The launch of Apple’s iPhone 15 line is just around the corner, with the standard model, the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro set to shake up our ranking of the best iPhones in due course.
What’s less clear is whether those three devices will be joined by an iPhone 15 Pro Max or an iPhone 15 Ultra. Initially, rumors had suggested that Apple would be mixing up its smartphone strategy in 2023 by releasing a device with a completely new naming scheme. Then, analysts predicted that we’ll be waiting until the iPhone 16 for an Ultra model. The most recent rumors, however, suggest that an iPhone 15 Ultra could still be on the cards for 2023, after all.
In any case, if and when it does arrive, Apple’s first Ultra iPhone won’t be the first Apple product to adopt the ‘Ultra’ moniker. The company recently launched an extreme version of its smartwatch – packed to the gills with features – called the Apple Watch Ultra, and it’s likely that the first iPhone Ultra will offer more than just a bigger screen and battery.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the latest news and leaks about the iPhone 15 Ultra – which, as mentioned, may end up being the iPhone 16 Ultra in 2024.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The biggest and baddest iPhone yetWhen is it out? September 2023 or September 2024How much will it cost? More than the iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Ultra release date
Apple’s current top dog: the iPhone 14 Pro Max (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
It’s very likely we’ll see the iPhone 15 lineup revealed at the Apple September event, scheduled for Wednesday, September 12, though Apple hasn’t confirmed we’ll see new phones or what the strapline of “Wonderlust” refers to.
It’s still not clear if we’ll see an iPhone 15 Ultra, but we’d err on the side of caution in saying that one will likely arrive.
Regardless, iPhone 15 pre-orders will likely begin a few days later on Friday, September 15, with shipping dates following another week later on Friday, September 22.
iPhone 15 Ultra price
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Likely to cost upwards of $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249
The early leaks about how Apple will price its first Ultra iPhone are telling. Apple may start the Ultra phone at $1,199, which would put it in the same pricing tier as Samsung’s current “Ultra” device, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That phone starts at $1,199.99 / £1,249 / AU$1,949.
However, a more recent leak suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra could be even pricier, at $1,299, likely equating to £1,429 / AU$2,249 in other regions.
The current iPhone 14 Pro Max costs $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899, which itself represents a price hike outside of the US market over last year’s model. We think it’s possible that, when Apple switches from ‘Pro Max’ to ‘Ultra’, or adds an Ultra above the Pro Max as the case may be, it will bump the price by $100 or $200 in the US with corresponding price hikes elsewhere.
Whatever the case, a price increase of some amount seems likely, with even Apple itself suggesting that customers could be willing to pay more for the newest iPhones.
Hopefully, that price increase will also come with more reasons to buy. The current iPhone 14 Pro Max gives you a bigger screen and battery than the standard 14 Pro, and that’s it. That’s a big bonus for $100, but if Apple is going to push the price even higher, it needs to offer more features and more hardware to justify the price.
Fortunately, one source claims that the starting capacity will be 256GB, which is double the starting size of current models, and would go some way to justifying the price. The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to be offered with up to 2TB internal storage, too, which bodes well for the first iPhone Ultra.
iPhone 15 Ultra name
We’ve now heard quite a bit about the expected iPhone 15 lineup, with rumors reaching back to before the iPhone 14 series’ launch. However, only more recently did news of a higher-tier Apple iPhone 15 Ultra emerge.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman mentioned, right after launch of the 14 line, that an Ultra would be coming, and that was the first we’d heard of this new possible nomenclature.
Since then, the name has come up a number of subsequent times, but newer leaks suggest (for the most part) that, if there is an iPhone Ultra, it won’t land until 2024, as the iPhone 16 Ultra.
One prominent tipster has, however, recently predicted that an iPhone 15 Ultra could still be released in 2023, so we’re excited to see which route Apple takes come September.
iPhone 15 Ultra design and display
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple’s current flagship iPhone (Image credit: Shutterstock / mokjc)
Unofficial renderings showing off the iPhone 15 Pro Max have shown up online, and there’s not much change from the iPhone 14 Pro Max in terms of the phone’s design: there’s a USB-C port, and a slightly shallower camera bump, and the edges of the chassis look like they’re going to be a little more curved. More changes may arrive for the first iPhone Ultra, though.
We’ve also seen screen glass leaked on video for three of the iPhone 15 models, and the largest one shown was initially thought to be the Ultra. It has a Dynamic Island, as you’d expect, along with tiny bezels that are slightly curved.
We’ve also heard that the iPhone Ultra might only come in one shade – the same silver color as the Apple Watch Ultra.
Beyond that, we’ve heard that the iPhone 15 Ultra might be clad in titanium, which is typically stronger and lighter than the stainless steel used by the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This claim comes from a tweet by leaker LeaksApplePro, who isn’t one of the biggest leakers, but has been right before.
Another source has now said the same, so this might well be true. This second source has added that the sides of the iPhone 15 Pro will be a different shape, too, with them curving in to the rear of the phone, rather than being a right angle. While they’re referring to the 15 Pro, there’s a high chance the Ultra would have a similar design.
(Image credit: @URedditor)
More evidence of that comes from the leaked iPhone 15 Pro image above, which reportedly shows an iPhone 15 Pro with brushed metal sides, which are likely titanium, and with curvier edges than current models. So, while that’s a different phone, the same design changes may well come to the iPhone 15 Ultra, as well.
This image additionally shows a USB-C port, adding credence to the claims that we’ll see such a port on the upcoming iPhones.
A further rumor has suggested that the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone Ultra are going to have thinner bezels than their predecessors, and that all the models in the range are set to have curved edges.
Also on the design front, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was widely rumored to get solid-state volume and power buttons. Leaks had suggested that these buttons would use vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched despite not actually moving (think the iPhone 7’s haptic Home button), but analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo recently poured water on those claims.
According to Pu, Apple needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power these new buttons, with Kuo adding that their removal from the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and iPhone 15 Pro) “will simplify the development and testing process.”
Given the technical intricacy of capacitive buttons, though, Apple’s supposed decision to kick the can down the road is understandable.
On top of the haptic engines cited by Pu, another leaker had previously claimed that a dedicated microprocessor would support the iPhone Ultra’s solid-state buttons, rendering them capable of detecting touches even when the device is switched off. The microprocessor in question was purported to replace the Super Low Energy Mode currently used in the iPhone 14 Pro, which allows apps like Find My and Apple Pay to function with next to no power.
In other words: solid-state power buttons are complex beasts – but we’ll hopefully see them introduced in 2024 with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Ultra, if not this year’s iPhone 15 range.
Interestingly, Twitter leaker @analyst94z believes that Apple is still sticking by its original plan to introduce solid-state (or capacitive) buttons on this year’s premium iPhones. “I’ll let you know if/when I hear changes about the capacitive buttons,” they explained in a recent tweet, “but as of right now, I don’t understand how so many leakers agree they are delayed [until] 2024. [Apple is] on track, at least within core development, so… A major design change like this is, eh, unprecedented.”
At this point, then, it’s hard to know which leaker to trust when it comes to the inclusion of capacitive buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro, but we’re inclined to side with Pu and Kuo, owing to their respective track records when it comes to iPhone rumors.
(Image credit: 9to5Mac)
(Image credit: 9to5Mac)
(Image credit: 9to5Mac)
Indeed, the most recent iPhone 15 Ultra render leaks seemingly corroborate Pu and Kuo’s claims, with CAD designs obtained by 9to5Mac (see above) showing an iPhone 15 Ultra model without solid-state volume and power buttons. Interestingly, the phone does look set to be getting an Apple Watch Ultra-style Action Button, along with a larger camera protrusion than the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Ultra camera
One leaker has suggested that, in addition to a bigger screen and battery, the iPhone Ultra could see a better camera setup than the iPhone 15 Pro (head over to our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra comparison to read how Apple’s next premium iPhones might compare with one another).
The information came across rather vague, with the leak saying that Apple was testing much-anticipated 8K video recording feature for its next iPhone, but the leaker was unsure if this feature would be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro or just the higher-end iPhone 15 Ultra. This set off speculation that the Ultra phone could see camera improvements over the Pro.
On that front, we’ve since heard that the iPhone Ultra will have more advanced image processing skills than the iPhone 15 Pro, as well as a much beefier camera setup (more on both rumors below).
The iPhone 14 Pro Max cameras (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is a step ahead of its Galaxy S23 Plus and base model Galaxy S23, and one significant improvement is the addition of a periscope-style telephoto zoom lens. Leaks suggest Apple could also use a periscope zoom on the iPhone Ultra, and size requirements for such a lens would make more sense on the larger phone compared to the smaller iPhone 15 Pro that’s expected next fall, too.
Another camera upgrade for the iPhone Ultra could come in the form of a new Sony sensor, one that apparently captures more light and is better at avoiding overexposing or underexposing shots than current smartphone cameras, even in tricky scenes where the foreground lighting is very different to the background.
In fact, this IMX903 sensor is rumored to measure 1/1.14 inches, meaning the iPhone Ultra could ship with the biggest camera sensor ever used in an iPhone.
The specifications of IMX903 for iPhone 15PM are close to 1 “That’s for sure.I’m looking forward to Apple joining the 1 “club.April 23, 2023
Similarly, we’ve even heard that the iPhone Ultra could be getting a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens, of the sort rumored to feature on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Variable optical zoom cameras are exceptionally rare among today’s smartphones. The Sony Xperia 1 V uses one, but it’s only capable of zooming between 3.5x and 5.2x, so if both Samsung and Apple can add variable zoom lenses (with superior ranges) to their respective upcoming flagships, our ranking of the best camera phones is in for a serious shake-up.
Finally, we’ve also heard that the iPhone Ultra might have a dual-lens front-facing camera.
iPhone 15 Ultra specs and features
The iPhone Ultra is of course sure to be very powerful. Expect an A17 Bionic chipset in the iPhone 15 Ultra, which a source claims might be a lot more efficient than the A16 Bionic used by the iPhone 14 Pro line, which could in turn lead to better battery life.
Despite using the same processor as its Pro-level counterpart, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumored to be even more powerful than the iPhone 15 Pro, with one source claiming that the former’s software won’t limit the phone as much as it will on the Pro model. The only real reason the software would limit it in the first place is to stop the phone overheating, so that also suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a better cooling system.
This all assumes that we see an iPhone 15 Ultra at all, but if we instead have to wait for an iPhone 16 Ultra then it’s likely to have an A18 Bionic chipset, which is so far out that we haven’t heard anything about it yet.
We should see battery improvements too, with vague claims having been made that the iPhone 15 Ultra will have a larger battery than any current iPhones. How much larger isn’t clear, but a newer leak referring instead to the iPhone 15 Pro Max points to a 12% larger battery of 4,852mAh.
Beyond that, a reputable source claims that the Pro models of the iPhone 15 line (presumably including the iPhone 15 Ultra) will get a USB-C port with support for data transfer speeds of up to either 20Gbps or 40Gbps, up from just 480Mbps on current iPhones.
We’ve heard similar claims from multiple sources now, and USBMakers predicts that the iPhone 15 Ultra could offer transfer speeds that are as much as 90% faster than those offered by the vanilla iPhone 15 (which will reportedly stick with its predecessor’s USB 2.0 standard). We’re also expecting Wi-Fi 6E support on the iPhone 15 Ultra.
Interestingly, we’ve heard that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra’s Thunderbolt 3 version of USB-C will make both devices compatible with 4K monitors, too, meaning you’ll be able to display certain types of content on a separate screen – as you can with the best iPads – without needing to invest in expensive adapter accessories.
As leaker @analyst941 writes in the above tweet: “[the iPhone 15 Ultra will use] 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 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 Ultra (and the iPhone 15 Pro).
Apple’s Vision Pro headset will begin shipping in 2024 (Image credit: Apple)
And lastly, every iPhone 15 will reportedly feature an upgraded Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to support the functionality of Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s U1 chip – currently built on a 16nm process – will be replaced by newer silicon, founded on a significantly more compact 7nm process; with the intention of improving performance, while also reducing power consumption.
Such an improvement could give Apple’s first Ultra iPhone an edge when it comes to sharing media and other experiences with Vision Pro in real-time, opening up avenues for enhanced functionality built on that performance increase.
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