Follow live updates from the iPhone 15 launch event
It’s the day before Apple's new iPhones are revealed – which means the clock is ticking towards the most highly anticipated technology launch of the year.
Here’s what we know so far about Apple’s next line-up of flagship devices, presumably to be called the iPhone 15.
When will the new iPhones be unveiled?
After much speculation, Apple confirmed last week that it will be unveiling the new iPhones on Tuesday, September 12, at an event it has called Wonderlust, which will be streamed online at 10am Pacific time (9pm UAE time).
An invitation came with the usual one-line tag line and a touched-up Apple logo, which were in shades of blue, silver and hints of metallic – the rumoured colours of the new iPhones.
Apple usually begins selling its new iPhones on the Friday after they are introduced, so we can expect them to hit shelves on September 22.
How many iPhones will be introduced?
Four new iPhones are expected – the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max – continuing on from last year's iPhone 14 line-up.
The base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are to inherit the A16 Bionic chip used in the current iPhone 14 Pro models, while the high-end iPhone 15 Pro variants will move on to the new A17 Bionic.
The A17 Bionic has been reported to be considerably better than its predecessor, and is also the first three-nanometre chip that Apple will be using, a breakthrough that is expected to provide bump-ups in power, efficiency and other performance measures.
And it looks like Apple will be benefitting from 3nm chips ahead of everyone else, thanks to a sweetheart deal with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the maker of Apple's chips.
Taiwan Semiconductor's new smaller and better chips are being made for Apple "roughly a year before it makes them for anyone else", The Information recently reported.
Record thin bezels and a more versatile side button
Design-wise, the next iPhones are expected to have even thinner bezels; Apple is reportedly using the same bezel-slimming technology it used for the Apple Watch to give the iPhone 15 bezels that clock in at a record 1.5mm.
There is also interest brewing above the volume buttons: a replica case purportedly for an iPhone 15 Pro has been shown to have a button in place of where the mute switch supposedly is.
It has also been rumoured that Apple is planning to replace the mute switch with a more versatile button, which can be configured according to a user’s preference, similar to some Android phones.
It is still unclear whether or not this button will perform only one or several tasks, depending on how you press it (short press, long press, hold, consecutive presses).
This Pro case in question also seems to have a bigger cut hole, suggesting the camera block in Apple’s next high-end devices is once again bigger.
The long-rumoured periscope lens
This had already been floated by Ming-Chi Kuo, known for leaking highly reliable news on Apple, in December 2021, and that it would come in the iPhone 14. That didn’t happen.
A periscope lens is used as a set-up that allows greater amounts of optical zoom. This uses the hardware to magnify an image in better quality without blurring, as opposed to digital zoom, which relies on software. A handful of smartphone manufacturers have introduced this technology in their devices.
In April, Mr Kuo reiterated this lens will be used exclusively on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which would allow up to 6x optical zoom that does not blur, unlike digital zoom.
More recently, another leaker, who goes by the @URedditor handle on X (formerly Twitter), claims to have “independent confirmation” of this.
A 48MP camera for the base models
The base iPhone 15 models will still come with a dual-lens camera, while the Pro variants will have a triple-lens setup. But it seems Apple is poised to standardise a 48MP main sensor on the entire range, moving on from the long-standing 12MP sensor.
Apple made a major shift last year when it introduced a 48MP sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro, and using this on this year's entire line-up is a sign how serious Apple is to make its top-end photographic capabilities available to an even wider user base.
Will Apple finally ditch Lightning?
Apple has used its proprietary Lightning port and connector since the release of the iPhone 5 a decade ago. Talk of Apple switching it for a USB-C port has been around for some years and the company integrated it into the 2018 iPad Pro.
That all iPads are now using USB-C is a clear signal that Apple is willing to make a comprehensive switch.
Reports suggest the entry-level iPhone 15 and 15 Plus could use a USB-C port, while the Pro and Pro Max versions are likely to use Thunderbolt 3.
USB-C and Thunderbolt are physically the same, but the latter offers faster speeds. Inasmuch as it would render Lightning cables obsolete, it would also be beneficial for users who have Macs, iPads and other Apple devices that already use USB-C. It will also make life easier when searching for a much more common cable when needs be.
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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
How much will they cost?
Base iPhone prices have not changed since 2020's iPhone 12 line-up. In fact, we can consider that they have not changed since the iPhone X in 2017, which was priced at $999. This has carried on to what we can consider its equivalents in subsequent years, which would be the iPhone XS, 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 13 Pro and 14 Pro.
From 2020, the entry-level iPhones – excluding the Minis in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 – have all remained constant starring at $799, while the Pro Max versions have been maintained starting at $1,099. The Plus version, a new entry in the most recent iPhone 14 line-up, begins at $899.
This could all change in the iPhone 15, particularly for the Pro and Pro Max, the starting prices for these models could go up by $100 and to as much as $200, according to Taiwan-based DigiTimes.
Which means, the base iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max units could possibly set you back as much as $1,199 and $1,299, respectively.
Are there other devices to be launched?
Apple is expected to unveil Watch Series 9, which will most likely have token bump-ups before a rumoured major upgrade next year.
A new iteration of the AirPods is also expected, with arguably the biggest change is its switch to USB-C, much like what is expected in the next iPhones.
Apple does not comment on rumours or speculation and nothing is official until the products are revealed.
