While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more.
Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:
A17 chip: iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to be equipped with Apple’s next-generation A17 Bionic chip, manufactured based on TSMC’s 3nm process for continued performance and efficiency improvements. The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are expected to have an A16 Bionic chip.
Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel.
Ultra-thin curved bezels: Similar to recent Apple Watch models, the iPhone 15 Pro will have ultra-thin curved bezels around the display.
Faster USB-C port: iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a USB-C port with support for at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which would result in the devices having significantly faster data transfer speeds with a cable compared to existing iPhones with Lightning. Kuo said the USB-C port on standard iPhone 15 models will remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds like Lightning.
Wi-Fi 6E: Like the latest Macs and iPad Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro will support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless speeds, according to a leaked schematic.
Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, while the standard models will likely continue to have 6GB of RAM as they do currently. Additional RAM can allow apps like Safari to keep more content active in the background, preventing the app from reloading content when reopened.
Solid-state buttons: iPhone 15 Pro models will feature solid-state volume and power buttons, according to Kuo. The analyst said the devices will be equipped with two additional Taptic Engines that provide haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of pressing the buttons, without them physically moving, similar to the Home button on the latest iPhone SE or the trackpad on newer MacBooks.
Mute button: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with a mute button for turning the ringer on and off. All existing iPhones have a mute switch.
Increased optical zoom for iPhone 15 Pro Max: The iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a periscope telephoto lens, according to Kuo. This could result in the device having at least 6x optical zoom, compared to 3x on iPhone 14 Pro models.
Improved LiDAR Scanner: iPhone 15 Pro models will have a more power-efficient LiDAR Scanner supplied by Sony, which could improve 3D depth scanning performance for AR apps and Night mode photos, according to Kuo.
Dark red color option: A new dark red color option will be available for iPhone 15 Pro models, according to 9to5Mac.
USB Type-C port to replace the lightning port
This is probably the most important feature that the iPhone 15 Pro series will get, an USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing. iPhones have been using the slower lightning port for more than a decade, and the company is finally ready to embrace the faster and universal USB Type-C port for fast charging and data syncing.
Newer and faster A17 Bionic processor
It is speculated that the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus will be based on the A16 Bionic processor while the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max will use a newer A17 Bionic processor with a faster CPU, CPU, and Neural Engine. The A17 Bionic will be fabbed using TSMC’s 3nm process, which will make it more power efficient than its predecessors.
Better build quality with a Titanium frame
The Watch Ultra is the first Apple product that got titanium treatment, and Apple is said to use the same material to construct the mid-frame of the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, making these devices even more premium yet lighter than their predecessors. With the new materials, we can also expect new colour options for the pro-iPhone models.
Solid state buttons to replace volume rockers and power button
The iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are also said to be the first pair of iPhones to replace physical clickable buttons with solid-state buttons, powered by a new haptic engine. This will not only improve the ingress protection on the iPhone 15 Pro series but will also take the iPhones closer to the portless/buttonless future.
More RAM for better multitasking
The iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are said to offer 8GB RAM for the first time on an iPhone. Not just that, these smartphones are also expected to use faster and more power-efficient LPDDR5x RAM, which operates at higher clock speed and consumes less power when compared to LPDDR5 RAM. This will help the pro models in delivering a better multitasking experience.
Periscope zoom lens to enable improved zooming capabilities
The iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max also feature a dedicated periscope zoom lens for the first time on an iPhone. This will enable improved zooming ability on the iPhones, similar to the recently launched Pixel 7 Pro and even the slightly older Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
