While we’re still about 10 months away from Apple unveiling the iPhone 15 range, rumors are already suggesting that next year’s high-end Pro models will have even more exclusive features than usual compared to the standard models .
In September, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said strong sales of iPhone 14 Pro models would likely encourage Apple to increase differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, though It’s worth noting that so many hardware changes are likely to be planned at least a few years in advance.
There are currently rumors that at least five features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models:
- A17 chip: iPhone 15 Pro models will feature an A17 Bionic chip, manufactured based on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, which will offer performance and efficiency improvements, according to the Japanese publication Nike Asia. The report claimed that 2023 could be the second year in a row that only the Pro models of the new iPhone range will feature Apple’s latest chip.
- Faster USB-C connection: iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a USB-C port with support for at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which would result in the devices being wired with significantly faster data transfer speeds compared to existing iPhones equipped are lightning. Kuo said the USB-C port on standard iPhone 15 models will be limited to USB 2.0 speeds like Lightning.
- Increased memory: iPhone 15 Pro models will come with more 8GB of RAM, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, while standard models will likely continue to have 6GB of RAM as they currently do. Additional RAM can allow apps like Safari to keep more content active in the background, preventing the app from reloading content when reopened.
- Solid State Keys: According to Kuo, iPhone 15 Pro models will feature solid-state volume and power buttons. The analyst said the devices will feature two additional Taptic Engines that provide haptic feedback to simulate the feel of pressing the buttons without physical movement, similar to the home button on the latest iPhone SE or the Trackpad on newer MacBooks.
- Increased optical zoom for iPhone 15 Pro Max: The iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a periscope telephoto lens, according to Kuo. This could result in the device boasting at least 10x optical zoom, compared to 3x on iPhone 14 Pro models.
Because of the increased differentiation BloombergMark Gurman said the iPhone 15 Pro Max might be renamed the iPhone 15 Ultra.
Pushing customers towards the Pro models would help Apple increase the iPhone’s average retail price. The trend started earlier this year, when only the iPhone 14 Pro models received Apple’s latest A16 Bionic chip, while the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models still featured last year’s A15 Bionic chip.
As usual, Apple is likely to announce the iPhone 15 range next September. With many months to go before the devices launch, it’s likely that additional features will show up, so the information we have at the moment only gives a glimpse of what to expect.
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