The iPhone 15 rumor mill has been a frenzy of activity in recent weeks, and the latest intelligence has seemingly given us our best look yet at Apple’s next crop of top-level iPhones.
According to new CAD files obtained by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro will indeed boast a more rounded design than its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro, along with thinner bezels and a USB-C charging port. An Apple Watch Ultra-style Action Button is visible on the new renders, too, which corroborates previous rumors that Apple will be replacing the traditional mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.
The most interesting aspect of these new renders, though, is the absence of solid-state volume and power buttons. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get touch-sensitive buttons – i.e. panels that use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched – but Apple analysts recently backtracked on those predictions.
Some leakers remain optimistic about the possibility of seeing solid-state iPhone buttons in 2023, but the below renders suggest Apple will instead be sticking with traditional button designs on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.
As for the iPhone 15 Ultra, specifically – which, as a reminder, is rumored to replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max in this year’s iPhone lineup – it looks as if the phone will inherit the same design changes as its Pro-level sibling, along with a slightly larger camera bump.
Why a larger camera bump? Well, the latest rumors suggest that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be getting a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens, as well as the largest main sensor ever used in an iPhone. In other words: it’s the cameras that are going to set the Ultra apart from the Pro, so it figures that these upgrades will be reflected in the former’s design.
It’s worth noting that these new renders line up almost perfectly with the iPhone 15 Pro CAD designs previously obtained by 9to5Mac from the same source (see above). The only difference between the two sets of renders is the absence of solid-state buttons on the newer images, which fits with the rumor timeline regarding Apple’s reported decision to U-turn on the feature.
It’s also important to clarify that these renders remain just that – they aren’t officially associated with Apple in any way. That said, CAD designs are typically given to case manufacturers months in advance of a new phone’s launch, and with the iPhone 15 line expected to hit shelves in September, we’re inclined to believe that 9to5Mac’s source is reputable.
