It's almost time for Apple's annual refresh of their iPhone line-up. This year Apple is planning to release four variants of the iPhone 15.
Like with the iPhone 14, the iPhone 15 will have a standard, Plus, Pro and Pro Max variants. The best features will be exclusive to the Pro and Pro Max to make the monumental costs worth it.
According to various rumors, Apple is planning two 6.1-inch iPhones, and two 6.7-inch iPhones. As you might have guessed, the larger 6.7-inch size will be reserved for the Pro Max variant, but one of the two 6.1-inch phones will be the Pro variant.
The other 6.1-inch variant will be the standard version, and the remaining 6.7-inch phone will be the Plus version.
Also read | Apple sends out invites for September 12 event called 'Wonderlust'
USB-C now standard on iPhones
Given the EU norms make it mandatory for all phones sold in the region to have a common charging standard, Apple will likely adapt the USB Type C ports on all iPhone 15 models.
So far, Apple has resisted the call of the common standard and stuck to their proprietary lightning connectors but that will soon change.
The benefits outweigh the negatives in this situation. Even within Apple's own ecosystem, a common USB-C standard means that users will be able to charge iPads, Mac's and iPhones using one charger.
Design rumors
Apple is expected to stick to the look and feel of the iPhone 14, albeit with minor changes. For starters, Dynamic Island introduced with iPhone 14 will be standard across the line-up in iPhone 15, as opposed to being exclusive to the more expensive models.
The move to Dynamic Island for the whole line-up will mean this will be the first major refresh with no notch, which will be a noticeable change.
In order to further differentiate the price brackets, the standard variants of the phone will not include ProMotion displays or always-on displays. These will be exclusive to the Pro versions of the devices.
As for colors, rumors say that Apple may launch six color options - blue, coral, white, black, green and yellow.
Some design changes will be exclusive to the Pro and Pro Max variants of the phone like thinner, curvier bezels. Overall, the look of the phone will be largely similar to the iPhone 14.
Some rumors suggest the the iPhone 15 Pro models may have a frosted back glass, along with better curved glass at the front.
Cases
Rumors suggest that cases for the iPhone 14 will not be usable with the new phones, and some reports have said that Apple will not make leather made cases for the iPhone 15.
Instead, Apple's choice of material will be something it calls "FineWoven", a suede-like fabric, which will reportedly also be used for the Apple Watch.
New case leaks hint at the possibility of Apple repositioning the power and volume buttons on the iPhone 15, with them being a little lower compared to previous models.
There is also a cutout for a new 'Action' button that will replace the fan favorite mute switch. Rumors have it that it is programmable button that can be customized for tasks.
TouchID isn't coming back
Multiple rumors have hinted that Apple is working on a new under-display TouchID sensor but it won't be ready until 2025, which means the iPhone 15 is not expected to have a TouchID sensor.
MFi certification
Apple will reportedly only support official accessories registered under its Made for iPhone program, when it comes to USB-C compatibility.
Apparently, Foxconn is already producing accessories like EarPods and cables that have received MFi certification.
Cameras
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chin Kuo, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will use a camera module with a primary 48-megapixel sensor, the same that was used on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Another rumor suggests that Apple will use a hybrid glass/plastic lens with an f/1.7 aperture. This will be made up of a single glass element and six plastic elements.
The Pro Max variant will reportedly feature Periscope lens, which will offer 5X or 10X optical zoom.
Also read | iPhone 15 Pro Max to launch later than expected: Reports
New A-series chipsets
The iPhone 15 Pro variants will be the first iPhone's to feature a 3nm chip, based on TSMC's 3nm process. It will reportedly lead to at least 15 percent increased performance, and reduce power consumption by nearly 35 percent.
As usual, the new chip will be exclusive to the Pro and Pro Max models, while the standard and Plus variants will continue to use the A16 chip, introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro models.
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