What can we expect from the iPhone 15?

Front and back of the iPhone 14 Pro in various colors (Image courtesy: Getty Images).

KSNF/KODE — The iPhone 15 isn’t expected to debut for another nine months at the earliest, but there’s already been a fair number of rumors and leaks for the next batch of iPhones.

For example, it looks as though Apple will finally embrace USB-C charging and ditch the Lightning port. And we may see an entirely new model dubbed the iPhone 15 Ultra, which could take the iPhone Pro series to the next level with a super durable titanium design. Of course, we shouldn’t forget about the iPhone 15 Pro, either.

It also looks as though Apple will keep a very large divide between the regular and Pro models, as only the iPhone 15 Pro series is tipped to get a new periscope zoom lens.

Thanks to MacRumors.com and TomsGuide.com, this roundup covers a lot about upcoming the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, but keep in mind that it’s early in the development cycle and Apple’s plans could change.

iPhone 15 Possible Models

For its 2022 releases, Apple killed the iPhone mini, and introduced the iPhone 14 Plus instead. That simplified the choice: Whether you wanted to go Pro or not, you could get either a 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch screen.

According to MacRumors.com, It’s likely that this will continue into 2023. But there could be one addition to this list: An iPhone 15 Ultra. Mark Gurman, a Reliable tipster recently tweeted that after the Apple Watch Ultra that was launched this year, we could “expect” the variant for iPhones in the future — something he later reiterated in his newsletter. Could this mean a completely new iPhone 15 Ultra? Or will the Pro Max simply get rebranded as the Ultra? We will have to see.

iPhone 15 Design Rumors

One design leak for the iPhone 15 suggests that it could bring the curved design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max back. Apple has a flat-edge design on its latest iPhones, but now leaker, ShrimpApplePro says that while the display will remain flat, all three devices could have curved bezels.

The biggest iPhone 15 design rumor so far is that 2023 is the year when Apple finally abandons the Lightning port on its phones. Not only has the company adopted the connection for its laptops and tablets, but the European Union has officially mandated that all phones will have to use USB-C by 2024.

In another report, Gurman claims all iPhone 15 models will get the Dynamic Island. This could see more developers get spurred on to making apps that adapt to the morphing camera cutout/display feature, further adding to its capabilities.

One of the earliest rumors of the iPhone 15 includes a likely upgrade to a new camera. After raising the megapixels bar to 48MP on the iPhone 14 Pro models, word is that the iPhone 15 could finally get a periscope camera for better long-range photography and zoom capabilities, supposedly along with improved lenses for better quality photos.

It’s early days, but two rumors have emerged. One feels extremely likely, while the other could be wishful thinking. Starting with the “likely,” adoption of the A17 chipset would once have felt like a certainty, but only the iPhone 14 Pro models benefited from an all-new chipset, while the regular iPhone used a slightly souped-up version of the A15. We would assume this is the new normal, so the iPhone 15 Pro handsets could get the A17, while the regular iPhone 15 might get an enhanced version of the A16.

iPhone 15 Possible Release Date

Of all the early iPhone 15 rumors, this is the most set in stone. In the last decade, Apple has only announced its new flagship smartphones outside of September once: October 2020, amid a once-in-a-generation pandemic that created stay-at-home orders and disrupted tech supply chains.

As such, it is highly likely that the iPhone 15 will arrive in September 2023. Typically Apple announces its phones about ten days before they’re released, with pre-orders opening a week ahead of “go-time.” One source claims it could be September 22nd or 23rd when the iPhone 15 goes on sale.

iPhone 15 Price

Unverified rumors from “Weibo” have suggested the iPhone 15 Pro models could be more expensive, creating a larger gap between the price of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Plus.

Right now, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are priced starting at $999 and $1099, respectively, so a higher price tag would mean the iPhone 15 Pro starting price could be over $1000 if the rumor is accurate.