In 2023, Apple will continue to provide four different iPhone models with the release of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 15 Pro models, like the iPhone 14 Pro variants, will contain features that are not present in the iPhone 15 devices that are more reasonably priced.

The information that has been leaked about the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is condensed in this summary.

Design Specifics

Similar to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are expected to have 6.1- and 6.7-inch OLED displays with Dynamic Island cutouts for the camera and Face ID technology, respectively.

The two Pro versions’ chassis may have undergone minor changes, according to rumors. Shrimp with Lump AppleVision pro predicts that the iPhone 15 Pro models will have curved, smaller bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro models. Despite having smaller, curved edges, the displays would still be flat, similar to the Series 7 and Series 8 Apple Watches.

The iPhone 15 Pro is anticipated to have bezels that are 1.55mm thin, which would “break the record” for a smartphone’s narrowest bezels. The bezels of the iPhone 14 Pro are 2.17mm thick as a point of comparison.

Titanium Chassis

According to rumors, Apple will switch to titanium this year in place of stainless steel for the frame of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Although titanium is stronger and lighter than stainless steel, because it is more difficult to work with, it also costs more.

Because, assuming no other substantial changes to internal components, an iPhone manufactured with a titanium frame will be lighter than an iPhone built with a stainless steel frame, the 15 Pro and Pro Max are projected to be lighter than their iPhone 14 Pro forerunners. Since Apple won’t be using pure titanium to make the devices, the alloy it uses will ultimately determine weight.

Apple has previously offered two titanium colors, a basic silver-like natural titanium color, and a deeper space black variation. The current line of Apple Watches uses titanium. Apple may choose to create new hues or stick with these colors for the iPhone 15 Pro versions.

Titanium is not only lighter than stainless steel, but it also has a special polish. Its texture is more matte than sparkling, so it won’t attract fingerprints as the iPhone 14 Pro’s stainless steel frame does.

A titanium iPhone chassis may be more resistant to dents, dings, and bending since titanium is much harder than stainless steel. However, titanium may also be more prone to scratches because the oxide covering is easily dissolved and can make minor dings stand out.

Colors

The deep crimson color of the iPhone 15 Pro models can resemble maroon or burgundy in some ways. Apple typically introduces one new color each year, and rumors indicate that the color for this year is a deep red.

The previous colors were deep purple, green, and blue, and the shade of red will be available alongside traditional silver/gold and space gray options.

Volume Controls

The solid-state buttons that would replace the physical buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models were first anticipated, along with Apple’s use of an extended, single-button design. Apple wanted to imitate the feeling of pressing a button by using haptic feedback, giving the appearance that a button is being pressed even when there isn’t one.

Apple was rumored to be utilizing this technology for months during the rumor cycle, but in April the company decided against moving further with solid-state button technology. Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo asserts that the corporation ran into “unresolved technical issues.”

Instead of the rumored single button, Kuo claims that Apple would “revert to the traditional physical button design,” which includes a return to the dual-button configuration utilized for the iPhone 14 Pro versions. The iPhone 16 models from 2024 might instead have solid-state buttons.

Button for action?

Apple is rumored to be replacing the present mute switch with a button design, albeit there won’t be any noticeable modifications to the volume buttons. Instead of being solid-state, it is believed that this button would be physical, like the volume buttons. Multiple sources have since confirmed that the mute button would be a button rather than a switch after a Mac Rumors forum source speculated that Apple might change this mute button into an “Action” button akin to the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.

There is currently no information available regarding the potential capabilities of the “Action” button, which is rumored to replace the present Ring/Silent switch situated close to the volume buttons. You might use it to activate features like Do Not Disturb, Low Power Mode, the Camera app, and more. It is expected to be programmable, similar to the Apple Watch Action button.

Display

A more power-efficient OLED display driver chip that is created using a 28nm process may be included in all iPhone 15 models, allowing for less power usage that might ultimately increase battery life.

A Case of

A set of 3D printed iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models give some insight into how earlier iPhone 14 cases might fit, and it appears that prior cases won’t be compatible with the new iPhones.

Although the iPhone 15 Plus can fit inside an iPhone 14 Plus, slight changes to the size of the iPhone 15 range frequently make covers unusable.

iPhone 14 Pro cases do not function correctly because of the larger back camera housing, more curved design, and altered button placement of the Pro models.

The new models will have somewhat different power and volume buttons that are slightly lower than those on the iPhone 14 Pro models, according to iPhone 15 Pro case leaks. For the USB-C port, the casings have a bigger cutout at the bottom.

The mute button, which will take the place of the mute switch, is cut out in the cases. It necessitates a smaller cutout because it does not have to be grasped like a switch.

Continuous Island Updates

the 15-inch and 15-inch Pro iPhone’s Dynamic Island is anticipated to have an upgraded design with a built-in proximity sensor, however, this alteration won’t significantly alter the Dynamic Island’s appearance or functioning. It will affect component costs and might be a move made by Apple to slightly reduce device costs.

Choosing a name: The iPhone 15 Ultra?

Due to the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra and the constrained scope of iPhone improvements, there have been reports that Apple would rename the premium iPhone 15 Pro Max the iPhone 15 Ultra.

Bloomberg’s Mark German speculated in September that Apple may release an iPhone 15 “Ultra,” however he later recanted that claim in February.

German asserts that Apple is developing a more expensive, high-end iPhone model that may be branded as the “Ultra,” but he anticipates that it won’t be available until 2024 as part of the iPhone 16 lineup.

Due to this, it seems as though Apple will continue to release the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max this year, while there is a potential that the iPhone 15 Ultra will also be released.\

Quick USB-C

Apple is changing the design of the iPhone 15 to include a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port due to regulatory restrictions in Europe. According to EU law, all gadgets must have a universal charging connector, therefore Apple must either create an iPhone specifically for Europe or make a global adjustment.

According to rumors, Apple has decided to officially replace Lightning with the USB-C connector starting with the iPhone 15 series. With USB-C, the same charger and cable setup can be used to charge and connect iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other USB-C-compatible devices. It will be an easy transition for individuals who already own USB-C devices like an iPad or a Mac.

Though all iPhone 15 models will include USB-C, the iPhone 15 Pro versions are expected to allow quicker data transfers. The iPhone 15 Pro models will support transfer speeds of up to 20 Gbps or, if Thunderbolt is enabled, up to 40 Gbps, through USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3.

Standard iPhone 15 devices will only be able to send data at speeds of up to 480Mb/s through USB 2.0. Wired transfers of backups, photos, and other data would be much quicker with faster communication speeds.

Future device-to-device transfers that employ a USB-C to USB-C cable would also be quicker.

A transition to USB-C might also enable faster cable charging than is currently available with Lightning.

USB-C Restrictions

According to a Weibo rumor, Apple may restrict the iPhone’s USB-C port such that it won’t function with devices that aren’t officially sanctioned by the company. Apple has implemented this with its Lightning port, but none of its USB-C ports on Macs or iPads are constrained in any way.

The report states that Apple may add an integrated circuit interface to the USB-C chip to protect consumers from replica charging cables and adapters that may be dangerous and to promote the purchase of genuine iPhone accessories.

Shrimp with LumpAdditionally, ApplePro claims that the iPhone 15 models will only officially support USB-C devices that have been certified by the Apple Made for iPhone (MFi) program.

Foxconn, an Apple supplier, is said to be making MFi-certified EarPods and USB-C cables, and other accessories.

The MFi USB-C certification may be used to restrict access to capabilities like fast charging and high-speed data transfers to just Apple-approved peripherals. ShrimpApplePro claims that cords without an MFi certification will have limited data and charging speeds.

Wireless Charging

The iPhone 15 models will feature Qi2 and MagSafe charging, enabling 15W charging via third-party accessories that do not support MagSafe. As long as such accessories use Qi2, it will enable faster wireless charging even from accessories that do not officially support MagSafe.

Camera Periscope

The iPhone 15 Pro series will debut with new periscope camera technology, however, the update will only be available on the larger iPhone 15 Pro. The addition of the periscope lens to the 15 Pro Max is one of the few times Apple has reserved revolutionary technologies to the larger 6.7-inch Pro iPhone while using a mediocre function in the ordinary 6.1-inch Pro iPhone.

The telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max will use periscope lens technology, allowing for a 5x or 6x optical zoom.

The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to have a 3x optical zoom, similar to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Apple is likely saving the periscope technology for the iPhone 15 Pro Max due to the internal space limitations for the components. In a periscope lens system, the main lens is normally utilized to take the picture. A prism or angled mirror then reflects the light 90 degrees in the direction of a secondary lens, which then feeds the light to the image sensor. The image sensor and secondary lens are horizontally installed inside the smartphone, consuming valuable surface area to improve focal length.

Due to the light’s ability to change direction and the use of a prism or mirror, it is feasible to create a “folded” telephoto lens system that fits inside the body of a smartphone while still boosting optical zoom.

The actual telephoto lens will probably need to be square-shaped, a change from the circular telephoto lens used for the iPhone 14 Pro Max because of the way light is reflected at an angle in this system. The camera cutout can still be circular even though the real lens inside will be square.

For clean images at higher magnification capabilities, Apple will need to build optical image stabilization into the gadget. This will avoid blurriness and minimize movement.

Since a few years ago, Samsung, an Apple rival, has been adopting periscope lens technology, and its lenses can handle up to 10x optical magnification. When combined with optical zoom, Samsung offers up to 100x digital zoom. This technology is known by Samsung as “Space Zoom.” We may anticipate a greater optical zoom for the telephoto lens of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, even though Apple, unlike Samsung, may not describe the lens as a “periscope” lens.

The larger periscope camera can fit inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s lenses if necessary. Although there won’t be any obvious changes for end users, Apple is anticipated to move the Ultra Wide and Telephoto lenses. The optimum location is below the flash and LiDAR sensor because Apple needs extra room for the periscope lens components. Apple will switch camera placements because it is where the Ultrawide camera is located on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Additional Camera Enhancements

The iPhone 15 Pro variants are also believed to come with an enhanced Sony rear-camera LiDAR scanner. Since Sony’s VCSEL (laser) consumes less power than the current version, the LiDAR Scanner in the iPhone 15 Pro will either be more power-efficient and require less battery, or it will offer better performance at the same level of power consumption.

A17 Chip

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be powered by Apple’s next-generation A17 processor, which is predicted to be the first A-series semiconductor made utilizing a 3-nanometer technology.

The change to a newer process will lead to reduced chip sizes due to an increase in transistor density. The 5-nanometer and 4-nanometer A15 and A16 processors utilized in the iPhone 14 versions were created using different manufacturing processes.

The 3nm technique, which TSMC has been working to perfect for some time, is anticipated to boost processing performance by 10 to 15% while lowering power consumption by as much as 30%. The 3nm chips are more expensive to produce, thus starting in 2023, the A17 chip will only be found in Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro versions.

RAM

It is anticipated that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will have 8GB RAM, an increase from the current iPhone 14 Pro models’ 6GB.

6E, 5G, and UWB Wi-Fi

By 2023, every iPhone will employ Qualcomm’s upgraded AI X70 chips for quicker processing, wider coverage, more power-efficient operation, and less latency.

The faster Wi-Fi 6E protocol is only expected to be supported by the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Wi-Fi 6E offers more bandwidth than Wi-Fi 6, resulting in quicker connectivity rates, reduced latency, and improved capacity. In addition to supporting multi-gigabit connectivity for venues and whole-home gigabit coverage, Wi-Fi 6E offers a 1.2GHz extra spectrum in the 6GHz band and has the bandwidth for greater data streams like those utilized for AR and VR applications.

A future-proof Ultra Wideband chip for the iPhone 15 models is anticipated, and it will work with the Vision Pro headset. The chip’s processor will be updated to 7nm, which will enable better performance and/or lower energy consumption.

SIM Card Holder

The SIM card tray was eliminated from Apple’s handsets sold in the US with the introduction of the iPhone 14 variants. Following the introduction of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, the SIM tray may be removed in more countries.

According to current rumors, it will be removed in France. If this is true, it may also be removed from iPhones sold in other European nations like Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the UK.

Pricing

According to technology analyst Jeff Pu, the price of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be greater than that of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Pu predicts that prices will rise as a result of the titanium frame, A17 chip, and other factors, but he made no predictions as to how much.

Since the release of the iPhone 12 Pro models, Apple has not altered the high-end iPhone pricing. Starting prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are respectively $999 and $1099.

iPhone 15 versus iPhone 15 Pro

In comparison to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, Apple’s iPhone 15 models will be less feature-rich, have A16 processors, standard cameras without telephoto lenses, an aluminum body, and a slower USB-C connection, but they will be less expensive.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Beyond

In addition to the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, Apple may add a new model called the “iPhone Ultra” for the 2018 model year. The iPhone Ultra might have an enhanced camera system, a larger display, a quicker CPU, and a portless design without Lightning or USB-C.

It is predicted to be more expensive than Apple’s previous Pro Max iPhones, which start at $1,099 in the past.