Apple made some big changes with the iPhone 14 Pro and the upgrades look to continue with the iPhone 15 Pro. Of course, there are rumors about the so-called iPhone 15 Ultra as well, which some believe will continue the legacy of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
For now, some of the Ultra rumors seem to apply to the iPhone 15 Pro as well. Some of these include things like solid-state buttons, USB-C, and faster data transfer speeds, but Apple may create an additional gap between its models, even the Pros — similar to what happened with the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
We’ve rounded up what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro. If you want to read about the iPhone 15, we’ve got a roundup of those rumors too.
iPhone 15 Pro: the news (updated November 30)
iPhone 15 Pro: Possible price and release date
Apple likes to stick to September with its iPhone launch timeframe, so we bet the iPhone 15 Pro will be released in mid-September 2023. The iPhone 14 Pro was released on September 16, 2022, while the iPhone 13 Pro was launched on September 24, 2021.
As for the price, we won’t hear much about that until the run-up to the Apple event, and even then, you’ll want to remain skeptical until we get official pricing info. This is because the rumors could be false, as it was with reports of the iPhone 14 series price hike.
Obviously, this did not bear fruit. We don’t know, but for now, we think the iPhone 15 Pro will come in at $999 just like its predecessors.
iPhone 15 Pro: Design and Display
iPhone 14 Pro has shaken up the iconic iPhone design. Dynamic Island replaces the infamous level with a responsive user interface thanks to iOS 16 features like live activities and the like. We expect Dynamic Island to be here for a long time. (In fact, one rumor has it that all iPhone 15 models will feature Dynamic Island.)
There is no reason to believe that Apple will change the screen size of the iPhone 15 Pro either. The 6.1-inch form factor has stood the test of time, and is a favorite of many (including some of Tom’s Guide staff). The always-on display will likely remain.
But the design could get a big change. Mark Gorman of Bloomberg points this out in one of his columns Apple likes to switch up the iPhone design every three years (Opens in a new tab) or so. The flat-edged look we’re seeing now has been around since the iPhone 12, which is three generations older than the upcoming iPhone 15.
This means that 2023 may see a new look, but what? Apple may go back to the rounded edges of the iPhone 15 Pro, which is more comfortable, especially when combined with the weight of recent iPhones. This may also provide a slimmer profile for the iPhone 15 Pro. And the chassis may be made of titanium, a long-rumored feature of iPhones.
Another recent rumor from Ming-Chi Kuo claims that “two high-end iPhone 15s” will feature solid-state buttons. Replacing mechanical buttons with ones that lack any moving parts and instead using haptic feedback can result in a more durable phone that lasts longer and has better protection against water and debris. If you want an example of this, see the iPhone 7’s Home button, which has become fully tactile.
iPhone 15 Pro: USB-C
Many, including us, predict that 2023 will be the year that Apple finally retires the Lightning port on the iPhone, with USB-C instead as mandated by the European Union. Of course, this could be the year Apple releases a portless iPhone, but that’s a vague guess at best.
The high-end iPhones will reportedly have faster data transfer speeds from their USB-C connectors, while the regular versions will stop at the same speed as Lightning, which is the equivalent of the old USB 2.0 standard.
iPhone 15 Pro: cameras
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are some of the best camera phones you can buy, thanks in part to their new 48MP main sensor. It can take some great shots, and even use the full 48MP in RAW images.
Right now, we know very little about the iPhone 15 Pro’s cameras. One of the things we’ve heard is that Apple will be using Sony’s new, “modern” sensor for the iPhone 15. This sensor can double the pixel saturation levels, potentially improving the iPhone 15 Pro’s over- or under-exposed compensation. This would be nice, as the iPhone 14 Pro suffers a bit with exposure control in difficult scenes.
We’ve been hearing about the iPhone’s periscope telephoto lens for a while now, and 2023 could be the year when that happens. Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the iPhone 15 Pro will finally have this zoom capability, helping it match the likes of Samsung and Google for zoom performance. However, it can be reserved for the iPhone 15 Ultra.
Another rumor from Kuo claims that the iPhone 15 Pro will feature an 8P prime lens to reduce distortion in wide-angle shots, but considering Apple just moved to a 7P lens for the iPhone 14 Pro, we’re taking that lens with a grain of salt.
iPhone 15 Pro: Performance
Even before the launch of the iPhone 14, analysts were expecting that Apple would use different processors for its various phones in the future, which is exactly what happened. This means that the iPhone 15 Pro is likely to get a new chipset when it launches.
It is safe to assume that this will be the A17 Bionic. A report from TrendForce states that the iPhone 15 Pro lineup features the rumored A17 Bionic while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will retain the older A16 Bionic chipset.
In fact, the A17 Bionic is rumored to be manufactured using a 3nm process, which should theoretically improve performance and power efficiency. So while the A16 Bionic is very impressive, its successor could be even more so.
We’ve been hearing for a long time that Apple wants to build its own wireless modems so the iPhone can move away from Qualcomm. The Cupertino phone maker even bought Intel’s struggling modem business in 2019. Some have said that 2023 is the year we finally get an Apple modem, but that may not be true.
Qualcomm says it expects to supply the “vast majority” of Apple modems in 2023, and we’re more willing to bet on that than analysts forecast. If so, we believe the iPhone 15 Pro will use the X70 modem.
iPhone 15 Pro: Outlook
September is still a long way off, so expect more iPhone 15 Pro rumors and leaks to surface. We might hear about this supposed differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, if there was one — and we sincerely hope there isn’t.
The Pro models are solid devices, especially the iPhone 14 Pro. But let’s hope we continue to see meaningful upgrades for the little phone that packs a punch. But there’s more we’d like to see, like 256GB of base storage and faster charging speeds to start. On top of that, Apple needs to address the battery life of the iPhone 15 Pro, which took a significant downturn in 2022.
Keep it locked here as we learn more about the iPhone 15 Pro in the coming months.
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