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 a so-called iPhone 15 Ultra, too, which some think will carry on the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s legacy.
Right now, it looks like a few of the Ultra rumors apply to the iPhone 15 Pro, too. Some of those include things like solid-state buttons, USB-C and faster data transfer speeds, but Apple might create a further divide between its models, even the Pros — similar to what happened with the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
We’ve compiled what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro. If you want to read about the iPhone 15, we have a roundup of those rumors, too.
iPhone 15 Pro: News (updated November 30)
iPhone 15 Pro: Possible price and release date
Apple likes to stick to September as its time frame for iPhone launches, so we’d wager the iPhone 15 Pro will come out in mid-September 2023. The iPhone 14 Pro released on September 16, 2022, while the iPhone 13 Pro launched on September 24, 2021.
As for price, we won’t hear much about that until the lead-up to Apple’s event, and even then, you’ll want to remain skeptical until we get official pricing info. That’s because rumors can be wrong, like they were with the reports of price hikes for the iPhone 14 series.
Obviously, that never came to fruition. We don’t know, but right now, we’d guess the iPhone 15 Pro will ring in at $999 just like its predecessors.
iPhone 15 Pro: Design and display
The iPhone 14 Pro really shook up the iPhone’s iconic design. The Dynamic Island replaces the infamous notch with a responsive UI thanks to iOS 16 features like Live Activities and such. We expect the Dynamic Island is here to stay for quite a while. (In fact, one rumor suggests all iPhone 15 models will feature the Dynamic Island.)
There’s no reason to believe that Apple will change the screen size for the iPhone 15 Pro, either. The 6.1-inch form factor has withstood the test of time, and is a favorite among many (including some Tom’s Guide staff). And the always-on display is more than likely to stay.
But the design could get a big change. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman points out in one of his columns that Apple likes to switch up the iPhone design every three years (opens in new tab) or so. The flat-edged look we have now has been around since the iPhone 12, which is three generations older than the upcoming iPhone 15.
That means 2023 could see a fresh look, but what? Apple might return to rounded edges for the iPhone 15 Pro, which is more ergonomic, especially when combined with the weight of modern iPhones. This might also offer a slimmer look to the iPhone 15 Pro. And the chassis might be made of titanium, a long-rumored feature for iPhones.
Another recent rumor from Ming-Chi Kuo claims that “two high-end iPhone 15s” will feature solid-state buttons. Replacing mechanical buttons with those that lack any moving parts and instead use haptic feedback could make for a more durable phone that lasts longer and is better protected against water and debris. If you want an example of this, look back to the iPhone 7’s home button, which went fully haptic.
iPhone 15 Pro: USB-C
Many, including us, expect 2023 to be the year that Apple finally retires the Lightning port on the iPhone, going with USB-C instead as mandated by the European Union. Of course, it could also be the year that Apple introduces a portless iPhone, but that’s a fuzzy guess at best.
The top-end iPhones will reportedly get faster data transfer speeds from their USB-C connectors, while the regular versions would be stuck at the same speed as Lightning, which is equivalent to the ancient USB 2.0 standard.
iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max rank as some of the best camera phones you can buy, partially thanks to the new 48MP main sensor. It can take some great shots, and even use the full 48 megapixels in RAW photos.
Right now, however, there’s very little we know about the iPhone 15 Pro’s cameras. One of the things we have heard is that Apple will use Sony’s new “state-of-the-art” sensor for the iPhone 15. This sensor can double the pixel saturation levels, potentially improving the iPhone 15 Pro’s over- and under-exposure compensation. This would be great, as the iPhone 14 Pro struggles a bit with exposure control in challenging scenes.
We’ve heard about a periscope telephoto lens in an iPhone for a while now, and 2023 might be the year it happens. Ming-Chi Kuo claims the iPhone 15 Pro will finally get this periscope telephoto capability, helping it match the likes of Samsung and Google for zoom performance. That said, it could be reserved for the iPhone 15 Ultra.
Another Kuo rumor claims that the iPhone 15 Pro will sport an 8P main lens to reduce distortion in wider-angle shots, but considering that Apple just moved to a 7P lens for the iPhone 14 Pro, we’d take this one with a grain of salt.
iPhone 15 Pro: Performance
Even before the iPhone 14’s launch, analysts were predicting Apple would use different processors for its various phones going forward, which is exactly what happened. That means the iPhone 15 Pro is likely to get a new chipset when it launches.
It’s safe to assume that this will be the A17 Bionic. A report from TrendForce tips the iPhone 15 Pro lineup to feature this rumored A17 Bionic while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would keep the older A16 Bionic chipset.
In fact, the A17 Bionic is rumored to be manufactured using a 3nm process, which would theoretically improve both performance and power efficiency. So while the A16 Bionic is very impressive, its successor might be even more so.
We’ve long heard that Apple wants to build its own wireless modems for the iPhone to break away from Qualcomm. The Cupertino phone maker even bought Intel’s floundering modem business in 2019. Some have said 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’s modems in 2023, and we’re more willing to bet on that than analyst predictions. Should that be the case, we think the iPhone 15 Pro will use the X70 modem.
iPhone 15 Pro: Outlook
September is a long ways off yet, so expect many more iPhone 15 Pro rumors and leaks to spring up. We might hear about this supposed differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, if there is 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 to the small phone that packs a punch. But there’s more we’d like to see, such as 256GB base storage and faster charging speeds to start. What’s more, Apple needs to address battery life for the iPhone 15 Pro, which took a major downturn in 2022.
Keep it locked here as we learn more about the iPhone 15 Pro in the coming months.
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