In September 2022, Apple released the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, but the rumors about iPhone 15 had been going around about for a long time before that. The iPhone 15 won’t be out for a few more months, but Apple can’t keep its iPhone lineup a secret because it works with so many different companies.
There will be two iPhones with a 6.1-inch screen and two iPhones with a 6.7-inch screen. The iPhone 14 models are the same size as these. One of each size will be a regular iPhone 15, while the other two will be more expensive “Pro” models with more features.
The iPhone 15 Pro will have the best features, just like the iPhone 14. So far, rumors say that all models will have USB-C and that the standard iPhone 15 will get the Dynamic Island. Apple’s new devices will have modem chips from Qualcomm because Apple’s own modem chips aren’t ready yet.
The A16 chip in the regular iPhone 15 models will be improved, and the A17 chip in the iPhone 15 Pro models could be upgraded to 3-nanometer technology. The frames of pro models could be made of titanium, and their cameras could have periscope lens technology that would make zooming better.
Prices for the iPhone 15 models are likely to stay the same, with the basic 6.1-inch model starting at $799 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus starting at $899. This article covers everything we know about the iPhone 15, and our separate iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Table of Contents
Rumors on iPhone 15
USB-C for Charging
So far, the charging port on the iPhone has been the most talked-about design rumor. This is because the European Union has said that by 2024, all iPhones sold in the area must have a USB-C port. The question is whether Apple will change all iPhone models to USB-C or just the ones sold in the EU.
Apple already makes changes to iPhone models based on where they are sold, like it did with the iPhone 14: The SIM is electronic in the US version, but the SIM slot is still there in other versions. Avi Greengart, an analyst at Techsponential, thinks there are good reasons for Apple to switch all future iPhones to USB-C.
Greengart thinks it is more likely that Apple will switch all iPhones to USB-C around the time of the iPhone 16 to meet European regulations. This is because the power/data connector has a bigger effect on the ecosystem, security, and accessories.
Design
Several rumors about the design of the iPhone 15 say that it could be curved like the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The edges of Apple’s latest iPhones are flat, but leakers say that all three devices could have thinner, curved bezels, even though the screens will still be flat.
The last iPhone to have a screen with curved edges was the iPhone 11 Pro Max. In the same way, the bump that holds the camera on the back of the iPhone 15 could have a different look. Even though it’s bigger and thicker than before, the rumors haven’t told us how.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that at least some of Apple’s phones will use USB-C, even though there are still rumors about an iPhone without ports. We think it might be a Pro feature if one doesn’t have a port. Mark Gurman also said that the iPhone 15 will have USB-C and that there will be a model with no ports in the future, but he didn’t say when.
In another report, Gurman says that all iPhone 15 models will have the Dynamic Island. This could encourage more developers to make apps that work with the changing camera cutout/display feature, which would make it even more useful.
Expected Specs And Features
The A17 Bionic chipset might be in the Pro models, while the A16 Bionic chipset might be in the other models. USB-C could be in all four phones. Some of the most important things about the iPhone 15 are almost certain to be true.
One report, for example, says that Apple is making the iPhone 15’s 3nm A17 Bionic chip. We could have guessed this on our own, since the A16 Bionic is used in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max and 17 is one higher than 16.
On the other hand, one report goes into more depth. It says that the A17 Bionic should be more efficient than the A16 Bionic, which should help the battery last longer. But the older A15 Bionic chip was used in the iPhone 14, which was also used in the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
Another report says that this new trend of non-Pro phones using older chipsets may continue. This claim has been made to us more than once. In other words, the A16 Bionic chip might be in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
Processor
If Apple keeps doing what it did with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 15 will probably be the same as the one in the iPhone 14 Pro. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Pro is likely to have a brand-new A17 chip, which will keep it different from other iPhones. TSMC, which has been making chips for a long time, is likely to use new 3nm chips for these A17 chips.
This will probably make them use less electricity and make less heat when they are running. The 3nm process can speed up chips by up to 15% with the same amount of power or save 30% of that power at the same speed as 5nm. There have been rumors that the iPhone 15 Pro line could get a big update with the A17 and 8GB of RAM.
Battery and Camera
The periscope on the top model could have a camera built in. We might see that the main camera on all four phones has 48MP. On the camera front, we’ve heard that the Pro models might have periscope cameras that should make the telephoto zoom better.
But some people says that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will really be called the iPhone 15 Ultra, since Apple uses this suffix in other places, and that it will have more features than the iPhone 15 Pro. One important example is the camera.
The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to have the same telephoto zoom lens as the iPhone 14 Pro, but the iPhone 15 Ultra is said to have a periscope lens for even more zooming, likely around 5x. So the periscope snapper might only be on the best phone.
This is something we’ve heard from several different people, so it seems very likely. But it’s not clear if the phone with the periscope camera will be called the Ultra or the Pro Max. But that’s not the only way to improve a camera.
Another source says that the iPhone 15 line will use a new Sony sensor that is up-to-date, takes in more light than current sensors, and keeps photos from being too bright or too dark. Also, analyst Jeff Pu says that all four models might have a 48MP main sensor, which would be an upgrade for the two cheapest models.
We don’t know much about the battery yet, but one report says that Apple is working on a charging feature that would let you use your iPhone to wirelessly charge other devices, like an Apple Watch. This feature has been talked about for years, so don’t get too excited, but it could be added.
When Are the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Releasing?
The new iPhone 15 will probably be shown off early in September, probably on Tuesday, September 5 or 12, with a release date of September 15 or September 22. All signs point to the iPhone coming out this year in early September.
Apple announced the iPhone 14 line on September 6 and started taking pre-orders for it on September 9. Then, on September 16, people could buy them. A good guess for 2023 is that the iPhone 15 will be released on September 5.
Apple could also wait a week, announcing the product on September 12 and putting it on sale in stores on September 22. We have no reason to believe that the iPhone won’t come out in September like it always does.
Expected Price for the iPhone 15
The prices may be the same as they were last year. Except for the Plus, prices might go up instead of down. Again, we haven’t heard many leaks or rumors about the price, but the iPhone 14 range was a little more expensive than the equivalent iPhone 13 models. In 2023, when the iPhone 15 comes out, this could happen again.
There are four models of the iPhone 14, and here are the prices for the cheapest and most expensive ones: The iPhone 14 with 128GB of storage costs $799, £849, or AU$1,399. The iPhone 14 Pro Max 1TB costs $1,599, £749, or AU$2,769.
So, that’s the whole price range right now, even though there are many devices and storage options in between those points. As for the iPhone 15 line, one price rumor says that the iPhone 15 Ultra, a new phone that could replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max, will start at $1,199.
Based on how Apple usually sets its prices, this is likely to cost at most £1,309 or AU$2,099. If what the rumors are true, the next model would cost at least $100 more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which starts at $1,099/£1,199/AU$1,899.
That makes sense, especially since Apple has said that people will spend a lot of money on a phone. But a leak shows that the price of the iPhone 15 Plus might be less than the price of the iPhone 14 Plus. The iPhone 14 Plus isn’t selling very well, so this change is being made. For reference, the starting price for the iPhone 14 Plus is $899, £949, or AU$1,579.
Conclusion
Apple’s best phone has been called the Pro Max so far, but rumors say that could change this year. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg was the first to say that Apple might call the iPhone 15 Pro Max the iPhone 15 Ultra. This was done after the Apple Watch Ultra came out. It’s not clear what else might change, but there are rumors that the high-end iPhone 15 will have a new camera system that uses a periscope like the one described above. Gurman has since changed his mind about that prediction and said that the iPhone 15 Ultra might not come out this year but in 2024.
