Exclusively from Apple reveals the surprise launch of the iPhone 15

10/01 update below. This post was originally published on January 7th

iPhone 15 Pro features have been leaked by Haitong International Securities financial analyst Jeff Bo, but the real surprise is Apple’s massive iPhone 15 camera upgrade.

In a research note I saw Mac rumorsPu is doubling down on many of the expected upgrades for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (possibly rebranded as ‘Ultra’), all of which we’ve seen before: titanium structure With Solid state volume buttonsAnd 3nm A17 chipQualcomm Snapdragon X70 modemAnd USB-C port and jump off From 6 GB to 8 GB of RAM.

While it’s nice to have a large source of leaks we’ve seen elsewhere, the real thriller is Pu’s claim that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will upgrade to a 48MP primary camera like the iPhone 14 Pro models.

Pu has stated that this will be a three-string sensor, like its Pro predecessors, which is quite a surprise given its extra cost compared to the long-range 12MP sensors Apple has been using. Pu also states that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models will move to USB-C, an upgrade initially thought to be Pro-only.

But that’s where the surprises stop, as Pu said the standard iPhone 15 models will once again have an older chipset (in this case, the A16 from the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max), and no telephoto lens.

Update 01/09: Bloomberg’s Mark Gorman used the latest edition of his book Power On Newsletter to reveal several additional details about the iPhone 15 lineup, as well as support info from smaller leakers.

Gurman has stated that he expects a design upgrade for all standard iPhone 15 models with the pill slot and Dynamic Island now universal across the range. This is great for another reason: Dynamic Island’s success is due in part to its fluidity, which benefits greatly from a high refresh rate display.

Until now, ProMotion has remained a Pro-only feature, despite being widely adopted by significantly cheaper Android competitors for some time now. So will this iPhone 15 upgrade also see both standard models finally up their display game?

Additionally, Gurman supports that the iPhone 15 Pro models will come with a titanium frame (revealed for the first time). By LeaksApplePro on Oct), solid-state volume buttons (shrimp October) and as widely expected, all models will switch from Lightning to USB-C.

Update 01/10: Momentum is building around design changes for Apple’s iPhone 15 range. New Supply Chain Report Seen Before electricity It states, “Apple has confirmed that it will apply its Dynamic Island camera window to all four iPhone 15 series due for a September release.”

The report claims that Samsung Display’s factory in Vietnam will be a major production partner in ramping up this design and has ordered equipment from Phil Optics to get it done. Samsung has come under increasing pressure from LG and BOE over the past year as Apple seeks to reduce its dependence on Samsung.

The report also indicates that Apple is already working on a large screen upgrade called ‘Under Panel Face ID’, which it will introduce next year for the iPhone 16 models. As the name suggests, it will allow Apple to hide the Face ID cutout at the bottom of the screen. This will halve the size of the current pill-shaped cutout, leaving more room for the dynamic island.

Apple has been working on the optics under the display for some time. Apple filed its first ‘Under Panel Camera’ (UPC) patents in 2019, adding to it in August 2021.

Some Android smartphones already shipped with under-display front cameras, most notably the Galaxy Fold 4, but for now, there’s still a significant trade-off in camera performance. Something that would likely be a deal breaker for Apple, which is notorious for its practice of not releasing new technology until it thinks it’s mature.

Apple has a delicate balance to make this year. the Latest price leak Claims that Apple won’t lower the prices of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, though Disappointing sales of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Instead, increasing demand by increasing the prices of the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra and thus the gap between the standard and Pro models.

This is a risky ploy, and Apple needs to get the value proposition right. A 48MP sensor and USB-C would certainly be welcome for the standard iPhone 15 models. But for my money, The design also needs to be changed.

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