Apple rocked the iPhone world last year with the iPhone 14 Plus when it added a new device and new naming scheme to the iPhone 14 lineup.
Originally thought to be the “iPhone 14 Max,” the 14 Plus was designed to complement the larger iPhone 14 Pro Max, with a simpler chip, display and camera system. It also indicated that Apple had done little more than change the product name to make it more clear.
Rumor has it that the company plans to apply a similar treatment to the top of its iPhone 15 lineup in 2023. Instead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Ultra is set to sit above the iPhone 15 Pro. is starting to look like it could be introduced.
Naming is not out of character with Apple. The company has launched an extreme version of its smartwatch with features called the Apple Watch Ultra.
The concept of the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra makes sense to us, and by moving away from the Pro in name, Apple better justifies the differences Apple has decided to inject into its two most capable 2023 iPhones. The 15 Ultra isn’t just about a bigger screen and battery, as is the case with the current iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
That said, there’s absolutely no guarantee that we’ll see an iPhone 15 Ultra as one source said they’re going to wait for the Ultra model until the iPhone 16 and rather than replace it, they’ll put the Pro Max on top of it. So you can find leaks and rumors about both possible phones below.
get to the point
what is that? The Biggest and Worst of Apple’s 2023 iPhonesWhen are you coming out? Likely either September 2023 or September 2024How much will it cost? Perhaps even more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Ultra release date forecast
Apple’s event is historically held in the first or second week of September. The company prefers to make an announcement on a Tuesday or Wednesday and start pre-sale on the same Friday. Phones typically arrive in stores next Friday.
For the iPhone 14, that event took place on September 7 (admittedly earlier than expected), and three of the four phones launched over a week later, on September 16 (iPhone 14 Plus arrived on October 7).
This means that in 2023, September 5th or 12th are likely event days (both are Tuesdays), but 6th and 13th are also possible. As early as he could see the phone in stores on September 15th.
Of course, that’s assuming there’s an iPhone 15 Ultra, but one leak suggests we won’t see the first Ultra model until 2024. In other words, it’s likely that the iPhone 16 Ultra will launch in September 2024.
Apple’s Current Top Dog: iPhone 14 Pro Max (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanov)
iPhone 15 Ultra price leaked
An early leak tells us about how Apple will price the iPhone 15 Ultra. Apple may start Ultra phones at $1,199. This puts the phone in the same price range as Samsung’s current “Ultra” device, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That phone starts at $1,199.99 / £1,249 / AU$1,949.
However, according to a recent leak, it could go even higher at $1,299, equivalent to £1,429 / AUD$2,249 in other regions.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max currently costs $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899, which represents a price increase outside the US market over last year’s model. We believe that switching, or possibly adding an Ultra on top of a Pro Max, could increase the price by $100 or $200 in the US, with corresponding price increases elsewhere.
In any case, even Apple itself has suggested that customers might be more willing to pay, so some price increases are likely.
Hopefully, this price increase will give you more reasons to buy. The current iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a larger screen and battery than the standard 14 Pro. That’s all. That’s a big $100 bonus, but if Apple raises the price even further, it’ll have to offer more features and more hardware to justify the price.
Luckily, one source says it will start at 256GB, which is double the starting size of the current model, which should help justify the price somewhat.
iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G: $1,199.99 / £1,149 / AU$1,849iPhone 15 Ultra (expected): $1,199 / £1,309 / AU$2,099 – $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249
iPhone 15 Ultra news, rumors and leaks
We’ve already heard quite a bit about the expected iPhone 15, with rumors dating back to before the launch of the iPhone 14 series, but recently there was news of a higher-end Apple iPhone 15 Ultra. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the Ultra would be coming soon after the launch of the 14 line, but this is the first time we’ve heard of this new nomenclature possibility.
Later, we got more confirmation from other iPhone 15 leaks, with one leaker suggesting that the iPhone 15 Ultra could see better camera settings than its iPhone 15 Pro sibling, in addition to a larger screen and battery. Did.
The information is pretty vague, with leaks suggesting that Apple is testing the long-awaited 8K video recording feature on its next iPhone, but we’re not sure if the feature will be on the iPhone 15 Pro or just on the higher end. It was unclear whether the iPhone 15 Ultra. This has sparked speculation that Ultra phones could see camera improvements over Pros.
On that front, we’ve specifically heard that the iPhone 15 Ultra may at least have more advanced image processing skills than the iPhone 15 Pro.
Unofficial renders showing the iPhone 15 Ultra/iPhone 15 Pro Max have surfaced online, but there are very few changes from the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It has a USB-C port and a slightly shallower camera ledge. The chassis looks a little more curved.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra is a step up from the Galaxy S22 Plus and base model Galaxy S22, and one key improvement is the addition of a periscope-style telephoto zoom lens. The device could also have a periscope zoom, and the size requirements for such a lens make more sense on a larger phone compared to the smaller iPhone 15 Pro, which is also due next fall.
Another camera upgrade captures significantly more light than current smartphone cameras, even in tricky scenes where the foreground lighting is very different from the background, and is better at avoiding overexposed or underexposed shots. It could come in the form of a new Sony sensor that has
iPhone 14 Pro Max camera (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanov)
We’ve also heard that the Ultra could have a dual-lens front-facing camera, though the same source says it could also come in just one shade of silver, the same color as the Apple Watch Ultra.
Elsewhere, credible sources claim that the Pro models in the iPhone 15 line (which presumably includes the iPhone 15 Ultra) will get a USB-C port that supports data transfer speeds of up to 20Gbps or 40Gbps, up from just 480Mbps today. there is a source iPhone. We’re hearing similar claims from multiple sources now.We also expect Wi-Fi 6E support on this phone.
Of course, there is no doubt that this is also powerful. Sources claim that the A17 Bionic chipset is much more efficient than the A16 Bionic used in the iPhone 14 Pro line, which could result in better battery life.
It’s likely even more powerful than the same chipset in the iPhone 15 Pro, and a source says that the software won’t limit the chipset as much on the Ultra. The only real reason the software limits it in the first place is to stop the phone from overheating. So it’s also been suggested that the iPhone 15 Ultra may have a better cooling system.
Beyond that, we’ve heard that the iPhone 15 Ultra could be covered in titanium.This is typically stronger and lighter than the stainless steel used in the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Leaked ApplePro (opens in new tab) not one of the biggest leakers, but it used to be.
Another source says the same thing, so this may be true. This second source added that the sides will also have a distinctly different shape, curving towards the back of the phone rather than at right angles.
(Image credit: @URedditor)
Proof of that is in the image above, where the iPhone 15 Pro’s sides are reportedly brushed metal (likely titanium) with more curved edges than the current model. It’s a different phone, but the same design changes are likely to apply to the iPhone 15 Ultra as well.
The image also shows a USB-C port, adding credence to claims that future iPhones will see such a port.
Further rumors suggest that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will have thinner bezels than their predecessors, with all models in the range set to have curved edges.
Another design tweak could come in the form of solid-state power and volume buttons. These are things that sit flush with the body of the phone and don’t physically move. The volume button and mute button also seem to have a new design.
