iPhone 15: Ultra, USB-C, and everything else we know about Apple’s iPhone 2023

Every year Apple introduces a new iPhone line, and its presentation is considered the most important event in the Apple calendar. In as much as Mac sales are increasing and Apple’s push toward services increases, iPhone sales are at the heart of the company’s portfolio and serve as a driver for accessories like the Apple Watch and AirPods.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro may have just hit store shelves, but rumors are already raging about what to expect with next year’s iPhone 15 line. Here’s what we’ve heard so far, and what to expect based on Apple’s recent history.

iPhone 15 release date

Apple usually introduces new iPhones on Tuesday or Wednesday in the second week of September.

Therefore, we believe that the iPhone 15 will be revealed on September 12 or 13, 2023. It is likely that at least some models will go on sale for pre-order on Friday (15 September) and will be available in stores the following Friday (22 September).

Here’s when the last few generations hit stores:

• iPhone 14: September 16, 2022
• iPhone 13: September 24, 2021
• iPhone 12: October 23, 2020
• iPhone 11: September 20, 2019
• iPhone XS: September 21, 2018

iPhone 15 Ultra

Now that Apple has provided a file Apple Watch UltraThere are rumors that the company will expand the brand to the iPhone line with the iPhone 15 Ultra.

That’s really all about these rumors so far. The assumption is that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the brand used for the “Pro Max” variant, and there will be some Kind of new features to distinguish it. Apple did this once before with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which had a slightly better camera than the iPhone 12 Pro.

So most people would expect the camera to once again be the feature of the new Ultra, something made possible with a better telephoto camera with a periscope (see below). The rumor mill has plenty of other ideas on how Apple could make the Ultra special, like faster charging or more storage, but most of them haven’t been proven by any evidence. Wishlist features, if you will.

This default iPhone 15 Ultra could be thought of as the iPhone 15 Pro Max – presumably using the same processor, screen and design as the iPhone 15 Pro (although the LeaksApplePro . reports That it could have a titanium body like the Apple Watch Ultra).

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iPhone 15 . design

There are no current rumors to suggest that the iPhone 15 lineup will look very different from the iPhone 14 line. Expect the same shape and flat edges, as well as the larger cameras on the Pro models. We expect to see the same four sizes as well: the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 standard, along with the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro.

USB-C

The European Union requires most portable electronic devices, including phones, to be standardized around USB-C charging ports (if any – gadgets that charge only wirelessly like the Apple Watch don’t need to Add USB-C port). Apple will have to move several products over time, and instead of creating special versions of USB-C for Europe, it is likely to change everything around the world as we saw recently with the 10th generation iPad remote control and Siri. All iPhone 15 models are expected to come with a USB-C port.

Current iPhones use USB-C power adapters, so that doesn’t change, just the USB-C to Lightning cable and the port on the iPhone itself. The upside? Potentially faster charging and faster data transfer speeds for those who connect their iPhone to their Mac or PC.

dynamic island

One of the important changes to the display on non-Pro iPhones is that the . file dynamic island– Pill-shaped camera clip that serves as an important interface element in iPhone 14 Pro –will reach All iPhone 15 models. This means that non-Pro iPhones will have the same look and interface.

Note that this does not mean that the iPhone 15 will get an always-on display or ProMotion. It is currently rumored that these features remain exclusive to Pro models.

Jason Snell / Foundry

iPhone 15 specifications and features

Apple tests a lot of new technologies from a lot of suppliers, and over time a few leaks can sometimes give us an idea of ​​what’s coming in the next iPhone. These leaks are sometimes wrong, often misunderstood, and generally miss the software innovations that accompany new hardware (like Dynamic Island, where we’ve only heard about “pill and slot” outages and not how Apple intends to take advantage of them).

Here’s what we currently expect to find inside the iPhone 15 line.

Periscope viewfinder

It was rumored that Apple was working on a “periscope lens” to offer a much longer range optical zoom. It is the same technology that allows the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to achieve a long zoom range. There hasn’t been much movement on these rumors lately, but it was last suggested that this might be an exclusive feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s unclear if this will require a different camera array layout or size, although the S22 Ultra’s cameras are much larger than other models.

Elsewhere, there are certainly camera upgrades in the iPhone 15 as there are every year. Between the front camera and three rear cameras, you can bet that at least one of them will get an improved sensor or lens. The only specific rumor about the cameras at the moment is that the iPhone 15 Pro Max may have a periscope telephoto camera, giving an optical zoom likely somewhere in the 5x to 10x range.

A17 processor using TSMCs 3nm process

The next major processor manufacturing technology out of TSMC (the company that makes most Apple chips) wasn’t ready yet A 16. We think the A17 is likely to be one of the first mass-produced chips that uses the company’s 3nm process, which should allow more transistors in the same area, allowing Apple to cram in more features and better performance.

With the iPhone 14 line, Apple reserved its new A16 for Pro models and used the A15 again on non-Pro models. We think it will likely continue into 2023, with the standard iPhone 15 using the A16 processor and the iPhone 15 Pro using the new A17.

Apple 5G modem

Apple is working on its own cellular modem for Years Now, having acquired an Intel modem unit in 2019 for $1 billion. Most sources say Apple won’t have a competitive 5G cellular modem ready in time to be part of the iPhone 15, and we should expect another Qualcomm Snapdragon modem instead. It is likely to be Snapdragon X70.

iPhone 15 price

We expect the iPhone 15 line to reach especially It carries the same prices as the iPhone 14 line. With the iPhone 14 models, Apple kept the price the same as in the US, but thanks to exchange rates and inflation, it was forced to raise prices in the UK and many other countries.

If Apple does indeed rebrand the iPhone 15 Pro Max as the iPhone 15 Ultra and give it some exclusive new features, we think this will prove to be an enough excuse to raise prices on this model a bit (maybe $100/£100).

For reference, here is the price of the iPhone 14 line:

• iPhone 14: $799 / £849
• iPhone 14 Plus: $899 / £949
• iPhone 14 Pro: $999 / £1,099
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,099 / £1,199