Apple's iPhone 15 to feature unexpected design changes, leaks say

The company’s next flagship smartphone will reportedly resemble an Android device

The next iPhone is expected to be released in September. AP

Apple is set to implement some unexpected design changes for the iPhone 15, including making it resemble both the Apple Watch and Android devices more closely, according to rumours.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have thinner bezels and curved edges, making it look “more Android than ever”, ShrimpApplePro, known for leaking highly reliable news on Apple, said on Twitter.

“All iPhone 15 series will have the same display sizes as iPhone 14 series — Pro 15 will have thinner bezels with curve edges, display is still flat though, only the bezels is curved,” the tweets said.

“Source described the iPhone 15 pro max (aka ultra) as very beautiful. With the thinner bezels and curved edges could create the same effect like on Apple Watch.”

Late last year, ShrimpApplePro had said that Apple was working on a new iPhone with no physical buttons.

This was backed up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is also known to be a reliable source on Apple updates.

He said the iPhone 15 will have power and volume buttons built into the device, replacing the physical buttons.

The iPhone 15 is expected to be released in September.

For the iPhone 14 Pro, released last September, Apple introduced its Dynamic Island feature. This allows users to display various notifications and activities.

That feature is expected to be rolled out across all the iPhone 15 models.

There are also suggestions that the iPhone 15 will feature a titanium chassis with curved rear edges, rather than the current squared-off edges. The last model to have curved edges was the iPhone 11.

The iPhone 14 is made of aluminium and stainless steel. Titanium is more resistant to scratches and was in the most recent Apple Watch models.

Other potential changes include a periscope zoom lens for the camera, and the lightning port to be replaced by a USB-C port.

Last week, Apple introduced its new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, featuring the latest M2 Pro and M2 Max chips — the company's most powerful processors yet.

Elsewhere on the product front, Apple is planning to unveil its first mixed-reality headset this year, but its lightweight augmented-reality glasses have been postponed due to technical challenges, Bloomberg reported.

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Apple iPhone through the ages - in pictures

The iPhone through the ages: Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone to the world in San Francisco, California, on January 9, 2007. It had a 3.5-inch screen and 2MP camera. Reuters

The iPhone 3G was launched in 2008 with a faster 3G connection. It also added location services. Reuters

The iPhone 3GS was released on June 19, 2009. It was twice as fast as its previous version. AFP

The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010. It featured FaceTime for the first occasion as well as a retina screen. Reuters

A later release, this time on October 14, 2011, the iPhone 4S had a new dual-core processor. Reuters

Apple CEO Tim Cook takes to the stage following the reveal of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco, California, on September 12, 2012. This was the first 4-inch screen and the phone was faster and slimmer. Reuters

The iPhone 5C arrived on September 20, 2013 and was less expensive and very similar to the iPhone 5 except it came with colourful casing. Getty Images

The iPhone 5s came at the same time as the 5C and introduced touch ID and a motion data processor as health and fitness apps started to come to the fore. Getty Images

The iPhone 6 marked another double launch when unveiled on September 9, 2014. The 6 had a 4.7-inch screen, faster processor and improved camera. AFP

The iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch screen and was $100 more expensive. Reuters

The iPhone 6s came on September 25, 2015 with 3D touch and a camera that could shoot 4K video. EPA

The iPhone 6s Plus is displayed at Tokyo's flagship store on September 25, 2015. Both new phones came in a new colour - rose gold. AFP

Unveiled on March 21, 2016, the iPhone SE had the same design as the iPhone 5 and saw a return to the 4-inch screen which was preferred by some users. It was more affordable and hence lacked features such as Touch ID. AFP

The iPhone 7 announced on September 7, 2016, said somewhat controversially goodbye to the audio jack. Reuters

The iPhone 7 Plus had a dual camera added. AFP

The iPhone 8 was released on September 22, 2017 and had a new glass and aluminium design, retina HD screen. Reuters

A customer gets his hands on an iPhone 8 Plus on launch day in Tokyo on September 22, 2017. The launches also saw speakers that were 25% louder and the most powerful and smartest chip in a smartphone (according to Apple). AFP

The iPhone X marked a decade of iPhones on September 12, 2017. It's main changes were an edge-to-edge super retina screen. Touch ID was removed with Face ID introduced. Reuters

The iPhone XS was released on September 21, 2018 and had a Super Retina OLED screen with improved scratch and water resistance. Face ID was faster. Reuters

The iPhone XS Max had the largest iPhone screen to date at 6.5 inches. It could handle 3 million pixels. Reuters

The iPhone XR was slightly cheaper than the XS and came with a 6.1-inch screen. AFP

A customer looks at the iPhone 11 at an Apple store in Dubai Mall on September 20, 2019. EPA

A man tries out the iPhone 11 Pro in Cupertino, California, on September 10, 2019. AFP

Midnight Green was introduced for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, while there was also a new three-camera system. Reuters

Arriving on April 15, 2020, the iPhone SE was for budget-minded customers and was pretty much a replica of the iPhone 8. Its 4.7-inch screen felt rather on the small side compared to the big screens of its big brothers. Apple Inc. / AFP

The iPhone 12 on October 13, 2020 introduced a new processor and a screen that offered four times better protection if dropped. Apple / AFP

The iPhone 12 mini offered a 5.4-inch screen. Getty Images

Mr Cook showcases the iPhone 12 Pro during an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on October 13, 2020. This upgrade saw a faster chip, 5G speed, a "camera system that’s killer in low light. A LiDAR Scanner for more realistic AR. And two great sizes to choose from — including our largest display ever". Apple / EPA

The iPhone 12 Pro Max was categorised as a 'legacy phone'. Reuters

The new iPhone 13 was unveiled on September 14, 2021. It has a smart data mode which helps battery life, more 5G bands and antenna lines that use material made from recycled plastic water bottles. AFP

Apple CEO Tim Cook showcasing the third generation iPhone SE featuring 5G and the A15 Bionic chip on March 8, 2022. EPA

The Apple iPhone 14, 14 Plus, Pro Max and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro were unveiled during an event on September 7, 2022. It didn’t raise its US prices during one of the worst years for inflation in decades. The biggest addition was emergency calling after a car crash. Bloomberg