As we look forward to another year, the internet is buzzing with details about the upcoming iPhone 15 series. Apple usually releases a new iPhone in September, and the same is expected this year as well. Though the iPhone 15 launch date is a good nine months away, the rumor mill is already hot and heavy with leaks and rumors of what to expect from the upcoming lineup. The latest reports suggest that the iPhone 15 will come with an all-new design, a USB-C port, and a range of other cool features. If you are planning to upgrade to iPhone 15 this year, we have compiled the most recent rumors about features, variants, design, and the expected price of the iPhone 15 series. So let’s not waste any time and dive right in!
2023 is set to be a big year for iPhones as Apple has officially confirmed that it will finally include a USB-C charging port in iPhones. Let’s see what other big changes are coming to the iPhone series in 2023.
iPhone 15: VariantsiPhone 15: Price (Expected)iPhone 15: Release DateiPhone 15: Design Leaks
Dynamic Island on All iPhonesTitanium FrameButton-less iPhone?Curved Edges are Back!USB-C Charging PortiPhone 15: Specifications
A17 Bionic Chip (3nm)B RAM on Pro ModelsQualcomm 5G Modem, Wi-Fi 6EPeriscope CameraFaster Data TransferiPhone 15 Series: Comparison
Dynamic Island on All iPhonesTitanium FrameButton-less iPhone?Curved Edges are Back!USB-C Charging Port
A17 Bionic Chip (3nm)B RAM on Pro ModelsQualcomm 5G Modem, Wi-Fi 6EPeriscope CameraFaster Data Transfer
iPhone 15: Variants
Notable Apple analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman have confirmed that Apple will not change the number of iPhones in its upcoming lineup. Like last year, the company will continue to launch four different iPhone variants in 2023 with different screen sizes.
- iPhone 15 (6.1-inch display)iPhone 15 Plus (6.7-inch display)iPhone 15 Pro (6.1-inch display)iPhone 15 Ultra (6.7-inch display)
Like last year, we will not see any iPhone mini model in 2023, as Apple has shelved it altogether because of unsatisfactory response from users.
Before we delve into the features, here comes the most interesting part — the pricing of the iPhone 15 series! As per leaker LeaksApplePro (via HowToiSolve) and a recent Weibo post, Apple is expected to increase the prices of the iPhone 15 Pro models to have a clear distinction between vanilla and Pro lineups.
Well, the rumors of a price increase surfaced before the launch of the iPhone 14 series too, but they didn’t turn out to be true. Since 2017, Apple has capped the price of its base model flagship iPhones at $999, and it could follow the trend this year as well. It is early to predict the final prices of this year’s iPhone models.
iPhone 15: Release Date
It is no surprise that Apple follows a trend while releasing new iPhones. Usually, the ‘fall event’ where Apple unveiled the new iPhones is scheduled for September, with the iPhone 12 series being the only exception (October launch) due to the pandemic. And if history is any indication, the iPhone 15 will likely release in the second week of September 2023. There have been no leaks for the release date just yet, but we will update this article if we learn anything.
Dynamic Island on All iPhones
If you are expecting a radical design shift from the iPhone 14 series, you are in for a disappointment as Apple is likely to continue with the same form factor and design as iPhone 14 series. One huge change that we could possibly see this year is the extension of the new pill-shaped Dynamic Island to all iPhone 15 variants. In his newsletter, Gurman mentioned that Apple’s new take on the iPhone notch (aka Dynamic Island) will be available on all four iPhone models this year.
It is basically confirmed that TouchID is not making a return to iPhones any time soon, and it will take a few years until we see Apple add a fingerprint sensor on iPhones again.
Another design change that’s rumored for the iPhone 15 series is a titanium frame for Pro models. Tech analyst Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo have weighed in that Apple will switch to a titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra) models from the stainless steel frame they currently use. This will help the company reduce the weight of its high-end iPhone models.
Button-less iPhone?
As Apple pushes to widen the gap between the standard and Pro iPhone models, reports have emerged that iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max will come with solid state power and volume buttons, similar to the home button of the iPhone 8. Apple will reportedly also include two additional Taptic engines to support the haptic feedback from these solid state buttons.
Apple adopted flatter edges with the release of the iPhone 12 series back in 2020, and the design has remained pretty much the same with last year’s iPhone 14 series as well. But, a rumor dating back to November last year suggested that we could see rounded edges return with the iPhone 15 series. And recently we have seen even more coverage about the curved edges on the Apple iPhone 15.
A rather forced change that Apple has to mandatorily bring to the iPhone 15 this year is the USB-C port instead of its proprietary lightning charging port. This will not bring a major design change but will be one of the highlight features of the iPhones this year.
While iPhone 15’s design changes don’t seem to be much substantial, let’s take a look at the rumored specifications of the upcoming iPhone lineup.
Apple will likely follow last year’s trend to clearly differentiate between the Pro and non-Pro iPhone models. That means iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will be powered by last year’s flagship chipset, i.e. Apple A16 Bionic. Whereas the Pro variants, iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, will be fitted with the new Apple A17 Bionic chip.
Trendforce has revealed that iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will not receive the upcoming A17 chip, instead they will include an upgraded version of the A16 Bionic in the 14 Pro series. On the other hand, Apple’s A17 Bionic chipset will be a big breakthrough as it’s expected to be based on TSMC’s 3nm architecture, which promises considerable performance gains and improved power efficiency.
As per Trendforce’s press release, Apple will bump up the amount of RAM on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. The upcoming top-end iPhones will feature 8GB RAM to compliment the 3nm A17 chip, as compared to 6GB RAM in iPhone 14 Pro models. Standard iPhone variants will continue to include 6GB RAM, as per leaks.
Also, the Cupertino giant will not be able to produce its long-rumored in-house 5G modem chips in time for iPhone 15 series, and this year’s models will likely feature the Qualcomm X70 5G modem (same as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset). Earlier, it was reported that Apple is planning to start mass production of its custom 5G modems in 2023, but Bloomberg reports that the company’s modem team is currently facing overheating issues, which has led to a snag.
[UPDATE | 26th January 2023, 11:30 PM PST]: In an official Medium post, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared another new feature coming to the iPhone 15 series – Wi-Fi 6E. Yeah, the upcoming iPhones will adopt the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which has been available on the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro since last year. Also, the new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models also support this wireless standard.
In addition to the USB-C port, the biggest upgrade in this year’s lineup could be the cameras on Pro models. In 2022, Apple included a new 48MP sensor in the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. This year, the company is expected to take a step further in the camera department with a telephoto periscope lens. The new lens will bring improved optical zoom to iPhones.
Another major feature that has been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro series is faster wired data transfer, which will be facilitated by the new USB-C port with USB 3.2 support. As per Ming-Chi Kuo (via tweet), Apple will replace its proprietary lightning port on 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (or Ultra) with USB-C port with USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 support.
iPhone 15 Series: Comparison
As per current rumors, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 series is shaping out to be a good upgrade over the current generation iPhones. With a new USB-C port, new periscope telephoto lens, increased RAM and performance oriented 3nm A-series chips, Apple is on course to deliver another set of successful devices that will attract masses. To sum up, here’s all you need to know about the upcoming iPhone models.
Tech SpecsiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 ProiPhone 15 UltraDisplay6.1-inch display with 60Hz refresh rate6.7-inch display with 60Hz refresh rate6.1-inch display with ProMotion technology, 120Hz refresh rate6.7-inch display with ProMotion technology, 120Hz refresh rateProcessorA16 BionicA16 BionicA17 Bionic (3nm)A17 Bionic (3nm)RAM6GB6GB8GB8GBCamera48MP primary12MP ultra-wide48MP primary12MP ultra-wide48MP primary12MP ultra-wide12MP periscope (up to 10x optical zoom)48MP primary12MP ultra-wide12MP periscope (up to 10x optical zoom)Charging PortUSB-C port (USB 2.0 support)USB-C port (USB 2.0 support)USB-C port (USB 3.2 support)USB-C port (USB 3.2 support)Additional FeaturesDynamic IslandDynamic IslandDynamic Island, titanium frame, solid state buttons, Dynamic Island, titanium frame, solid state buttonsPrice$799$899$1,099$1,199
While these rumors have been sourced from credible industry source, nothing is set in stone yet. We will see several new leaks and rumors until the new iPhone 15 series becomes official in September later this year. Therefore, we suggest you to take the leaks with a pinch of salt. If the aforementioned iPhone 15 specs turn out to be true, do you think it’s worth purchasing the iPhone 15 in 2023? Or, would you opt for the iPhone 15 Pro with its new curved design, solid state buttons, and telephoto camera? Whatever be the case, we are bound to see design upgrades along with performance improvements with this year’s iPhone lineup.
