Reports indicate that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be more expensive, with the Pro Max exclusively featuring a periscope lens for optical zoom photography, similar to rivals like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Huawei Mate 50 Pro. However, the shocking detail is that Apple has decided to exclude the periscope lens from the iPhone 15 Pro, despite negotiating a knock-down price of just $4 for the module with supplier Largan. Additionally, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals that Apple will introduce periscope lenses for both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max in 2024, making this a single-generation feature difference.
This decision by Apple seems bizarre as it is uncommon for Apple to have at-cost deals for components on such a scale, and the differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max for just one generation could potentially confuse buyers. Furthermore, Apple is expected to increase the prices of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max by up to $200, marking the biggest generational price rise in iPhone history, and splitting their feature sets, which is unusual for Apple since the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in 2017.
In addition to these changes, Apple is also making other risky moves with the iPhone in 2023, including replacing the volume buttons and mute switch with programmable Action buttons, renewing its LiDAR push, introducing the first 3nm smartphone chip, and using record-breaking bezels in the design. The entire iPhone lineup will also transition to the Dynamic Island and an MFi-locked version of USB-C, which is expected to divide opinions.
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Furthermore, according to industry insider Ross Young, Apple’s plans for an under-display Face ID module in iPhone Pro models and ProMotion high refresh rate displays on standard iPhones will not happen until 2025, which means we can expect a larger Dynamic Island in the iPhone 17 Pro due to the hidden Face ID module. ProMotion may also only come to standard iPhones in 2027, as Apple plans to differentiate the iPhone Pro’s design with the under-display Face ID module.
In addition to these hardware changes, details are also leaking about the software that will be at the heart of the iPhone 15 launch, iOS 17. However, there are indications that iOS 17 may drop support for older devices like the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and first-generation iPad Pro models, possibly due to security vulnerabilities and the age of these devices. This decision by Apple is notable as these devices were significant in terms of design and features when they were released.
