The iPhone 15 Ultra has been tipped to be a very high-end take on the next-gen iPhone Pro Max, with rumors swirling away even though the iPhone 14 Pro Max isn't even six months old.
Early leaks tipped the iPhone 15 Ultra as an iPhone Pro Max replacement, as Apple looks to refine its premium handsets. More recent reports have hinted that the Ultra isn't in Apple's near-term plans — we may not see this phone until 2024 at the earliest.
Still, it's worth considering the iPhone Ultra's place in Apple's phone lineup. In the past year, we've seen Apple make more of a distinction between the standard iPhone and the iPhone 14 Pro models. (See our iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro comparison for a look at how these phones differ.) Initial rumors about iPhone 15 plans suggest that's going to continue, with the iPhone 15 Ultra picking up a few features the iPhone 15 Pro may not have. That's assuming it arrives this year, of course.
While it's still early in the game — we've got another six months before Apple's next flagship phone launch — enough iPhone 15 Ultra details have emerged to give us a preliminary idea of what to expect from this revamped phone. Here's what we know so far and when we think an Ultra handset might finally debut.
iPhone 15 Ultra latest rumors (updated March 27)
- The iPhone 15 isn't going to come with Touch ID, says one leaker, so don't expect it.
- With Apple set to switch to USB-C for future iPhone releases, an analyst says Apple will require USB-C chargers and cables to get certified in order to charge at full speed.
- The A17 Bionic, which would power an iPhone 15 Ultra if it arrived this year, is expected to be a bigger driver in iPhone upgrades this fall.
iPhone 15 Ultra price and release date
We've heard rumblings about an iPhone 15 Ultra replacing the iPhone 14 Pro Max in Apple's lineup from a number of sources, most notably Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. The wired-in Apple reporter suggested that Apple's launch of the Apple Watch Ultra could repeat itself in the company's phone lineup "in the next couple of years."
In a subsequent column, Gurman noted that Apple's iPhone plans in 2023 include "the potential of a new Ultra model replacing the Pro Max," something analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also forecast. Kuo argues that differentiating the Pro models is a natural extension of the iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro differentiation that happened this year and that will likely continue in the iPhone 15 lineup.
More recently Gurman has clarified that Apple has been discussing the possibility of launching an iPhone Ultra — but that probably won't happen until 2024 at the earliest. If true it means the phone would miss the iPhone 15 launch window and arrive alongside the iPhone 16 instead. We take a closer look at whether you should wait for the iPhone Ultra if you're considering an iPhone upgrade.
Assuming a 2023 launch does come to pass, it could mean a higher cost for the iPhone 15 Ultra over Apple's current phones. LeaksApplePro forecasts that the iPhone 15 Ultra could "start at $1199 at best," though that seems more like a guess than a certainty. The leaker recently doubled down on that price speculation, now putting the price hike over the $1,099 iPhone Pro Max at $100 to $200.
Another report from Korean blog Naver claims that the reportedly weak sales of the iPhone 14 Plus might convince Apple to rethink iPhone pricing. In on scenario, the price on an iPhone 15 Ultra model would be higher than what we're used to see Apple charge, as the company attempts to make the cost of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus more appealing.
Gurman also posits that Apple could kill the iPhone Plus range, and introduce the Ultra alongside both the Pro and Pro Max. That would leave Apple with one entry-level iPhone and three premium handsets. Apple has indicated that it believes customers are willing to pay up for devices with premium features, so such a move would fit in with that philosophy.
We'd be guessing on an iPhone 15 release date at this point, but it doesn't seem like Apple would launch any new phones prior to the usual fall launch window it's favored for many years. We'd guess that the iPhone 15 Ultra arrives in September 2023 at the earliest along with Apple's other new phones, possibly on September 22/23 specifically. But again, that assumes a launch this year and not in 2024, as Gurman is now indicating.
iPhone 15 Ultra design and display
It sounds as if the iPhone 15 Ultra will keep the 6.7-inch screen size that Apple's used for the Pro Max phones, and we'd anticipate the Dynamic Island feature Apple introduced as a notch replacement to the iPhone 14 Pro models will stick around.
Don't expect Touch ID to make a return on any iPhone 15 model, however, including the iPhone 15 Pro.
As such, Bloomberg's, Mark Gurman has reported that all iPhone 15 models will get the Dynamic Island. Such a move could see more developers be spurred on to making apps that adapt to the morphing camera cutout/display feature, and therefore further add to its capabilities. Leaker ShrimpApplePro corroborated this after revealing some iOS 17 information they obtained.
One potential display change is the use of Samsung's latest display technology on the iPhone 15 Ultra, something that even the Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn't use. As a result, the iPhone 15 Ultra could have a max brightness of 2,500 nits, which would beat other phones by a large margin.
The bezels around the display could also be curved slightly (via ShrimpApplePro) for a more comfortable fit in a user's hand. The display itself will apparently remain flat however, which newly released leaked renders back up.
One iPhone 15 Ultra-specific rumor suggests Apple could turn to a new titanium alloy body, a feature that was first tipped for the iPhone 14 Pro models and that didn't pan out. Switching to that material would make for a more durable phone, something you'd expect from a device with an Ultra moniker.
This rumor was lent more weight when tipster LeaksApplePro claimed that the iPhone 15 Ultra will make use of titanium on its chassis, and another leak posted an alleged close-up of the metal on a prototype iPhone. Again, this would make for a more durable phone but also one that could still be light thanks to titanium being as strong as stainless steel but lighter. The only problem is this could cause the price of the iPhone 15 Ultra to be increased, given the higher cost of titanium. However, a recent render of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (aka Ultra) showed the titanium body making its way onto the Pro and Ultra iPhone 15 models. So maybe this upgrade won't be an Ultra exclusive.
It's widely expected that 2023 is the year Apple finally switches out its Lightning port for USB-C, at least on some models. The top-end iPhones will get faster data transfer speeds from their USB-C connectors (presumably including the Ultra model), while the regular versions could be stuck at the same speed as Lightning. Another rumor suggests Apple will restrict functionality like faster data transfer speeds to only USB-C accessories that it approves. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighted in, affirming that Apple is planning to do this.
Of course, the iPhone 15 Ultra could skip ports entirely, emerging as the portless iPhone that's been rumored for years. That would certainly be a radical design change for Apple and one we're not sure would happen as soon as 2023, when just a switch to USB-C would be a big step forward for any iPhone.
Another rumor from Ming-Chi Kuo claims that "two high-end iPhone 15s" will feature solid-state buttons, by which we could expect one of them to be the iPhone 15 Ultra. These buttons wouldn't move like the volume and power buttons you're familiar with, but would instead buzz and pop with the help of extra Taptic Engines (according to one source) to indicate when you're locking or altering the volume on the phone.
Another strange potential change, as claimed by ShrimpApplePro, is that the iPhone 15 Ultra's back panel could have curved edges. This would make for a very different-looking iPhone, but hopefully one that would be more comfortable to hold. However, the latest rumors from LeaksApplePro suggest that the iPhone 15 lineup may not get a rounded design after all. Supply chain issues and design constraints related to wireless charging may have Apple sticking with its current flat-back design.
One potential change is the camera bump, which could have a new look. The rumors have yet to tell us how though.
If you want a vision of how the ultra iPhone could look, this concept by Jonas Daehnert, which takes several cues from the Apple Watch Ultra, is one possibility.
iPhone 15 Ultra cameras
Cameras remain an important part of the iPhone story, so you'd imagine an iPhone 15 Ultra would be in line for significant camera improvements. What those are exactly, though, remain unclear at this early stage.
One frequently rumored possibility is the move to a periscope style lens for the iPhone 15 Pro's telephoto camera. Adopting a periscope lens would enable Apple to use a larger camera lens, allowing it to boost the optical zoom beyond the 3x maximum featured on current iPhone 14 Pro models. Samsung uses a periscope lens on its Galaxy S22 phones, for example, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra is capable of providing a 10x optical zoom with its dual telephoto lenses.
Rumors of a periscope lens predate the iPhone 14's release, with analysts like Kuo predicted a 5x or 6x optical zoom. It's unclear if this feature will apply to all iPhone 15 Pro models, or if Apple would reserve it for an iPhone 15 Ultra to set that phone apart. TrendForce also expects the iPhone 15 Ultra (or Pro Max) to get a periscope lens in addition to an 8P main camera lens that could reduce distortion in wide-angle images. But analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the iPhone 15 series may not get an 8P lens for the main camera. Considering Apple just moved to a 7P element lens for the iPhone 14 Pro, it may not move to an upgraded lens this soon.
One rumor of an iPhone 15 Ultra-specific camera feature involves the phone's front camera. Twitter leaker MajinBu claims the Ultra will offer two front cameras. It's not unheard of for handsets to offer two front cameras, providing wide-angle option for fitting in more people or more background on selfies. A second front lens could also improve self-portraits or assist augmented reality apps.
A report from Nikkei claims that Apple will work with Sony on the iPhone 15's main camera, with the Cupertino phone maker allegedly opting for Sony's new "state-of-the-art" sensor. This new part can supposedly double the pixel saturation, which means that the iPhone 15 might have much better exposure controls. This has been a relative weakness of the iPhones thus far, so it would be good to see Apple tackle it. The report did not say if this will be a Pro/Ultra exclusive or not.
iPhone 15 Ultra performance and other features
Even before the iPhone 14's launch, analysts were predicting Apple would use different processors for its various phones going forward. That means the iPhone 15 Ultra is likely to get a new chipset when it launches. Logic dictates that would be the A17 Bionic. A recent report from TrendForce tips the iPhone 15 Pro lineup to feature this rumored A17 Bionic while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus keep the older A16 Bionic chipset.
The A17 Bionic is being built on a 3nm processor, and Apple's iPhones could be the only ones to use 3nm silicon in 2023. That, along with the expected boosts to performance an power efficiency, could make A17 Bionic-powered phones very popular, whether that just means the usual iPhone 15 Pro models or if it extends to an iPhone 15 Ultra as well.
Yet another TrendForce report claims that Apple plans to bump the capacity and specification of the iPhone 15's RAM. For the Pro models, that could equal 8GB total. For the iPhone 15, that might means LPDDR5. The report doesn't specify, so we have to speculate.
We've heard for years that Apple is looking to develop its own modem for future iPhones rather than rely on Qualcomm for that critical component. Analysts have tipped 2023 as the earliest an Apple-built modem would be ready. If it is, we'd expect the iPhone 15 Ultra to be in line to feature such a part.
But an Apple-built modem may not be ready in time for the 2023 iPhone launch. Qualcomm says it expects to supply the "vast majority" of modems for Apple's 2023 phones, while Apple's apparently just put in a big 5G modem order with Qualcomm too. If that's the case, the iPhone 15 Ultra is likely to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon X70 modem. For its part, Qualcomm expects Apple to start using its own modems in 2024 — maybe in time for the launch of an iPhone Ultra model.
There's also a rumor based on a Barclay analysis that says that Wi-Fi 6E could come to the iPhone 15. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has further corroborated this rumor. There's also talk of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra getting USB 3.2 speeds go along with the USB-C port.
Other potential iPhone 15 Ultra features are less about rumors and more about changes we'd like to see to an iPhone worthy of the Ultra label. While Apple now includes an acceptable level of storage for the base models of its phones, we feel like 256GB would be a more appropriate minimum for an iPhone 15 Ultra phone that's looking to stand out from the other models in Apple's lineup.
Similarly, one of our big iPhone 15 wish list items is for faster wired charging than the 20W current iPhones offer; certainly an iPhone 15 Ultra will need to challenge the faster charging speeds you'll find in top Android phones.
iPhone 15 Ultra software
It's a safe bet that the iPhone 15 Ultra will run the latest version of Apple's iOS when it ships, and that's expected to be iOS 17. But what shape iOS 17 will be in is anybody's guess at this point.
That's because Apple's efforts to launch a VR/AR headset this year are apparently drawing away resources from iOS 17 preparations. As a result, the software update could be scaled-back from previous editions. Among the features that are being discussed at this point are an overhaul to IMessage and the possibility of Apple opening up its phones to third-party app stores.
iPhone 15 Ultra outlook
With six months or so until Apple's next round of iPhone updates arrives, we still expect a lot more rumors to emerge about the iPhone 15 Ultra — including confirmation that such a phone is even in Apple's plans for this year or whether the Ultra will be a 2024 release. As a result, it's hard to spell a concrete wish list for this device.
That said, if Apple is planning an iPhone Ultra — whether this year or in 2024 — it's going to have to come up with improvements that match that kind of name and the higher price the new phone is almost certain to command. A super-fast A17 Bionic processor packed with RAM and equipped with at least 256GB of storage is a good starting point, and we'd expect such a device to charge faster than 20W, which would almost necessitate a move to USB-C. Cameras remain a strong point for Apple, but improving the telephoto lens would shore up one of the few weaknesses the iPhone has relative to the rest of the best camera phones.
That's a potential blueprint for an iPhone 15 Ultra, at any rate. Whether Apple chooses to pursue that or goes in a different path entirely, we'll find out in the coming months.
