Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max render based on multiple leaks
Leaks around Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 range have taken numerous twists and turns, and now one of the biggest surprises has resurfaced. According to AppleInsider’s Andrew O’Hara, Apple is planning to scrap the iPhone 15 Pro Max branding and replace it with ‘iPhone 15 Ultra’:
“Multiple sources have told me Apple will indeed use the “iPhone 15 Ultra” monicker for the plus-sized pro phone,” he posted. “This was an early rumor that got backpedaled. Most have since referred to it as iPhone 15 Pro Max.
O’Hara is right about the back peddling. In late 2022, every major leaker flagged the rebranding of the iPhone 15 Pro Max to Ultra. The reasoning was that Apple wanted to open up a further premium tier at a higher price point. Since then, the same sources said this rebrand had been scrapped, so to see it return this close to launch (when leaks are historically most accurate) is a genuine surprise.
It also makes sense. For starters, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will launch exclusively with Apple’s first optical zoom camera, giving it a clear differential to the iPhone 15 Pro. The 10x periscope lens will deliver dramatically better quality zoom photos and should bring it in line with Android rivals that have fitted high-quality zoom lenses for a few years. It also aligns with the top-tier Apple Watch Ultra branding.
But this upgrade also comes at a cost, literally. Apple is widely tipped to increase the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra by $200, with the model starting from $1,299. This would represent the company’s biggest-ever US price bump, and it is expected to be replicated worldwide. For that much money, new branding helps.
Periscope lenses use a mirror so the lenses can be mounted sideways inside the phone to reduce the ... [+]
That said, aside from the optical zoom camera (which is rumored to come to the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024), the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra are expected to be identical. Both will sport new titanium chassis, super thin bezels, a next-generation A17 chip, upgraded UWB, WiFi 6E and USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 data speeds and faster charging.
Will it be enough to convince iPhone owners to upgrade, or could it send fans of big-screened models to the cheaper iPhone 15 Plus? With Apple historically making similar profit margins across all models, it is unlikely to mind, just so long as you choose an iPhone.
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