Andrew Orr
A new video shares what the iPhone 15 Pro might look like and includes rumored features such as a unified volume button.
The Hongyang Technology account shared a video via Douyin on Monday featuring a physical, metal model of what the iPhone 15 Pro could look like. It doesn't add anything different from rumors, but it does provide a glimpse into what the new iPhone might look like in a person's hand, rather than the 3D renderings some have created.
On the left side, it shows one elongated button that will control the device's volume instead of the current setup with two separate buttons. Above that is a smaller element that could be the rumored button for the mute functionality instead of a switch.
Rumors have claimed that Apple will switch from physical to "solid-state" buttons on some iPhone 15 models. Instead of physically moving, the buttons provide tactile feedback with hardware components that make the device vibrate to simulate a click.
Apple introduced such technology with the Home button on the iPhone 7 and newer MacBooks with the Force Touch trackpad.
The port on the bottom of the iPhone 15 Pro blank also looks wider than the current Lightning port. However, Apple is rumored to include a USB-C port on its new iPhone models to replace that port.
Given legislation from the EU about standardizing ports on specific devices to USB-C, that rumor is pretty much a certainty. However, Apple doesn't technically have to comply until December 28, 2024, with the iPhone 17.
It's difficult to tell from the video, but another iPhone 15 Pro rumor is a slightly larger camera bump. That might be due to a periscope camera that offers better optical zoom instead of digital zoom, although it might appear in an "iPhone 15 Ultra" model which is yet another rumor.
As usual, Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 15 lineup in the fall of 2023. Other possible features for the new phones include an A17 Bionic chip, Wi-Fi 6E, thinner bezels, and more memory.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
4 Comments
USB-C now, why wait
I watched the video and, at least to my eye, the sides look as flat as the current iPhone Pro. There is none of the curving at the edges that we've seen in 3-D renders for months, which give the phone a more polished and elegant look. I'm hoping that the render version is the one we see, but it's worth remembering that the first renders to show curves at the edges were purely speculative and not based on anything--not even an unreliable leak--so the curved edges may have taken on a life of their own in the rumor community.
Enough of the hype & speculation already… Even if it means missing summer this year I’m prepared to move forward in time to (hopefully) September when iPhone 15 (Pro Max or Ultra - I don’t care) is announced officially and I can look forward to getting my hands on one! The next iteration of iPhone if any of the hype is to be believed will be reason enough to upgrade my iPhone 14 Pro Max model for a second year in a row… Solid state buttons, A17, telescopic lens, and world’s thinnest bezel - I want one now!!!