In just a few days, Apple’s 2023 fall event, focused on the iPhone, will commence. Months of rumors provide insight into what’s ahead
This guide outlines all the anticipated reveals at Apple’s “Wonderlust” event on September 12.
The iPhone 15 and its larger variant, the iPhone 15 Plus.
In 2023, Apple will maintain its four-iPhone lineup. The regular iPhone 15 models will come in sizes of 6.1 and 6.7 inches, akin to the previous year. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will closely resemble the iPhone 14 counterparts, except for a significant change: the inclusion of a USB-C port.
Instead of using a Lightning port, the iPhone 15 models will embrace USB-C, enabling iPhones, iPads, and Macs to share a charger and cable. Apple is introducing this modification in response to European regulatory adjustments mandating standardized charging ports for electronics. USB-C technology will be adopted worldwide as a result.
While the previous year’s iPhones retained the notch, it is being phased out in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models. In its place, the new iPhones will incorporate the Dynamic Island technology initially introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, providing additional screen real estate.
Although the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will feature the Dynamic Island, certain display technologies such as the ProMotion refresh rate and the always-on display will remain exclusive to the Pro models. There is also a subtle alteration in design related to the glass back. Historically, frosted glass has been a hallmark of the Pro iPhone lineup, but the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are anticipated to sport a frosted glass back instead of a glossy one.
Apple is gearing up to introduce new color options for the iPhone 15 series, with rumors suggesting the inclusion of blue, a coral hue blending orange and pink, a light greenish-yellow shade, white, and black. Additionally, color-coordinated braided USB-C cables may accompany each new iPhone.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are set to receive a substantial camera technology upgrade. They will feature a 48-megapixel Main camera sporting an f/1.6 aperture, delivering higher-resolution images and enhanced performance in low-light conditions. Furthermore, there will be a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, which remains unchanged from the iPhone 14 models with no improvements.
Anticipated are new Qualcomm 5G modem chips, which could potentially bring enhancements in signal quality, reduced latency, and improved power efficiency. Apple is also in the process of creating a new A17 chip specifically for the iPhone 15 Pro models. In contrast, the standard iPhone 15 models will be equipped with the existing A16 chip currently found in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
As of now, there have been no rumors regarding enhancements to battery life, WiFi speeds, or RAM for the standard iPhone 15 models, and it is expected that pricing will remain unchanged.
The iPhone 15 Pro and its larger counterpart, the iPhone 15 Pro Max
The majority of the notable enhancements and new features this year are reserved for the Pro iPhone variants rather than the regular iPhone 15 models. Similar to the previous year, we anticipate the introduction of two Pro iPhones: the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Pro models are projected to receive slight design enhancements. Apple is set to introduce thinner and curved bezels, along with a new titanium chassis material. Unlike the previous stainless steel, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will utilize titanium, offered in colors such as silver, titanium gray, black, and dark blue. Titanium will exhibit a matte finish, differing from stainless steel, and this change could result in the iPhone 15 Pro models being approximately 10 percent lighter due to the lighter weight of titanium compared to steel.
Although there were speculations about Apple exploring changes to the volume buttons, it appears that these updates did not materialize, and there will be no alterations to the volume buttons. Nevertheless, Apple is anticipated to replace the mute switch with a multifunctional mute button, similar to the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.
Code within iOS 17 suggests that this button will offer various functions, including toggling Silent Mode, activating the Camera, enabling the Flashlight, triggering a Shortcut, activating a Focus mode, launching the Translate app, initiating a Voice Memo, and more.
Similar to the iPhone 15 models, the iPhone 15 Pro models will adopt USB-C connectivity, but the Pro models are rumored to support faster transfer speeds of either USB 3.2 (20Gb/s) or Thunderbolt (40Gb/s). It’s also speculated that certain iPhone 15 models, likely the Pro variants, will support charging speeds of up to 35W.
Apple is making minor enhancements to the Wide Angle and Telephoto cameras in both Pro models, primarily aimed at improving low-light performance. However, there are no expected improvements to the Main 48-megapixel camera. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to introduce a significant camera feature, a periscope zoom function for the telephoto lens. Currently limited to 3x optical zoom, the periscope technology is expected to elevate it to 5x or 6x zoom.
While the standard iPhone 15 models will be powered by the A16 chip, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature the A17 chip, manufactured on a new 3-nanometer process. This marks the first chip in several years built on a new node, promising substantial performance and efficiency enhancements, along with the potential for extended battery life.
Apple plans to employ the same 5G Qualcomm chip across its entire iPhone 15 lineup, and there are rumors of a new “U2” Ultra Wideband chip that will integrate with the Vision Pro headset slated for release next year. Additionally, the Pro models will support Wi-Fi 6E, the latest and fastest Wi-Fi protocol that operates in the 6GHz band. Storage options may go up to 2TB, and the Pro models are expected to have 8GB of RAM, an increase from the 6GB found in last year’s Pro models.
