New iPhone 15 Pro Max specs leak hints at what's not changing this year

The back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, held up in a hand
The iPhone 14 Pro Max (Image credit: Future)

We've got some more iPhone 15 leaks to bring you, and the latest spec rumors to hit the web point to two components that aren't changing from the iPhone 14 range that launched in 2022, as well as two that are.

These details are via well-known tipster Revegnus on Twitter (via GSMArena), and cover the screen, main camera module, processor and RAM of the iPhone 15 Pro Max – a phone that has also been referred to as the iPhone 15 Ultra in some circles.

Leaving aside the naming issue for now, the phone is apparently keeping the same 48MP IMX803 camera sensor from Sony found in the iPhone 14 Pro Max as its main camera. That contradicts previous reports pointing to the introduction of the Sony IMX903, with the same megapixel count but a larger sensor (to capture more light).

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Panels and processors

Also staying the same, apparently, is the M12 OLED panel technology – although we have heard that the screen will be slightly shorter and slightly narrower this time around, compared with its immediate predecessor. It sounds as though the display bezels are going to be thinner than ever as well.

There will be some actual upgrades too: the source confirms the widely expected jump to the A17 Bionic processor for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the RAM is apparently getting bumped up from 6GB to 8GB as well.

We should get the iPhone 15 Pro Max (or the iPhone 15 Ultra) and the three other models in September, if Apple sticks to its usual schedule. Before that there's WWDC 2023 at the start of next month, where we'll hear all about Apple's upcoming software updates.


Analysis: conflicting reports

It's rarely the case that every single rumor around a phone fits in perfectly with all the others, and there have certainly been conflicting reports about the iPhone 15 Pro Max – including the subject of what we should actually be calling it, as we were thinking Apple would introduce a new Ultra brand this time around.

More recently, the Pro Max name has become more popular again in leaks and rumors, so it looks like that's what Apple is going with. Of course, company plans and projects can change, and it may be that there are still ongoing discussions inside Apple when it comes to what this phone should actually be called.

When it comes to the rear cameras on the iPhone 15 models, again there have been discrepancies in terms of the rumors. Some leaks point to a revamped camera system and a larger camera bump on the back, while others suggest that it's going to be more of the same for the 2023 models.

Not every leak and rumor is going to be accurate of course, and it's very possible that misunderstandings about which tidbit of information applies to which version of the iPhone 15 is causing some of the confusion as well. All should be made clear in a few months at the official unveiling.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.