When the iPhone 15 is released in September 2023, the lineup may be considerably different from previous years. Over the past few years, naming conventions have gone through a few changes, with Apple separating the series with two standard models and two more powerful Pro models. Last year, the California-based company switched things up with the iPhone 14 Plus, replacing the mini variant, but current rumours suggest the next generation’s primary difference will be a new higher-end model tentatively called the iPhone 15 Ultra.
The source of these rumours is Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. And given he is possibly the most reliable Apple leaker in history, there are certainly some teeth to these reports. Although do note that Gurman seems to be going on an off-the-cuff remark Tim Cook made on an earnings call that focused on holiday results.
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Cook, when asked about whether or not the iPhone’s rising average sales price was sustainable, claimed that consumers “could probably be persuaded to spend more” given the iPhone has become such an “integral” part of daily life.
Guman has already stated that Apple has internally been discussing adding a higher-end iPhone to its flagship smartphone lineup so it would appear that speculation on an iPhone 15 Ultra isn’t far off the mark. And yet, if it is, then we could be seeing an iPhone 16 Ultra instead in 2024.
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Rumours already suggest that Apple is planning on widening the gap between the Pro and Pro Max models starting from this forthcoming generation, spread across a range of materials, processors and cameras. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will apparently be getting a periscope lens this year to improve optical zoom, but all other rumours are up in the air right now.
That, of course, would mean Apple would be taking a page out of Samsung’s book, given the leading Android manufacturers already offer an Ultra model with considerably better features, cameras, a larger screen, stylus support and additional memory.
There is also some speculation about the design of this new top-tier iPhone. Gurman adds that this model could be used to debut Apple’s first port-less design, meaning that there will be no USB port and charging is likely to be exclusively wireless. This is compared to Apple apparently planning to ditch Lightning with this generation and finally add a USB-C port.
According to Forbes, the iPhone 15 lineup will indeed include an Ultra model, but this will be replacing the Pro Max to keep the number at four models, rather than stretch it out to five. The primary point here is not the model names, it’ll be the price discrepancy between them, with the iPhone 15 Ultra reportedly up to $200 more expensive than the Pro.
