iPhone 15 series: Release date, new upgrades, and more rumors from the next-gen iPhone

The technology world has speculated that the new iPhone 15 series is truly an iconic phone with a series of new changes in design. So what are the changes that can make this smartphone so special? Let's see!

Type-C charging port

Last October, the European Parliament officially passed a law: forcing Apple to use the USB Type-C charging standard for its devices if it wants to do business in the European market. According to the press, the new law will not officially take effect until 2024, but Apple has started its transition on many products such as MacBook, iPad,.. and iPhone 15 series are expected to be the next product.

If the iPhone 15 series is indeed equipped with a Type-C charging port, this will mean that the 2023 iPhone will have upgraded charging and data transmission speeds. These are also two weaknesses so far of the iPhone versions.

USB 4.0 port

As revealed by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, all 4 versions of the iPhone 15 series will be equipped with a Type-C charging port. However, only two high-end versions, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (iPhone 15 Ultra) will have increased data transfer speeds.

Specifically, the two standard versions will still keep the same USB 2.0 data transfer rate as the previous Lightning charging port. As for the two higher-end versions, they will likely reach data transfer speeds of 20 Gbps or even 40Gbps. If you put it next to the 480 Mbps of Apple's current Lightning technology, we clearly have a huge speed gap.

RAM 8GB

Not long ago, TrendForce - a Taiwanese research company said that Apple is considering upgrading the RAM level of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. If this turns out to be true, the two high-end models of the iPhone 15 series will possess an impressive multitasking ability.

For those who do not know, Apple's current 6GB RAM level was first launched in 2020, on two versions of iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Although upgrading RAM will bring better multitasking capabilities, many think that it is not necessary because the multitasking ability of the current iPhone 14 Pro Max is still too good.

5G chip

According to many reputable sources, Apple will continue to use Qualcomm's 5G modem on iPhone 15 series phones. This is something Apple does not want. The company believes that the cost of this modem is currently too high, which increases the production cost of the phone significantly.

Currently, some sources say that Apple is in the process of producing its own 5G modem. As expected, the US technology company will launch a new modem in 2024. From that time, it will reduce the use of Qualcomm's 5G modem, before completely replacing it with its own chip.

Periscope lens

There are currently some rumors that Apple will equip a new telephoto lens, with enhanced optical zoom capabilities for the iPhone. However, Ming-chi Kuo revealed, the 8P lens will most likely not be equipped on iPhone 15 series, regardless of version. This is a blow to iFan's previous joy of owning a new smartphone with better shooting capabilities.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, only the iPhone 15 Pro Max is equipped with this lens. This is also the reason that many people believe that next year's most advanced iPhone model will be called iPhone 15 Ultra. The lack of 8P lens technology is a big sadness, but iFans can console themselves a bit as news of a new telephoto lens is still possible. 

Analyst Kuo also continues to make predictions about the improvement of the iPhone 15's camera system. Specifically, the iPhone 15 Ultra, the most advanced model in the series, will be equipped with a periscope lens. Technically, the periscope camera on a phone uses a prism mirror system to enhance the camera's zoom function. The predecessor iPhone 14 Pro Max series only had 3x optical zoom, while the rival Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was capable of 10x optical zoom.

Camera review

Upgrading the main lens to 48MP resolution is just the first step in Apple's entire camera upgrade process. According to some rumors, the lens of the iPhone 15 will be upgraded from a 6-lens camera to an 8-lens (aka 8P lens). This improvement will help the iPhone 15's camera be better able to capture light and produce higher-quality images.

Sony's new sensor

According to Nikkei Asia, Sony is developing a new type of sensor that doubles the ability to recognize a saturated signal. It is known that this sensor has the main effect of overcoming overexposure or underexposure. As a result, the lens can detect and adjust to better capture light, while reducing noise and improving color dynamic range. Theoretically, this sensor can support twice as much light as current sensors.

It is known that the iPhone 15 series will not be the only phone line with this sensor. However, with its modern image processing technology, Apple can still take advantage of it to become an outstanding strength compared to the competition.

Physical buttons replaced by force-sensitive buttons

This information was revealed by Ming-Chi Kuo: The iPhone 15 series will change the power button and volume key, from a physical form to a force-sensitive button. In fact, the force-sensitive button is not a new technology when it was once equipped on the Home button of the iPhone 7.

The strength of the force-sensitive button is that it has better durability than the traditional physical button. In addition, it is also water resistant and takes up less space inside the device. An important point is that this force-sensitive button can feel like a traditional physical button thanks to a Taptic motor, which generates feedback force into the user's hand.

Information about the iPhone 15 series will replace all physical buttons with force-sensitive buttons recently has more confirmation information. This information comes from Cirrus Logic, a company that specializes in supplying components for Apple. According to analysis by research firm Barclays, this company will be the supplier of the HPMS chip for the iPhone 15 years later.

If you do not know, the HPMS exam is a new type of chip design researched by Cirrus Logic. It is worth noting that this chip includes haptic drivers for the Taptic Engine (force feedback engine). This itself has confirmed that the iPhone 15 will be equipped with a new type of button.

This information is even more authentic when Cirrus Logic CEO John Forsyth confirmed that the time this chip will be released is the second half of next year. This time coincides with the time when Apple plans to launch the iPhone 15 series.

The volume up and down buttons are merged

Most recently, a Douyin account revealed new design drawings of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Accordingly, the two high-end smartphone models above will have a completely different volume control and mute key compared to their predecessors.

Specifically, the volume up and down buttons that are split in half and the mute switch will be merged into an extremely slim whole. Therefore, users may have to hold down this button to turn on the mute mode for the device. Meanwhile, the old sound shortcut is said to become the device startup pen. 

iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra) phone rumors

Quoting from the sharing of journalist Martin Filipov: iPhone 15 Pro Max will probably be renamed iPhone 15 Ultra, coming with more advanced technology than the iPhone 15 Pro series. Apple wants to do this for two reasons: First, Apple sees the benefits of creating a technology gap between phone versions.

Second, Apple also wants to follow in the footsteps of Xiaomi and Samsung, bringing a line of large-sized phones with today's leading technologies. This will help further drive the revenue that Apple's top-of-the-line phones can earn. But this idea is currently facing opposition from iFans, especially those who love small-screen versions of 6.1-inch phones.

Dynamic Island 

According to many sources, Apple will launch 4 phone models of the iPhone 15 series, and all are equipped with the "magic pill" Dynamic Island. This is a missing part that integrates sensor features that only appear on the Pro versions of the predecessor iPhone 14 series. 

iPhone 15 release date

In addition to information about specifications, the iPhone 15 series launch date also makes many iFan curious. As usual, this series is likely to be announced in September 2023 similar to its predecessors. Usually, the opening date of the new iPhone line will fall on the Friday of the next week from the official announcement date. However, sometimes Apple will also alternate dates to introduce special models, such as models with new designs or color choices.

Here are some information about the iPhone 15 launch date that we have known up to now:

Apple will usually hold a press conference to introduce new products on Tuesday or Wednesday in the first or second week of September. For example, the iPhone 14 series is launched on Wednesday and the iPhone 13 series is on Tuesday. Right after the announcement time about 1.5 weeks, the new iPhone models will be officially opened for sale in stores around the world.

iPhone 15 will remove the physical sim tray in European countries

According to MacGeneration, an Apple research website in France has revealed that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro sold in this country will be completely removed from the physical SIM slot. This means that the above phone models only support eSIM, a type of digital SIM that allows users to switch carriers and packages easily without changing SIM trays. Apple said that eSIM has higher security capabilities than regular physical SIM.

This is because the eSIM cannot be taken out when the user accidentally loses his or her iPhone. In addition, users can manage up to 8 eSIMs in the same iPhone. With 8 pre-installed eSIMs. iFans will not need to remove the SIM when they need to use another SIM like before.

Price of iPhone 15

Besides the new iPhone 15, the expected price of the product is also something that many iFan are interested in. How much the iPhone 15 models cost will depend on many different factors. For example, the price difference between memory capacity instances. Expect the price of the standard iPhone 15 to start at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus from $899, the iPhone 15 Pro from $1,099, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max from $1,199.

Color options of iPhone 15

iPhone 15 colors: Black, blue, pink, purple, white, and red. iPhone 15 Plus colors: Black, blue, pink, purple, white, and red.

iPhone 15 Pro colors: Black, white, silver, and bronze. Maybe this year, Apple will add 2 extremely new colors to the Pro version, which is a deep red, replacing the purple of the iPhone 14 Pro, and an extremely prominent neon pink.

iPhone 15 Pro Max colors: Black, white, silver, and bronze. Similar to the iPhone 15 Pro, deep red and neon pink will be added to the iPhone 15 Pro Max for users who love to be different and stand out.

iPhone 15 Ultra will have a durable titanium frame

According to the latest update from the PhoneArena site, a Twitter account said that the phones of the iPhone 15 series will have a frame made of titanium. In addition, the edges of the device are rounded, titanium material will make the latest iPhone models more luxurious and fashionable.

The advantage of titanium over stainless steel is that this material will give the iPhone great durability with a lighter weight. Weight is an issue for large devices like the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. Apple's current iPhone 14 Pro models use stainless steel frames, so they are quite heavy, especially the iPhone 14 Pro Max version.

iPhone 15 Pro mockup revealed: Impressive appearance with ultra-thin bezel

Recently, a beautiful 3D model of the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been shared in a short video posted on Youtube. In it, viewers had the best overview of the new design language of this high-end iPhone model.

Specifically, the video made by Unbox Therapy channel has revealed the ultra-thin bezel of the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a size of only 1.55mm, smaller than the 2.17mm bezel of the predecessor iPhone 14 Pro Max. And yet, the design changes of the device are also evident on the model as the leaked rumors. For example, the volume up and down buttons have been merged into a unified bar.