We’ve based our unofficial iPhone 15 series curtain-raiser on the most reliable rumors.
The iPhone 15 lineup is anticipated to launch in the fall of 2023, but many questions regarding Apple’s upcoming smartphone need to be answered. A USB-C port will the iPhone 15 have? Will Apple raise the price of the iPhone in 2023? Any mention of what the “iPhone 15” will it receive? Nobody outside of Apple knows, but until Apple holds its subsequent iPhone event, the rumor mill will pique our interest. Here are some of the most significant and reliable rumors we’ve heard so far to give you an idea of what the iPhone 15 might look like.
iPhone 15: Launch and release timeline
Since Apple typically holds its annual iPhone event in September, we expect the timeline to be the same for the iPhone 15. Soon after that, usually on the Friday of the following week, new iPhones are released. Apple occasionally defers the release of certain models, particularly when introducing a new design or size. Therefore, there might be multiple release dates for the iPhone 15 lineup.
iPhone 15 design: Dynamic Island expands to all models
With the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple will keep selling four different iPhone models. According to rumors, all models will have a similar look, except that the Dynamic Island cutout from the iPhone 14 Pro is expected to appear on all of them.
This rumor originates from display analyst Ross Young, who also stated in a September tweet that the supply chain prevents base iPhone 15 models from having a higher refresh rate than Apple’s Pro iPhones.
iPhone 15 design: Embracing USB-C charging
Given that iPhones sold in the European Union must switch to a USB-C port by 2024, the charging port of the iPhone has generated the most buzz among design rumors so far. Whether Apple will upgrade all iPhone models to USB-C or just those offered in the EU is the subject of debate. Apple already makes regional modifications to its iPhone models, as seen with the iPhone 14: While other variations still have a SIM slot, the US version has an electronic SIM.
However, Avi Greengart, a Techsponential analyst, thinks Apple has good reasons to switch all future iPhones to USB-C. To comply with European regulations, Greengart believes it is more likely that Apple will switch all iPhones [globally] to USB-C in the iPhone 16 timeframe. This is because there are more ecosystem, security, and accessory considerations with the power/data connector.
iPhone 15: Solid-state buttons come to pro-iPhone 15 models
In the upcoming years, noted Apple watcher Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, anticipates that Apple will further differentiate between its base and Pro models. In October, he tweeted that he anticipates that to happen by replacing the standard keys found on today’s devices with solid-state volume and power buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models.
With the aid of haptic feedback, the solid-state buttons, which according to Kuo, will resemble the home button found on the iPhone SE and iPhone 7, simulate the sensation of pressing a button. This type of button’s obvious benefit is preventing water from entering.
iPhone 15 price: Up, up, and away?
Since the 2007 release of the first iPhone, prices have skyrocketed. And that might occur once more in 2023 with the iPhone 15, but differently than you expect. It is currently anticipated that the cost of the standard iPhone 15 will remain the same.
However, if rumors about a luxurious iPhone 15 Ultra are accurate, the price range’s upper limit might be raised. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the rumored Ultra model might replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max in 2019. This is consistent with Kuo’s predictions that Apple would further differentiate between the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models. The entry-level iPhone 14 model with 128GB of storage costs $829, while the most expensive iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1TB of storage costs $1,599.
iPhone 15 camera: Periscope-style telephoto lens arrives
Another Kuo prediction has been circulating, but this time it relates to the iPhone 15’s camera. The analyst predicts that a periscope-style telephoto lens will be included with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This telephoto lens makes higher optical zoom levels possible, with Kuo predicting that the iPhone 15 Pro Max may feature a 6x optical zoom. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 3x optical zoom falls short of competitors’ 10x optical zoom models like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
