It’s only been a few months since Apple launched this iPhone 14 series, but the rumor mill is hard at work, already bringing us alleged details about the iPhone 15. Here are the most credible of them…
Snapdragon X70 chip instead of Apple’s own
MacRumors has information from Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu in a research note from October, in which he said he expects iPhone models released in 2024 to feature the as-yet-unannounced Snapdragon Qualcomm X75 modem. This chip, like the Snapdragon X70, is expected to be manufactured on TSMC’s 4nm process and help improve power efficiency.
This new information matches information shared over the summer by Apple leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated that „Apple’s own development of the iPhone 5G modem chip may have failed“ and that Qualcomm will therefore remain the exclusive 5G supplier modems for the new iPhone models in 2023. What Kuo didn’t specify was the time frame by which Apple would use its own chip in the iPhone, but now thanks to Pu we know we’re looking at 2025 as such.
The entire iPhone 15 lineup is currently expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X70 modem, which was announced in February. The X70 supports download speeds of up to 10 Gbps (same as the Snapdragon X65 modem in the iPhone 14 models, but has additional AI features for higher average speeds, improved coverage, lower latency, better signal quality and most already up to 60% better energy efficiency.
USB-C and different data transfer rates
Although Apple has so far resisted it, a new EU law requiring all new smartphones to have a USB Type-C charging port by the end of 2024 means the company will switch to USB-C in future iPhones.
The law does not force Apple to switch to USB-C for the launch of the iPhone 15 (2024 will be the year for the iPhone 16 series), but now a reputable greedy has said that it will be the iPhone 15 will be the first with USB-C and that this results in higher data transfer rates on some models.
The leak comes from analyst Ming Chi Kuo, via TechRadar, who has a decent track record of information from Apple, claiming that all models in the upcoming iPhone 15 will have a USB-C connector instead of a Lightning connector.
In his series of tweets, Kuo also claimed that only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will benefit from the additional speed potential of USB-C. The two high-end models will reportedly support either USB-C 3.2 data transfer speeds – which can reach 20 Gbps – or Thunderbolt 3 speeds – which can reach up to 40 Gbps. This means the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Max series will boast USB 2.0 speeds of 480 Mbps – in line with current Apple Lightning speeds.
„Dynamic Island“ on all models
A huge iPhone 15 leak shared by the usually reliable @LeaksApplePro says that the „dynamic island“ could stop being a pro-exclusive feature and be included in all models, which would be really cool. For those who haven’t used it yet, dynamic island is a feature that can display multiple features at once – when used, it splits the screen into a larger pill-shaped area and a smaller circular area, like gives you the advantage of seeing two things at once.
New naming scheme
@LeaksApplePro also claims that Apple will use a new naming scheme for the iPhone 15 series and that the Pro Max label may be dropped. That would mean we’d get the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Ultra, and that would certainly simplify things. Additionally, the leak states that the 6.7-inch Ultra model (which will replace the Pro Max we know so far) may have exclusive features in addition to the larger display.
8K video
More information from @LeaksApplePro states that Apple may be working on 8K video support and also trying to improve battery life for the new series. Rumor has it that Apple is aiming for 3-4 hours more battery life on the iPhone Ultra model.
Curved titanium frame with a new look
ShrimpApplePro leaker, @VNchocoTaco, via Phone Arena claims that the iPhone 15 will have a new design and will be made of titanium.
The famous leaker claims that the iPhone 15 could have a curved back side bezel instead of being flat like the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and the new iPhone 14. They also add that the upcoming phone will be made of titanium, but end the leak with “all it’s still too early to take it for what it is, which we understand since they’re not 100% certain, but we can never assume the leaks are true anyway.
If the leak is true, it would mean that the upcoming iPhone 15 series will benefit from the sleek look of the current flat design and the better ergonomics of the slightly curved back design, though that’s obviously subjective. As for the premium titanium body, however, we think that if this is true, it will most likely be reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra models only.