Though it’ll be two months before we even know the release date of the iPhone 15, insiders have revealed Apple’s newest model will come in new colours, including pink and green, with an updated battery and an eye-watering price tag.
The iPhone 15 release is expected to include four new models: the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, both with 6.1-inch screens, and the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus, with 6.7-inch screens.
Perhaps the biggest change is to the charging port. According to blogger yeux1122, who has an accurate history of Apple leaks, the company’s flagship lightning cable port has been replaced with the wider USB-C port that is now used on Macs.
The battery life of iPhone 15s, meanwhile, is expected to improve by about 10 per cent.
There are expected to be a few new aesthetic features, so everyone knows you’re holding the brand new iPhone. According to yeux1122, the iPhone 15 will feature more rounded edges and a less glossy finish, not dissimilar to the style of older iPhone models.
The new models are even expected to come in a brand new pink colour, which according to Twitter user @ShrimpApplePro will be offered alongside midnight (black), starlight (white), green, yellow and red.
Forbes, however, recommended holding back your excitement about the new colours. According to the publication, Apple in recent years has released decoy devices in new colours to help identify the source of leaked information. The decoy colours may never make it to the market.
The iPhone 15 is also expected to continue Apple’s trend of widening the gap between Pro and non-Pro devices.
According to reputable inside sources cited by Forbes, the new iPhone 15 Pros will contain a titanium frame, which is expected to be lighter and stronger than the usual stainless steel.
The iPhone 15 Pro models are also expected to include a super-thin bezel, improved wireless short-range communication and a multipurpose “action” button that will replace the mute switch.
All of the fancy features, however, come with a hefty price tag.
According to a leaked report seen by AppleInsider, the iPhone 15 Pro will be the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released.
The report doesn’t name a price, but hints at an approximate US$200 (A$300) hike.
For the iPhone 15 Pro Max — the most sophisticated of the new models — that means forking out US$1299 (A$1900) for the 128GB option, US$1399 (A$2050) for the 256GB option, US$1599 (A$2350) for the 512GB option and a staggering US$1799 (A$2640) for the one-terabyte option.
It’s unclear whether the price hikes will apply to the whole iPhone 15 range or be isolated to the Pro models.
Despite not yet being released, the iPhone 15 range has already come under fire for being “too mediocre of an upgrade”.
Twitter user @unknownz21, who correctly predicted many features of the last two iPhone models, went as far as urging shoppers not to buy them.
“The entire 15 line-up is worth skipping — base models especially,” they wrote.
“Not because of any defects, it’s too mediocre of an upgrade. I wish I could elaborate, but I can’t.”
Social media users hit out at the high price tag for the iPhone 15.
“These mfs really charge anything they want cuz y’all keep buying,” one person tweeted.
“It’s beautiful but $1000+ for a phone that doesn’t even have ProMotion (scrolling) and barely has a better battery life? No,” added another.
“Honestly not worth the upgrade or to buy,” wrote a third.