Apple iPhone 15 rumors are gathering pace now. We've heard that the new phone is alleged to feature a new-look curved metal frame, and a new leak says the phone will have haptic buttons on the side, too.
It's thought that Apple might get rid of physical buttons (the mechanical volume and power buttons) on its next high-end iPhones in 2021, to make for a slightly larger differentiation between Pro and non-Pro handsets. The benefit of this is that there would be fewer entry points for dirt and water to get into the handset (you can read more on haptics further down).
The new intel comes courtesy of MacRumors, which has published that Apple supplier Cirrus Logic’s CEO John Forsyth confirmed the company’s high-performance mixed-signal chips (which includes haptic drivers for iPhone’s Taptic Engine) will come to market in the second half of next year – matching it up to the iPhone 15’s expected September 2023 launch.
If you've missed the latest rumors, catch up with everything we know so far about the Apple iPhone 15.
iPhone 15 latest leaks
Further intel unearthed by MacRumors comes via an investor note from Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley, who are quoted as writing: “The biggest change to our thinking here is to model $1 of new content in the IP15 Pro models. To be clear, the company hasn't said much here other than that the chip is mixed signal and not in the power domain. When looking at potential use cases, the largest change in new iPhone models next year is the removal of the buttons.”
Obviously, we can never be sure when it comes to leaks and rumors, but these sources seem sound to us and it’s not the first time we’ve seen the rumor either. Last month, prolific Apple leaker, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted saying the same – this just holds a lot more weight now MacRumours has brought the additional sources of information into the limelight.
(1/6)My latest survey indicates that the volume button and power button of two high-end iPhone 15/2H23 new iPhone models may adopt a solid-state button design (similar to the home button design of iPhone 7/8/SE2 & 3) to replace the physical/mechanical button design.October 28, 2022
What are haptic buttons?
Rather than physical buttons, haptic buttons are essentially just bits of software that provide touch to communicate with camera phone users, through vibrations, motion, and the perceived application of pressing a button – just like you would on a traditional button.
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Smartphone users who own a device which haptic buttons, such as the Google Pixel 7 Pro, are essentially pressing into a hard surface, but they are getting the feel and feedback of pressing a physical button.
While mechanical buttons need some physical space to move and work within a smartphone, haptic buttons require none as they are software based. This means no holes in the frame are needed, so manufacturers can create completely sealed devices and bring closed-frame smartphones to the market instead. Obviously, sealed devices are less prone to breakage and don’t have any holes in them to potentially allow dirt, water, etc. to get inside and cause damage.
iPhone 15: Rumors so far
According to a recent rumor we can’t expect the long-awaited Apple chip to debut until at least 2025 and so Qualcomm is predicted to remain the supplier of modems for all iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models instead. Currently, then, it’s expected that all iPhone 15 models will be powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X70 modem, which was announced in February.
The X70 supports up to 10 Gbps download speeds (as does the Snapdragon X65 modem in iPhone 14 models but boasts added artificial intelligence capabilities for faster average speeds, improved coverage, lower latency, better signal quality, and importantly up to 60% better power efficiency.
@LeaksApplePro has already spread several iPhone 15 rumors, including the Dynamic Island to stop being a Pro exclusive and feature in all models instead, and all models in the iPhone 15 series ditching the Lightning port in favor of USB Type-C.
The Apple iPhone 14 sees the newer SoC on the Pro model only and @LeaksApplePro says this will also be the case next year with standard iPhone 15 models getting the A16 Bionic and the Pro models featuring an all-new A17 one.
It’s alleged, again by @LeaksApplePro that Apple will use a new naming scheme for the iPhone15 and that the Pro Max label could be dropped. This would mean we would get iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Ultra – potentially in titanium. Additionally, this leak says that the 6.7-inch Ultra model (which would replace the Pro Max as we know the range now) could have exclusive features in addition to the larger display.
Finally, the prolific leaker has also shared that Apple may be working on 8K video recording support and that the tech giant is looking to improve battery life for the new series. It’s rumored that on the iPhone 15 Ultra model, Apple is aiming for the battery to last 3-4 hours longer.
iPhone 15 Pro: Release date
There’s plenty of time for a slew of leaks and rumors before the iPhone 15 family launches. We expect this to be in September 2023, as this is in line with Apple’s standard launch timeframe – remember, the iPhone 14 launch was in September 2022 – but of course, we can't be sure until there's an official announcement.
Wondering which iPhone 14 model to buy? Check out our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro comparison guide to all four new models. You might also like the best iPhone for photography.
