New Apple Exclusive Reveals iPhone 15 Release Surprise

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Update 01/10 below. This post was originally published on January 07

iPhone 15 Pro features have been leaked by Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, but the real surprise is Apple’s massive iPhone 15 camera upgrade.

In a research note seen by MacRumors, Pu doubles down on multiple updates planned for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (potentially rebranded as Ultra), all seen before: titanium chassis with solid-state volume buttons, 3nm A17 chip , Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem, USB-C port, and a jump from 6GB to 8GB of RAM.

Apple iPhone 15 Ultra is expected to have dual front-facing cameras – conceptual render

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While it’s good to have a significant source of leaks that we’ve seen elsewhere, the real twist is that Pus says the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be upgraded to a 48-megapixel primary camera like the iPhone 14 Pro models.

Pu says this will be a tri-prong sensor, like its Pro predecessors, which is a big surprise given its extra cost over the long-life 12-megapixel sensors Apple uses. Pu also says the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models will switch to USB-C, an upgrade initially meant to be Pro-only.

But that’s where the surprises end, with Pu saying that the standard iPhone 15 models will again have an older generation chipset (in this case, the A16 of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max) and no telephoto lens.

Update 01/09: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman used the latest edition of his Power On newsletter to reveal more details about the iPhone 15 line-up, as well as supporting information from other small leakers.

Gurman says he expects a design update for all standard iPhone 15 models with the pill cutout and Dynamic Island now universal across the lineup. This is fascinating for another reason: Dynamic Island’s success is partly due to its fluidity, which benefits enormously from a high refresh rate display.

Until now, ProMotion has remained a Pro-only feature, despite having been widely adopted by significantly cheaper Android rivals for some time now. So will this iPhone 15 update also see both standard models finally up their display game?

Additionally, Gurman claims the iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a titanium frame (first revealed by LeaksApplePro in October), solid-state tactile volume buttons (ShrimpApplePro, October), and, as widely speculated, all models will switch from Lightning to USB-C.

Update 01/10: Momentum is building around design changes to Apple’s iPhone 15 range. A new supply chain report seen by The Elec claims that Apple has confirmed it will be applying the Dynamic Island camera window to all four iPhone 15 series scheduled to be released in September.

The report states that Samsung Displays Vietnam plant will be a key manufacturing partner for the ramp up of this project and has ordered equipment from Phil Optics to fulfill it. Samsung has come under increasing pressure from LG and the BOE over the past year as Apple looks to reduce its reliance on Samsung.

The report also claims that Apple is already working on a significant display update called Under Panel Face ID, which it will introduce for iPhone 16 models next year. As the name suggests, it would allow Apple to hide the Face ID cutout under the display. This would halve the size of the current pill-shaped cutout, leaving more room for the dynamic island.

Apple has been working on the under-display optics for some time. Apple filed its first Under Panel Camera (UPC) patents in 2019, adding them in August 2021.

Some Android smartphones already ship with under-display front-facing cameras, most notably the Galaxy Fold 4, but right now it remains a significant compromise in camera performance. Something that could be a deal breaker for Apple, which is notorious for its practice of not releasing new technologies until it deems them mature.

Apple’s iPhone 15 may use the main camera of the iPhone 14 Pro

Apple

Apple has a delicate balance to strike this year. The latest leak claims that Apple will not reduce iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus prices, despite disappointing sales of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Instead, boost demand by raising iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra prices and thus the gap between the standard and Pro models.

This is a risky ploy and Apple needs to get the value proposition right. A 48-megapixel sensor and USB-C will certainly be welcome for the standard iPhone 15 models. But for my money, the design has to change too.

More on ForbesMORE FROM FORBESiPhone 14 Pro had ‘unprecedented’ development setback, reports claimsBy Gordon Kelly

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