational photography capabilities. A17 Bionic is anticipated to have 6 CPU Cores and 6 GPU Cores. The new chip could bring a 3.70GHz maximum clock rate (A16 Bionic: 3.46GHz) and feature either 6GBs of LPDDR5 DRAM or 8GBs, as has been tested as well.
Apple is poised to unveil the new U2 chip, set to power all four upcoming iPhone models. Replacing the older U1, the brand new U2 ultra-wideband chip promises to enhance your iPhone’s location tracking accuracy and capabilities.
Cameras
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are anticipated to sport an upgraded primary wide-angle lens, boasting a 48MP sensor akin to the one found in the iPhone 14 Pro. This means the standard models will likely feature a new 2X "zoom point," mirroring last year's pro models.
As for the iPhone 15 Pro, it will maintain its existing three-lens camera setup. The primary wide-angle lens is set to incorporate the 48MP sensor, while the Ultra-wide and Telephoto lenses are expected to employ sensors with even higher megapixels than the previous iteration. An exclusive feature reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the introduction of a brand-new telephoto lens, anticipated to double the zoom capabilities, providing approximately 6X zoom (up from 3X last year).
This means that the zoom points for the iPhone 15 Series could be as follows:
iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus
0.5X
1.0X
2.0X
iPhone 15 Pro
0.5X
1.0X
2.0X
3.0X
iPhone 15 Pro Max
0.5X
1.0X
2.0X
6.0X
Pricing
The pricing for the iPhone 15 series is expected to stay consistent with that of the iPhone 14 series, with one notable exception. The introductory cost of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is anticipated to see a $100 hike compared to its forerunner. The base storage capacity is likely to remain at 128 gigabytes according to Macrumors, indicating that the inclusion of the periscope lens in this year's Pro Max model is responsible for the price increase. The prospective starting prices for the iPhone 15 series might appear as follows:
iPhone 15: $799
iPhone 15 Plus: $899
iPhone 15 Pro: $999
iPhone 15 Pro Max: $1,199
