The iPhone 14 is a fascinating addition to Apple’s lineup of smartphones, delivering not just upgrades to the camera system but also distinctive features like built-in satellite communication and automobile collision detection. There is also the iPhone 14 Pro line, which has Apple’s brand-new Dynamic Island and always-on display technologies as well as the first 48Mp camera on an iPhone.
It won’t stop Apple from developing the next-generation iPhone in secret at Apple Park, of course.
What should you anticipate from Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15, then? Even though it’s very early, here is all we currently know, from early rumors about the specifications and features we anticipate the phones will have to conjecture about the phones’ release date and price.
Lear more about iPhone 14.
When will the iPhone 15 be released?
As Apple often updates its iPhone line on an annual basis and follows a very consistent timetable, we may anticipate the iPhone 15 to debut in September 2023.
From the launch of the iPhone 5 back in 2012, Apple has favored September unveilings for its flagship iPhone series, with the exception of the iPhone 12’s delayed release owing to the Coronavirus epidemic.
The iPhone 15 is reportedly already in trial production at Foxconn in China as of mid-January 2023, allowing manufacturers and Apple plenty of time to work out any manufacturing kinks before the device’s introduction later that year. It’s important to remember that this is around two weeks early than normal, providing Apple some extra time to work out any kinks and ensure there will be enough of stock available when the product launches.
How much will the iPhone 15 cost?
In the US, the iPhone 14 range’s price was comparable to that of the iPhone 13 range, but this isn’t the case in countries like the UK, where the ordinary iPhone 14 costs £70 more and the iPhone 14 Pro costs an additional £150 compared to last year.
- iPhone 14: From $799/£849
- iPhone 14 Plus: From $899/£949
- iPhone 14 Pro: From $999/£1,099
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: From $1,099/£1,199
Do we anticipate the same thing from the iPhone 15? Although it’s still too early to say for sure, Apple typically maintains prices at a roughly same level, despite the possibility that price rises similar to those in the UK this year might result from currency swings.
In reality, that is what rumors claim, however the price increase could only apply to the iPhone 15 Ultra, which is thought to be the Pro Max model’s new moniker.
Stream Leaks According to ApplePro, the iPhone 15 Ultra might begin at a higher $1,299 in the US. Although pricing for other areas wasn’t disclosed, it stands to reason that such rates would also be applicable here given that the 512GB iPhone 14 Pro retails for the same amount, which works out to £1,429 in the UK.
For UK fans, that may imply a potential hike of $200 (or £230), which is a bitter pill to take. The leaker claims that it isn’t finalized just yet and that Apple may also be considering a $1,199 price tag (about £1,309), even though it would still be an increase over the top-end model already on the market.
The leaker claims that a dual-lens selfie camera, an updated titanium frame, and 256GB of minimum storage, combined with inflation and an increase in production expenses, are to reason for the price increase, but for the time being, none of this is confirmed.
Tim Cook made it apparent that a price rise is at least conceivable when he spoke on an earnings call how fans are prepared to pay more for premium models.
In answer to a query on the hike in the average iPhone sales price, Cook stated, “I think people are prepared to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” which is likely to fuel speculation that this year’s iPhones may grow even more expensive.
What to expect from the iPhone 15 specs
Although the release of the next-generation iPhone is still quite a ways off, it hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from spinning. In fact, if early rumours are to be believed, the entire iPhone 15 line-up may be in for some significant alterations.
A refreshed design
It has been a while since Apple altered the design of its smartphone line, but that might change with the iPhone 15. The iPhone 14 series is undoubtedly premium-looking, but the same could be said about the almost similar iPhone 13 and iPhone 12.
The rumor was first spread on Twitter by leaker ShrimpApplePro, who claimed that the iPhone 15 will feature titanium sides, which would be a significant improvement over the stainless steel finish of the iPhone 14 Pro line. Don’t get too enthusiastic just soon; although Shrimp’s language led some to assume it would be accessible on all versions, other leaks indicate that it could be limited to the Pro variants.
ShrimpApplePro claims that the back edge of the sides of the phone will be rounded, allowing the frame to curve into the back of the phone and “creating a really lovely edge transition from the back to the camera bump,” which is hardly the largest design change rumored for the iPhone 15.
So the new iPhone 15
From the early information that I have, the iPhone 15 will feature a new border design. The back edge corner (as pointed out in the images) will be rounded and not square anymore.
The material also will be titanium.
Still very early to take it as it is. pic.twitter.com/hbdCKUhVP9— ShrimpApplePro 🍤 Vtuber (@VNchocoTaco) November 20, 2022
The leaker advised us to “accept it as it is,” which is simply another way of saying, “with a large bucket of salt,” and later remarks from LeaksApplePro, another leaker, hint that it’s far from final. Speaking to Forbes in December 2022, they assert that although the transition to curved edges is now being “strongly considered” by the Apple team, the decision has not yet been made.
Shrimp has since tweeted that the iPhone 15 series will have a “new camera bump,” but he makes no more mention of what it would be or whence he got the information. Thus if we previously need a large quantity of salt, perhaps a boulder would be more appropriate at this time.
According to Forbes, the design’s uncertainty at this stage of the smartphone’s development is unusual because it should have been finalized by now. However, this uncertainty may be exacerbated by the current supply chain uncertainties at Apple, which could make it more difficult to implement than usual.
Thus, even though Apple may desire the iPhone 15 to have a new design, it appears that the supply chain will ultimately determine what happens.
The switch to USB-C
For years, Apple has resisted adopting USB-C for its iPhone lineup, despite doing so for its iPad lineup. However, under increasing pressure from the EU and a new law requiring smartphone manufacturers to adopt USB-C by December 27, 2024, it appears Apple is finally giving in – though it’s not particularly happy about it.
Greg Joswiak, senior VP of international marketing at Apple, discussed the new rule in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in October 2022 and admitted defeat.
“Governments get to do what they want, and obviously we’ll have to comply, we have no option,” he stated when questioned about the new law.
But Joswiak declined to comment on when the iPhone will make the changeover, research company TrendForce believes it might come in next year’s lineup, well ahead of the 2024 deadline.
There is conjecture that Apple may exclusively ship USB-C-enabled versions to EU nations — it sells an e-SIM-specific form of the iPhone 14 in the US, so it’s not an unfamiliar notion – but it’s more probable that Apple will just make the move globally to avoid charging confusion among different models.
Ming-Chi Kuo believes that all of this year’s new iPhones will use USB-C (suggesting the same approach globally), but adds a fun twist: only the Pro and Max will support high speed data transfer equivalent to USB 3.2 or faster, with the two regular models limited to the same USB 2.0 speeds that Lightning was. Most users won’t be transmitting enough data via USB-C to notice, but it’s an unusual requirement to cut.
Curiously, one source on the Chinese social media platform Weibo claims that Apple would incorporate an authenticator chip inside the iPhones’ USB-C ports, which may be used to limit performance or restrict functionality with USB-C connections and devices that haven’t been authorized by Apple.
It would not be unprecedented, given the corporation already performs the same thing with Lightning. Nevertheless, there may be some concerns about whether this breaches the EU’s universal compatibility requirements, and it’s also worth noting that the business currently has USB-C connections in some iPads and MacBooks without employing any such identification chips.
Dynamic Island for all
The iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island, or revised Face ID cut-out, is certainly one of its standout features, but it may not be a Pro exclusive for long.
Apple aims to deploy the new Dynamic Island technology across the whole iPhone 15 lineup next year, according to display industry source Ross Young.
Young stated in response to a tweet on the matter in September 2022, “Dynamic Island expected on basic models on the 15,” while those looking for a leap to 120Hz may be disappointed, as the “supply chain can’t sustain it.”
@DSCCRoss any display news on the iPhone 15 range? Surely 120Hz cannot remain a Pro exclusive, and the pill must come to standard models if Apple wants wholesale developer adoption.
— Gordon Kelly (@GordonKelly) September 18, 2022
Instead, Young anticipates that the 120Hz LTPO display technology would debut on ordinary versions in 2024, most likely with the iPhone 16.
Young has supplied an incredible amount of display-related leaks in recent years – he was among the first to hint three sizes of Apple Watch, and he was spot on with Apple’s Dynamic Island the first time around – so he’s definitely a source worth paying attention to.
It’s also worth mentioning that Apple leaker Mark Gurman concurs with Young’s prognosis, stating in the January 2023 issue of his Power Up! newsletter that both regular variants of the iPhone 15 would receive the Dynamic Island upgrade later this year.
Leaking Shrimp ApplePro believes in Dynamic Island for everyone, adding that all phones in the series will have a little curved bezel around the screen – so while the display itself will be flat, the very edges will have a slight curvature – and that the Pro versions would have a narrower bezel than previously.
Further updates for the Pro versions are possible, according to leaker @chunvn8888, who claims that those phones are in the works with new Samsung M13 panels – but there’s no word on what specs those screens would have.
Improved cameras
While the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max received major camera improvements with the addition of a new 48Mp sensor, the standard iPhone 14 launched with the same 12Mp snapper as the iPhone 13. If rumors are to be believed, the iPhone 15 will change all of that.
According to Haitong Intl Tech Research analyst Jeff Pu, Apple intends to introduce the same primary 48Mp sensor as the iPhone 14 Pro range to the ordinary iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. With the new primary lens’s quad-pixel technology, second-generation sensor-shift OIS, and great low-light shooting advancements, it’s a welcome upgrade to the basic iPhone 15.
While it won’t be able to compete with the iPhone 15 Pro camera range due to the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens, the primary 48Mp snapper should be able to give a 2x digital zoom with no discernible reduction in quality, allowing customers greater versatility in their shooting.
The iPhone 15 Ultra
While the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max now share the same feature set, this wasn’t always the case. In actuality, there were small distinctions in Apple’s Pro smartphone lineup until the launching of the iPhone 13 Pro range.
Similarly to how the 12.9in iPad Pro offers somewhat more premium features than the 11in model, the iPhone Pro Max has generally featured slightly superior specifications, usually in the photography department.
According to rumors, this will be the case again with the iPhone 15 Pro versions – and Apple may even go so far as to entirely rebrand the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to propose further distinction between Pro models. On Twitter, the analyst predicts that Apple will “start establishing distinction between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro” in order to increase orders for Apple’s Pro devices.
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I believe Apple will create more differentiation between iPhone 15 Pros and iPhone 15 standard models to increase Pro shipment allocation and the new iPhone ASP.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) September 9, 2022
While Kuo did not go so far as to speculate on what those main distinctions may be, projections from TrendForce experts give us a reasonable indication.
According to an October 2022 news release, the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and just the Pro Max) would have a new periscope lens that enables for up to 10x magnification – a significant improvement above the 3x zoom now seen on the iPhone 14 Pro range. It’s not exactly new technology – periscope lenses have been around for a while on Android – but it will be a first on an Apple gadget.
This was later confirmed by The Elec in January 2023, implying that Apple is obtaining OIS actuators for the periscope lens from LG Innotek and Jahwa Electronics, the latter of which is also rumored to supply components for Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 series.
Trendforce also predicts that both Pro versions will have 8GB of RAM instead of the current 6GB, and that, like with this year, only the Pro models will have Apple’s new processor, probably the A17 Bionic.
One minor distinction comes from leaker Unknownz21, who discovered an antennae schematic that purports to suggest that the Pro versions will be upgraded to the faster and more reliable Wi-Fi 6E standard this year, while the two cheaper phones will not. It won’t matter much unless you have a Wi-Fi 6E router – or routinely connect to one at work, maybe – but it’s a key piece of future-proofing that Apple is already lagging behind the competition on, and only the Pro models appear to be catching up.
LeaksApplePro believes : the iPhone 15 Ultra might possibly include a dual front-facing camera, start at 256GB of storage, and include a Thunderbolt 4-powered USB-C connector for super rapid data transfer. The leaker also claims that Apple is only contemplating one color for the top-tier iPhone – the same as the Apple Watch Ultra – with the leaker’s private source yet to see any other color options within Apple Park.
The name change was suggested by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. He speculates that Apple may rebrand the Pro Max as the iPhone 15 Ultra in order to better differentiate it from the rest of the iPhone lineup, just like the Apple Watch Ultra is above and above what the normal Apple Watch Series 8 offers.
Like I said yesterday: Ultra is coming. https://t.co/IrZUBHlLN2
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 9, 2022
Gurman has recently claimed on Bloomberg that there is another possibility: the Ultra will be a fifth iPhone model, topping both the Pro and Pro Max. “Internally,” he adds, “the corporation has contemplated doing precisely that, maybe in time for the 2024 iPhone release.”
Look bo, no buttons
One of the more bizarre ideas is that certain iPhone 15 models will have no buttons at all.
That potential stems from an Apple patent for buttonless cellphones, which mentions how the technology may be utilized in both a standard phone and a future folding iPhone.
The patent provides not just the technical intricacies of how this may be accomplished, but also the practical aspects:
“Touch input on sidewalls [could] be used as a control for a camera (e.g., a virtual shutter button input),” according to the patent, “may be used as input in other virtual button scenarios, may be used in implementing a volume slider button or a slider button for controlling other device operations (e.g., screen brightness, color settings, contrast settings, and so on).”
Of course, just because a patent is filed doesn’t imply the technology will be available in a phone anytime soon, and the iPhone 15 series looks unusually close for a huge leap like this – unless Apple has something truly spectacular in store for that Ultra model.
