iPhone 15 Rumors: Release Date, Price, Features

Apple should announce the iPhone 15 line in ten months, but several indications already anticipate details of the company’s future smartphones. Increasingly consistent rumors point to important advances for the rear camera zoom lens, the use of Dynamic Island in all four models and, as one of the most anticipated changes, the arrival of USB-C on the iPhone and the definitive end of Lightning.

Event and release date

Given Apple’s precise track record in recent years, it is likely that the iPhone 15 line will be announced in September 2023, more precisely at some point in the first 15 days of the month.

The launch and start of sales for all or almost all devices should take place within 7 days of the official presentation, as in previous years.

A precise date will still be defined by Apple and, so far, it is completely unknown to the public.

USB-C on the iPhone 15 Against Apple’s Will

One of the highlights of the iPhone 15 may be the replacement of the Lightning connector with the USB-C port, unifying the charging port for all Apple devices once and for all.

The measure takes place thanks to a law passed by the European Union that obliges all manufacturers to implement USB-C in consumer electronics by the end of 2024. With no way out for using the port, Apple should not take too long to implement the universal input against your wish, adopting the connector already in 2023.

Rumors gained strength in May 2022 when Bloomberg reported that iPhone 15 test units were already produced with a USB-C port . In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in October 2022, Apple executives confirmed that the company has no choice and that they will comply with the rule, although they did not confirm how or when.

New iPhone 15 Ultra?

After replacing the “Mini” version with a 5.4-inch screen by the “Plus” version of 6.7 inches, Apple is preparing another major change in the cell phone line next year: the replacement of the iPhone 15 Pro Max by the iPhone 15 Ultra.

The information came via Bloomberg’s very reliable journalist Mark Gurman, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and tipster LeaksApplePro, in September 2022.

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Such nomenclature is already used by the company in the Mac Studio’s M1 Ultra processor and in the Apple Watch Ultra launched this year. In both cases the name represents the maximum performance of Apple’s line of chips and smart watches.

If the bet is true, more details should emerge in the coming months.

Design changes

Apple must bet once again on four cell phones in the next release, keeping two premium models and two common models. And even if USB-C doesn’t make it across the family, we’ll have design changes that will return with design consistency across devices.

Goodbye notch, hello Dynamic Island

Representing an evolution of the notch present since the iPhone X in 2017, the Dynamic Island debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max and houses in its pill cutout the same sensors for Face ID as the previous generation with an updated front camera.

Unlike the notches on Android phones, the region talks to the operating system and allows the display of notifications, shortcuts and actions to facilitate access to content in the background.

Analyst Ross Young revealed in February 2022 that all four models of the iPhone 15 line should adopt the new notch on the screen, ending the use of a wide notch on Apple’s main cell phone line for good.

End of physical buttons on iPhone?

Another solid rumor stands for Ming-Chi Kuo’s expectation for the launch of the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Ultra without physical power and volume buttons.

According to the Chinese analyst, Apple would be considering taking the vibration response of the Taptic Engine (identical to that used in the home button of the iPhone SE) to create the impression that the button was pressed.

The company was successful with changing the physical button to virtual already in its first implementation with the iPhone 7 and, according to the rumor, two sensors would be positioned next to the current buttons to create the simulation of physical response.

Look inspired by the iPhone 5C?

According to information published by the aforementioned  ShrimpApplePro at the end of November, Apple would be testing a new design option for the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Ultra inspired by the look of the iPhone 5C.

Thus, the iPhone 2023 models would have a curved back and a straight screen, but betting on premium materials such as frosted glass on the back and titanium sides instead of stainless steel for greater durability.

More details related to this rumor should emerge in the coming months, reinforcing or contradicting such information.

Most powerful zoom camera

In order to finally compete against smartphones with a high zoom lens, Apple must finally implement the periscope module to raise the quality of photos with more than 5x zoom.

The solution should be the same as found in other current smartphones: instead of vertically stacked lenses, the zoom camera module would adopt horizontal lenses to increase the distance between them and increase the zoom range.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra uses the periscope lens for up to 100x zoom, while the China-only Xiaomi 12S Ultra raises the bar to an impressive 120x zoom.

We still don’t know if the new camera with a periscope lens will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Ultra – as much as it is very likely – or if it would be present in both high-cost models.

Improved performance

With the iPhone 14 line, Apple presented something never seen before in its main line of smartphones: keeping the processors from the previous year in the common duo and betting on the latest chip only in the most powerful duo. This should be repeated next year.