– Super-fast A17 chip, may outperform the A16 by 20%
– Titanium sides, thinner bezels and (possibly) a periscope camera
– Dynamic Island will return
– Apple to finally switches to USB-C
– eSIMs in the US, with France and possibly more of Europe
Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 15 line later this year, with the iPhone 15 Pro sure to stand alongside the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra as the company’s flagship 2023 model.
It’s been nine months since the launch of the excellent iPhone 14 Pro, so we’re beginning to learn more about what to expect from the next generation of Apple’s best iPhones. Now that we've heard several consistent rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro, in this guide we’ve pulled together the leaks with the most credence.
For more iPhone 15 info, our iPhone 15 hub contains all you need to know about the base model iPhone 15, while our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra comparisons detail how the iPhone 15 Pro could stack up against other Apple iPhones.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Apple's next Pro-branded smartphone
- When is it out? Likely September 2023
- How much will it cost? Expect a price increase over the iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro release date
- Likely to launch in the first half of September
- The shipping date will probably be a week or so later
Apple hasn’t yet shared official release information for the iPhone 15 Pro, but using the company’s previous iPhone release strategies as points of reference, we can make an educated guess as to when the iPhone 15 Pro will land.
The iPhone 14 line was officially unveiled on September 7, 2022 before going on sale over a week later on September 16. Apple generally picks the first or second week of September for its annual iPhone launches, typically opting for a Tuesday or Wednesday. We therefore expect the iPhone 15 Pro to be revealed – alongside the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Ultra – on September 5, 6, 12 or 13 this year, with phones going on sale around a week later.
iPhone 15 Pro price
- Will be the same as (if not more expensive than) the iPhone 14 Pro
There's no good news about the new phone's price, as early rumors suggest the iPhone 15 Pro could be even more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro. Here’s how the latter phone was priced at launch:
- 128GB: $999 / £1,099 / AU$1,749
- 256GB: $1099 / £1,209 / AU$1,899
- 512GB: $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249
- 1TB: $1,499 / £1,649 / AU$2,599
According to a Weibo source and seasoned Apple analyst Jeff Pu, Apple will hike the price of the iPhone 15 Pro to boost the appeal of the cheaper iPhone 15, whose predecessor hasn’t been selling as well as expected.
We could therefore conceivably see the iPhone 15 Pro start at $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899 for the 128GB model, though it’s also worth noting that Apple may opt to forgo 128GB storage options with the iPhone 15 lineup, as other manufacturers have done with their respective 2023 flagships.
For our money, we'd bet the iPhone 15 Pro will cost around $1,199 / £1,209 / AU$1,899 for the 256GB storage option. Of course, Apple may opt to remain consistent with its Pro-level pricing, but we don’t expect to see the iPhone 15 Pro cost anything less than $1,099 / £1,209 / AU$1,899.
iPhone 15 Pro design and display
- Thinner bezels, titanium sides rumored
- Solid-state buttons were initially touted, but no longer expected
On the design front, we expect the iPhone 15 Pro to be similar in size to its predecessor – that’s 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm – but it could still look like a very different device.
We’ve heard from multiple sources, for instance, that both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra could get titanium sides, which would make them stronger and lighter than the stainless steel-framed iPhones currently available.
Both devices are expected to have rounded rear edges, too, in contrast to the iPhone 14 Pro’s sharp-angled sides. Apple was reportedly unsure about implementing this design change for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, but leaked renders showing off these curved sides have since emerged, adding credence to the rumor.
We’ve also heard that the iPhone 15 Pro will be getting thinner bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro – which would be an impressive feat on Apple’s part, given that the latter’s bezels are already remarkably thin.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get solid-state volume and power buttons, too, but Apple analysts recently poured water on those claims. Leaks had suggested that these buttons would use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched, despite not actually moving, but this technology is now expected to debut on the iPhone 16 line at the earliest, owing to its complexity.
The final iPhone 15 Pro design upgrade is expected to come in the form of a USB-C charging port. The EU has told Apple that it has to add USB-C charging ports to iPhones by 2024, but multiple leaks have suggested that Apple will be adopting the charging standard in 2023 with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.
In terms of the phone’s display, the iPhone 15 Pro will likely retain its predecessor’s 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED screen and Dynamic Island digital cutout. The latter is expected to make its way onto the vanilla iPhone 15, too, though the next iteration of the Dynamic Island won’t necessarily be identical to that which is used on the iPhone 14 line. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro’s proximity sensor will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island itself, rather than positioned separately (as on the iPhone 14 Pro).
It's also worth noting that Apple may be preparing to move to eSIM in countries outside the US for the iPhone 15 Pro, with eSIMs reportedly coming to the next generation of Apple’s best iPhones in France. This is big news for all prospective iPhone 15 Pro buyers outside of the US. Apple typically sells the same iPhone models across most of Europe, meaning SIM card-less iPhone 15 Pros could also be coming to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and many other countries.
iPhone 15 Pro cameras
- Will likely stick with the same triple-lens setup as the iPhone 14 Pro
- Sensors may be improved
On the subject of cameras, the iPhone 15 Pro isn’t expected to stray too far from its predecessor’s (admittedly excellent) triple-sensor setup. The iPhone 14 Pro boasts the following three lenses:
- 48MP wide (24mm f/2.8)
- 12MP ultrawide (13mm f/2.2)
- 12MP telephoto (77mm f/2.8)
A periscope camera is the only real upgrade that’s been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro, but we suspect that this technology – and indeed a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens – will be reserved for the photography-focused iPhone 15 Ultra.
The main difference between the iPhone 15 Pro’s cameras and the iPhone 14 Pro’s, then, will probably be the quality of sensors used. According to leaks, the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to sport new Sony-produced sensors that capture more light.
iPhone 15 Pro specs and features
- Will reportedly use the super-fast A17 Bionic
- Possibly more RAM and larger battery
- USB-C should bring improved functionality
The iPhone 14 Pro rocks the latest version of Apple’s silicon – the A16 Bionic – which makes it one of the fastest phones (if not the fastest phone) money can buy right now. And yet, the iPhone 15 Pro will be even faster.
Apple’s next Pro-level iPhone is reportedly in line for an A17 Bionic chipset, which is rumored to be more efficient than the A16 Bionic. In fact, Chinese outlet DCInside reports that the A17 Bionic will boast a 20% more powerful CPU than its predecessor, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro should enjoy sizable speed gains over the iPhone 14 Pro.
Crunching the numbers, DCInside claims that the A17 Bionic earns a single-core score of 3019 and a multi-core score of 7860 on Geekbench 6, where the A16 Bionic scores 2504 and 6314, respectively. Naturally, we’d suggest taking these rumored figures with a hefty pinch of salt, but it’s exciting to think that the iPhone 15 Pro might sport benchmark scores to rival Apple’s best MacBooks.
As for other performance specs, the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to get 8GB RAM, where the current iPhone 14 Pro has 6GB RAM.
We haven’t heard all that much about the iPhone 15 Pro’s battery size – and we’re unlikely to, since Apple is typically coy about such details – but the iPhone 14 Pro rocks a capable 3,200mAh battery, so we’d be happy seeing the same size again this year.
Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a reverse wireless charging feature for the iPhone 15 line, and if true, the iPhone 15 Pro will be able to wirelessly charge other Apple gadgets, where the iPhone 14 Pro can’t.
It’s also worth reiterating here that the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to get a USB-C port, so you probably won’t be able to use your older Apple Lightning cable to juice it up.
Incidentally, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had stated that the company’s proprietary USB-C chargers would offer faster iPhone 15 charging speeds than accessories produced by other manufacturers, but the EU recently warned Apple against making such a move.
We've also heard that the iPhone 15 Pro’s Thunderbolt 3 version of USB-C will make the device compatible with 4K monitors, meaning you’ll be able to display certain types of content on a separate screen – as you can with the best iPads.
For example, a new cinematography feature that will allow live 4K Thunderbolt outputs to monitors while recording.Essentially, you’ll have the phone with all the camera controls, connected to a monitor displaying live 4K camera footage without any controls; in 16:9.It’s NicheApril 27, 2023
This option will supposedly arrive with iOS 17, which is likely to be announced in June, but only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will be able to make use of the technology given their support for Thunderbolt 3.
It’s not yet clear whether Apple’s upcoming premium iPhones will allow you to share all types of content across multiple screens using the charging port alone – game and movie content, for instance, might still require AirPlay or an Apple TV. At the very least, though, filmmakers, photographers, and other creatives look set to have the option of visualizing their subjects on larger, control-free monitors with the iPhone 15 Pro.
