Though Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup is still the newest, it’s all about the iPhone 15 in 2023! Here’s what we know so far.
Apple is holding its fall event on September 12, 2023. This is where we will see the new iPhone 15 lineup drop, as well as the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with some other potential surprises. The rumor mill for the iPhone 15 has been steadily chugging along over the past year, and we don’t have that long to go before the official reveal.
We’re keeping all of the reports and rumors of the iPhone 15 here in a single place for your convenience, but do remember to keep in mind that these are all still just speculation. Nothing is final until Apple confirms it during an official announcement.
Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 15!iPhone 15: models
Though Apple debuted the iPhone mini with the iPhone 12 lineup and kept it with the iPhone 13 series, the mini was retired once the iPhone 14 came out. It was replaced with the larger iPhone 14 Plus, going from a 5.4-inch screen to a massive 6.7-inch display (same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max), with the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro staying at the 6.1-inch size from previous generations.
It is expected that Apple will continue this with the iPhone 15 lineup featuring an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This time, the standard iPhone 15 is expected to have a 6.2-inch display, a slight change from the iPhone’s 14’s 6.1-inch display. Other phones, including the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are expected to keep the same screen sizes as last year. This means a 6.1-inch screen for the 15 Pro and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The name for the iPhone 15 Pro Max may be different, however. There are rumors circulating that “Pro Max” may be replaced with the “Ultra” moniker, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra.iPhone 15: design and sizes
Anyone who is hoping to see a drastic redesign of the iPhone 15 lineup will be disappointed. For the most part, the aesthetics of the iPhone 15 lineup will look like that of its iPhone 14 predecessors with the flat edges and camera modules.
However, recent rumors have suggested that the Dynamic Island, which debuted last year exclusively with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, will be available across the entire iPhone 15 lineup and not just the higher-end models. This would eliminate the notch from the entire current iPhone lineup.
Another rumor that seems certain is that all iPhone 15 models will be ditching Lightning for USB-C. This is likely mostly due to the EU forcing Apple’s hand to make the switch, though it remains to be seen if this will actually lead to faster charging speeds with the iPhone 15 lineup.
In terms of the display, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or Ultra) will have even thinner bezels than previous generations. For the Pro Max model, it’s rumored to break records as the thinnest bezel yet, coming in at just 1.55mm — the current record the is Xiaomi 13 with a 1.81mm bezel. However, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus won’t be getting the superthin treatment — the bezels look to be slightly thicker than the Pro models. And again, it’s likely that the iPhone 15 Pro models continue to get Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion display, while the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will remain at 60Hz.
Although earlier reports seemed to indicate that the iPhone 15 Pro models would be getting solid-state buttons instead of the physical volume buttons, that seems to have been scrapped entirely for now. Due to the complexity of requiring three haptic engines for solid-state buttons, Apple may have encountered technical difficulties with the manufacturing process, so it looks like we will still be getting two physical volume buttons for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
But one of the biggest changes with the iPhone 15 Pro models will be the replacement of the mute switch with an Action button, similar to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra. This button would be customizable for different actions, such as pressing twice to activate the camera, though the default action could possibly be enabling silent mode. However, this change will only be coming to the Pro models — the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will continue to have the classic mute switch like every iPhone prior.
Case samples seem to indicate that the position of all buttons will slightly change, however, making older cases incompatible.
Lastly, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are slated to switch to a titanium frame instead of stainless steel like before. This could help make the iPhone 15 Pro more lightweight, and titanium can also be more durable than stainless steel, especially with scratches. The titanium finish also means Apple will have a harder time with colors, as the lineup appears to be mostly various shades of gray, with the exception of the dark blue color.iPhone 15: colors
Recent rumors seem to indicate that the crimson red color we’ve seen earlier won’t be happening. Instead, since the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could be using a titanium frame, the color palette that it will be available in will be more limited. Recent reports have circulated that Apple will eliminate the gold color option from the Pro line, possibly due to the titanium making it difficult to have a good-looking gold color.
Instead, the possible iPhone 15 Pro color lineup now looks like this: Space Black, Silver, Titan Gray, and Dark Blue. The Titan Gray looks like a natural titanium color, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra. However, if that’s indeed the color lineup, it’s a bit disappointing since everything is just a shade of gray.
On the other hand, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus could be getting a much more muted, pastel color palette this year. According to a report from 9to5Mac, it looks like the standard iPhone 15 will come in the following colors: black, green, blue, yellow, and pink. However, the colors are very light and pale, which may or may not appeal to some people. This would also be the first time there is no standard white option.
Apple Insider got some iPhone 15 dummy units, which seem to corroborate the color options mentioned above, except for the green — it seems that it could actually be white, though it’s also possible it might be a very light green.
iPhone colors are always one of the more difficult things to pin down with 100% confidence, so take all of this with a grain of salt.iPhone 15: Action button
The physical mute switch has been one of the most iconic iPhone features since the original model debuted in 2007 — and it hasn’t changed much at all since then. But the iPhone 15 Pro could shake things up.
Rumors have indicated that the mute switch will now be replaced with an Action button instead, similar to what we have on the Apple Watch Ultra. But this only applies to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max — the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will still have the mute switch that has been on the iPhone since the beginning.
