Ahead of the launch of new iPhones, case makers invest heavily in sourcing leaked details on updated designs in order to be first to market with suitable cases. The result is often dummy models that are exact replicas of future iPhones, such as the dummy iPhone 15 models we’re presenting today.
We were able to get our hands on a series of dummy models representing the “iPhone 15”, the “iPhone 15” Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and the “iPhone 15 Pro” Max, the four new iPhones that Apple is introducing to ours opinion in September 2023 on the market. We’ve already heard endless rumors about the iPhone 15 models, but it helps to be able to see all the changes and design updates in person.
At first glance, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models look similar to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, but a closer look reveals clear differences. There are no more Lightning ports, for example, as Apple introduces USB-C this year. There are USB-C ports at the bottom of each device, allowing charging with the same USB-C cable that can be used to charge a modern Mac or iPad.
On the surface, the USB-C ports on the “iPhone 15” and “iPhone 15 Pro” look identical, but we assume the “iPhone 15 Pro” models will support faster data transfer speeds with possible Thunderbolt support. There have also been hints that Apple will restrict some features to “Made for iPhone” cables, but we can’t say if this will be the case for dummy models.
There have been several rumors of a minor design change on the corners of the “iPhone 15” models, which you can actually see. It’s a subtle change, but the corners are more rounded than before, making for a more comfortable hand feel.
Rumor has it that the “iPhone 15 Pro” models will use titanium instead of stainless steel, but that’s a feature we can’t see on the dummy models. Instead of the glossy finish of the dummy models, we’ll likely see a more premium matte finish. All Dummy models feature a frosted glass back, which was limited to the Pro models in the past. We’ve heard rumors of frosted glass being used across the board, but it’s an odd choice.
All four iPhones in 2023 are also expected to feature Dynamic Island instead of a notch, effectively marking the end of the notch in Apple’s flagship “iPhone” lineup. Currently, the “Dynamic Island” is limited to the “iPhone 14 Pro” and Pro Max, but the cheaper “iPhone 15” will also have the updated design in 2023.
The dummy iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models have a unified volume button, but this design tweak may have been changed at the last minute. There were rumors that Apple would implement solid-state technology in the volume buttons, but there were too many bugs that could still be fixed, so the feature was kept until the iPhone 16. That’s why we might see the traditional two-button design instead of the unified button.
What’s safer is Apple getting rid of the mute switch, which turns into a button. We’ll have a button above the volume buttons, and it can be an action button instead of a dedicated mute button, similar to the action button on the Apple Watch Ultra. The action button would be programmable and could mute more than just the “iPhone”.
The cameras look about the same and you won’t notice any major external changes, but the “iPhone 15 Pro” Max is expected to get a new periscope lens with up to 6x optical zoom. The implementation of this technology takes up a lot of space in the phone and is therefore limited to the Pro Max.
There are still about four months until the debut of the “iPhone 15” models, which means that the design is finalized and Apple will start mass production soon. As launch approaches, we’ll learn more about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, summarizing everything we know in our dedicated summaries.
