Several months before its release, the iPhone 15 is already the subject of countless rumors and fantasies. Especially since Apple says nothing about its plans, as always. The point on what is probable – or not! – on the future flagship smartphone of 2023.
Enough water has passed under the bridge since the official announcement of the iPhone 14 for us to start talking about its successor, the iPhone 15. And this, especially since the iPhone vintage 2023 promises to bring its share of real novelties, both in terms of design and functions, where its predecessor was content with a series of more or less important developments – which are moreover difficult to convince. So much so that the standard iPhone 14, that is to say “non-Pro”, almost seems to be struggling to find its audience: many reports indeed show that its sales are disappointing. It must be said that it ultimately differed very little from the iPhone 13, with which it shares an almost identical design, with its flat sides inaugurated by the iPhone 12, and the same A15 processor. Only the iPhone 14 Pro has managed to mark its difference with its Dynamic Island – the perforation in the screen which replaces the notch – its 48 megapixel (MP) photo sensor and its A16 processor. But, there too, with a design identical to that of the iPhone 13 Pro and, unfortunately, a significantly higher price (see our complete test on the iPhone Pro Max).
But with the iPhone 15, almost everything should change. It’s time to take stock of rumors and speculations of all kinds, trying to give answers to the big questions posed by fans of this smartphone not really like the others.
What design for the iPhone 15?
No groundbreaking changes, but it should be easier to distinguish the iPhone 15 from the iPhone 14 at a glance, which is nearly impossible to do between an iPhone 13 and an iPhone 14. In any case, we should easily recognize an iPhone 15 from the back, as it is expected that the block of photo sensors fits more smoothly, with a slightly curved lower border. The photo block will still remain massive, let’s not expect a miracle on that side.
It is rather on the side of the buttons that we expect a more radical change. According to analyst Kuo Ming-Chi, Apple could indeed replace all the physical buttons of the iPhone Pro and/or Ultra (see below) with touch buttons, functioning in the same way as the button of home of the current iPhone SE and the touchpad of MacBooks. The particularity of these buttons is that they always remain immobile, but that we nevertheless have the impression of pressing on them thanks to a haptic motor, in other words an ultra-precise vibrator, inserted inside the device. The technology is perfectly mastered and would allow Apple to further reduce the number of moving parts and also, and above all, the number of potential areas for moisture to enter. To achieve its ends, Apple would integrate two additional haptic motors, one on the left for the volume control buttons and another on the right for the On / Off / Standby button. We are curious to see how we can force the restart of an iPhone “planted” with such real / fake buttons. The entry-level iPhone 15s would retain the classic physical buttons.
Which connector for the iPhone 15?
Everyone agrees that the iPhone 15 should – finally! – mark the “conversion” of Apple’s flagship smartphone to USB-C. The already well-known connector of almost all Android smartphones, but also of several iPad models – and of course MacBooks for several years already – should therefore replace the aging Lightning port which appeared in 2012 with the iPhone 5. turns out, this actually means that you will have to change the charger or at least the cable to be able to recharge the battery of your precious sound. We can regret it, but we must admit that the prospect of being able to use only one and the same type of cable with all its devices is something to celebrate. Who hasn’t already gone on a trip with their little kit of cables and adapters only to realize a little too late that one was missing? In addition to universal charging, USB-C also offers transfer speeds much higher than that of the Lightning port, limited to 480 Mbits / s of USB 2. What make faster, for example, the transfer to a computer 48 Mpx photos that will necessarily be able to take at least the iPhones 15 Pro or Ultra (see below for the different models and photo video capacities of the next iPhones).
Interchangeability will help us on a daily basis and should help reduce electronic waste and it is indeed one of the goals of the European Union which has decided to make the use of the USB port compulsory from the end of 2024. -C as the charging socket on all new models of mobile phones, tablets, game consoles, digital cameras, portable speakers, e-readers, wireless headphones, keyboards, mice and of GPS. As for laptops, they are entitled to a reprieve of an additional 40 months.
Sorrowers will say that Apple only acts under duress. If so, the switch to USB-C could wait, therefore, the iPhone 16 which will be announced in September 2024, just before the European obligation. This track should not be overlooked because it must be remembered that iPhones are designed at least two years ahead of their release date. And in 2021, the date of the European obligation to switch to USB-C was not yet known.
Which screen for the iPhone 15?
According to Mark Gurman, all iPhone 15 models, Pro or not, would benefit from the Dynamic Island, this perforation at the top of the screen introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. Recall that the latter replaces the notch, also called in English notch, which already contained some of the sensors of the iPhone – front camera, light sensor, Face ID – that Apple has not yet managed to hide under the screen. With the iPhone 14 Pro, the fixed notch has become a dynamic punch-hole, in that the area can expand to show certain thumbnail information like the remaining time of a timer or the thumbnail of the current music album. listening. It would therefore not be for this year that the iPhone will be able to avoid presenting an unsightly drilling of its screen.
Which models for the iPhone 15?
According to Mark Gurman, the iPhone 15 range would be based on the same two screen sizes: 6.1 inches (15.5 cm) diagonally for the “small” models and 6.7 inches (17 cm) for the large models. In other words, we should not expect a return of a mini model equipped with a 5.4-inch (13.7 cm) screen, despite the commercial underperformance suffered by the iPhone 14 Plus. The latter had replaced the Phone 13 mini which either, like the 12 mini before it, had not seduced the crowds. So we’ll see if the large standard iPhone 15 model can make things right for Apple.
Even with similar screen sizes, it’s possible the Pro models still stand out for using a titanium chassis rather than a steel one. This would lighten the iPhone 15 Pro somewhat, titanium being much lighter than steel, and yet more resistant. But it is also much more expensive to produce.
We can therefore think that titanium would be reserved for the top of the range, namely the iPhone 15 Pro Max which could even change its name for the occasion and become the iPhone 15 Ultra. Apple would take back the name inaugurated by the Apple Watch Ultra, one of the characteristics of which is precisely to have adopted titanium for its case.
What photo functions for the iPhone 15?
For many years, iPhones were content with one, then several, 12 Mpxl photo sensors. This changed with the iPhone 14 Pro, whose main lens is now based on a 48 Mpxl sensor, which greatly improves the level of detail. On the other hand, even if the photo block on the back is still a little thicker compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, it is not enough to really increase the optical zoom capacities of the iPhone 14 Pro, still limited to 3x. Normal, here we reach the physical limits: to obtain a greater level of optical zoom, the only way to preserve the quality of the photo unlike the digital zoom, it is necessary to move the lens away from the sensor, as we do with a magnifying glass to enlarge small print on paper.
The iPhone 15 should solve this problem by being the first to integrate a perpendicular periscope inside its chassis. The principle is simple: rather than thickening the photo block or, worse, adding a motorized zoom, a lens system is added inside the iPhone, behind a prism oriented at 45°. Result, it becomes possible to move the lens away from the sensor in the width or in the length of the iPhone and thus obtain a much higher magnification factor. There is talk of a 6x zoom for the iPhone 15, possibly up to 10x.
Which chip for the iPhone 15?
This was experienced as a thunderbolt when the iPhone 14s were announced: for the first time, the 14 Pro range had a more powerful processor (A16) than that fitted to the standard iPhone 14s, which were content to reuse the same chip as the iPhones of the previous year (A15). Even if nobody complains about a lack of power of the iPhone, whatever the model, the news has turn of the same being rather badly accomodated. For the time being, it is impossible to say whether Apple will continue in the same way and reserve the next A17 chip for the iPhone Pro and Pro Max (or Ultra, see above).
Whether or not it is reserved for the high-end iPhone 15s, the A17 processor could well mark new notable progress both in terms of computing power and energy savings thanks to the adoption of the 3-burning process. nanometers by the founder TSMC (compared to 5 nm for current chips). That said, we know that TSMC has lagged in the development of the production of chips taking advantage of this fine engraving, in particular because of the shortage of components and the pressures on the supply chains during the most important period. intensity of the health crisis. Result, assuming that the A17 at 3 nm is ready, it may only be available in small quantities, which could push Apple to reserve it for the very high end.
What price for the iPhone 15?
In the US market, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro remained at the same price as the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro that preceded them. But this has not been the case on almost all the other markets in the world, and in particular the French market, on which the iPhone 14 has increased by 10 to 15% depending on the model. If we can estimate that the price of the standard iPhone 15 does not increase again, the potential adoption of titanium instead of steel for at least one of the Pro models (see above), could cause the high-end iPhone 15 increasingly stratospheric heights.
What is the iPhone 15 release date?
New iPhones are traditionally announced at the beginning of September every year. For the iPhone 14 range, it was Wednesday, September 7. There is no reason that the iPhone 15 escapes the rule, the whole question is to try to guess the precise date. Last year, Apple chose a Wednesday, which surprised many, knowing that the brand prefers Tuesday most often. Bets are therefore open between 3 dates: Wednesday September 6, Tuesday September 12 or Wednesday September 13, 2023. Have you made your choice?