The iPhone 15 is capped to bring some significant changes in terms of design and features, and we’re tracking all the rumours and leaks for the new iPhones.
It looks like Apple will finally embrace USB-C charging and ditch the Lightning port. We might also see the iPhone 15 feature a rounded design to make it more comfortable to hold.
It also looks like Apple will keep a very large division between the regular and Pro models, as only the iPhone 15 Pro series is said to get a new periscope zoom lens. There’s even a rumour that we could see a totally new iPhone 15 Ultra, which could take the iPhone Pro series to another level with a super durable titanium design. But we’ve also heard the iPhone Ultra not happen until 2024.
Here’s a sneak peek into everything we know about the iPhone 15 so far.
iPhone 15 news as of now
Analyst says Apple is going to require USB-C accessories to be certified if they’re to charge at full speed.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could feature a titanium design, and we break down why that’s a big deal.
An analyst says that the iPhone 15 Pro models will cost more this fall.
Benchmarks for the A17 Bionic chip suggest the iPhone 15 Pro will be incredibly powerful.
iPhone 15 release date predictions
In the last decade, Apple has only announced its new flagship smartphones outside of September once: October 2020, amid a once-in-a-generation pandemic that compelled stay-at-home orders and disrupted tech supply chains.
As such, it is highly likely that the iPhone 15 will arrive in September 2023. Typically Apple announces its phones about ten days before they’re released, with pre-orders opening a week ahead of go-time. One source claims it could be September 22/23 specifically we see the iPhone 15 go on sale.
There is a slight wrinkle now, however. Trial production reportedly began for the iPhone 15 line-up and that January start date is a month earlier than it has been in the past. This seems to be due to Apple’s mass-production plans in India and China rather than an indication that we will see an iPhone earlier than usual, but we cannot predict it for sure. Still, we expect a September unveiling for the iPhone 15 until someone convinces us otherwise.
Design rumours about iPhone 15
Several designs have been leaked for the iPhone 15 suggesting that it could deliver the curved design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max back again. Apple is having a flat-edge design on its latest iPhones, but now the leakers say that while the display will remain flat, all three devices could have a thinner, curved bezel. The last iPhone to have a curved-edge display was the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Similarly, the camera bump on the back side of the iPhone 15 might also have a new design. The rumours are yet to tell us about it is larger and thicker than before.
The display itself might also have a slight slant for it to work with the new design. As a result, it could be hard to apply after-market screen protectors.
It is said that possibly all iPhone 15 models will get the Dynamic Island, which got backed up by professed real-life photos of the standard iPhone 15. This could see more developers get prompted to make apps that restyle to the morphing camera cut-out/display feature, further adding to its abilities. The same applies to fresh CAD-based renders for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which apparently might show off the phone’s dimensions and it has slightly thicker sides but a smaller camera module. And teases the presence of solid-state or haptic buttons. It is still not clear if those new buttons could come to the entry-level iPhone 15, or if they will be exclusive to the Pro range.
It is yet not clear whether Apple will introduce reverse wireless charging in the iPhone 15. The iPhone 11 Pro Max was the first ever model by Apple to have the right hardware for reverse wireless charging and albeit deactivated. A report from 9to5Mac claims that development of the feature is still happening, but it’s not straight clear if and when it may arrive.
An iPhone 15 Pro render from 4RMD has taken these potential design changes and spun them into a concept that looks great even though it’s just based on rumours. It shows off the haptic power and volume buttons, a smaller Ceramic Shield back panel to allow for a curved-edge design and a titanium body all make their way into this latest render. While ultimately the real iPhone 15 Pro will probably look a bit different, the concept definitely has us excited for what could be coming.
We have a breakdown of why an iPhone 15 Pro with titanium would be a big deal, and it’s not just because it’s lighter than aluminium.
iPhone 15 camera
One of the earliest rumours of the iPhone 15 includes an upgrade to a new camera. After raising the megapixels bar to 48MP on the iPhone 14 Pro models, also, it is said that the iPhone 15 might finally get a periscope camera for better long-range photography and zoom capabilities, supposedly along with improved lenses for better quality photos. This is something that Android handsets in our best camera phones list have done for some time, and it would be great to see Apple finally offering this. Though, as ever, we’d be very surprised if this wasn’t initially Pro only if it arrives in 2023 at all.
Analysts believe that the basic iPhone 15 might get a Pro-like camera this time. In a note, they mention, “They will have main cameras upgraded to 48MP with image sensor size at 1/1.5” (slightly smaller than the iPhone 14 Pro’s 48MP sensor size, but much better than i14’s 12MP one)”. Speaking of ‘Pro’ differentiation, the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that Apple will give its Pro models some brilliant features and could be looking to upsell its larger 6.7-inch handsets with exclusive features over the smaller models. What these could be was left open to speculation at this point, but it’s possible that a periscope camera could be an iPhone 15 Pro Max-only feature in an effort to upsell.
However, Kuo has said not to expect a new 8P, or eight-element lens, for the iPhone 15 Pro’s main camera, which was previously rumoured. Instead, the iPhone 15 Pro will stick with a 7P lens. More elements in a lens could result in more light being absorbed into the lens and less distortion in images, which could be necessary for wide-angle lenses.
A report from Nikkei claims that Apple will work with Sony on the iPhone 15’s main camera, with the Cupertino phone maker allegedly opting for Sony’s new “state-of-the-art” sensor. This new part can supposedly double the pixel saturation, which means that the iPhone 15 might have much better exposure controls. This has been a relative weakness of the iPhones thus far, so it would be good to see Apple tackle it. The report did not say if this will be a Pro/Ultra exclusive or not.
One upgrade could be on the way for the iPhone 15 Pro’s LiDAR sensor too. Apple’s apparently moving suppliers for the AR/portrait mode auxiliary sensor will apparently mean enhanced efficiency or better performance for those specific camera modes.
iPhone 15 software
We might expect the iPhone 15 to ship at the same time iOS 17 comes out. If Apple follows its well-established pattern of software updates, we’ll get a preview at June’s Worldwide Developer Conference that shows off what’s new in iOS 17. A public beta will take place during the summer, leading up to a full release in the fall. Details about iOS 17 changes are infrequent at the moment. The biggest rumours suggest an overhaul to IMessage, as Apple also opens up the iPhone to third-party app stores. One report claims iOS 17 may look more scaled-back than recent iOS updates, as Apple puts resources into its efforts to release a VR/AR headset this year.
iPhone 15 outlook
It’s still early days for iPhone 15 rumours, but nobody ever went broke by betting on Apple. The expected introduction of USB-C could tempt those yet to fall for the charms of iOS, while the anticipated gains of the 3nm A17 chip could cement the already commanding lead Apple has over the best Android phones in terms of raw speed.
A possible increase in price is a big worry, and we would like to hear more firm rumours about improvements to the cameras, but considering we’re several months away from the iPhone 15’s release date at this point, there’s plenty of time for more exciting speculation to emerge.
iPhone 15 and USB-C
The biggest iPhone15 design rumour so far is that 2023 is the year when Apple finally abandons the Lightning port on its phones. This isn’t wholly surprising: not only has the company adopted the connection for its laptops and tablets, but the European Union has officially mandated that all phones will have to use USB-C by 2024.
Apple has already confirmed the change is coming, and all that’s left to decide is if it’s included in the iPhone 15 to get ahead of the 2024 deadline or if Apple puts off the move to next year’s phones.
As every model of iPhone had uplifted the market, there are a lot of expectations bonded with the iPhone 15. We are sure it is going to be mind-blowing and more efficient compared to the previous models. With many more new significant feature updates, it is already hyping up the market like never before. The rumours might be true, or might not be true, but the design, camera, features, and user experience are obviously going to rock.
