The iPhone 15 Ultra is expected to be the premium option from 2023’s line-up of Apple smartphones, however, it’s not yet officially confirmed. The iPhone 14 Pro Max only recently launched and blew the world away as, probably, the best iPhone ever released. It doesn’t seem to matter to Apple, who is already looking to one-up itself with the Ultra.
The alleged news that the iPhone 15 Ultra is on the way raises a few questions – specifically around the existing line-up of iPhones, including the base model, iPhone Plus, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Pro Max. If Apple were to introduce an Ultra to this range – could we see an existing model’s departure to make space?
There have been some reports that the iPhone 14 Plus is marked for an exit in favor of the iPhone 15 Ultra, which could mean there are three high-end iPhone options with this generation’s launch (via Tom’s Guide).
As we’ve already discussed in our iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max release date predictions, we’re expecting the launch of 2023’s iPhones in mid-September. The iPhone 15 Ultra is unchartered territory for us, so it could be the case that we don’t see it as soon as the other iPhone 15 variations, so in the meantime – here’s everything we know so far.
iPhone 15 Ultra release date rumors
The iPhone 15 Ultra is still only a rumor. Apple hasn’t explicitly confirmed that they’re on track to release an ‘Ultra’ iPhone, though reliable Apple commentator Mark Gurman has tipped his audiences that it’s coming. While we can’t take everything Gurman says as fact, it does seem like an entirely possible outcome.
In light of this, we can only really rely on rumors to predict the iPhone 15 Ultra release date.
The most prominent rumor we’re going off slates the iPhone 15 Ultra to release in 2024, of which we can thank Gurman for again.
Ordinarily, we’d take a look at previous launches to come up with a release date prediction for the iPhone 15 Ultra. However, there are a few things here we should consider. Firstly, the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the first of its kind, so prior releases won’t mean much. Secondly, if we were to look at the previous launch dates of iPhones, the 2024 release date rumor muddies things slightly.
That said, let’s take a look at the previous launches of iPhones to get a slight idea of what we’re looking at.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus – September 16, 2016
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus – September 17, 2017
- iPhone X – November 3, 2017
- iPhone 11 – September 20, 2019
- iPhone 12 – October 23, 2020
- iPhone 13 – September 24, 2021
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max – September 16, 2022
The general pattern here is a release in Autumn 2023, however if the iPhone 15 Ultra is to release in 2024, this information doesn’t really help us.
The entire iPhone 14 range released concurrently, however the iPhone 15 Ultra could very well be an exception to this pattern. That being said, the iPhone 15 Ultra could also release in September as we’re anticipating for the rest of the iPhone 15 range, and all we can really do for now is wait for more rumors and leaks.
Read More: OnePlus 11 vs iPhone 14 – what we know
iPhone 15 Ultra features speculation
A17 Bionic chip
According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple’s powerful A16 Bionic chipset is tipped to be replaced by a new A17 Bionic chip, which is pretty big news.
The A16 Bionic chip is one of the most powerful mobile chips in the world, head-to-head with the latest Snapdragon 9 Gen 2 chip that powers the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones. It currently powers the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s mass production of its new 3-nanometer chips suggests the new chips could be significantly more powerful than its 4nm predecessor.
So what does this mean for the iPhone 15 Ultra? If the rumors are true, we could expect a performance leap that would strengthen battery life amongst other improvements.
USB-C
Seeing as the iPhone 15 Ultra isn’t officially on the cards, we’re only able to speculate on what could be featured on the upcoming phone.
The most relevant and recent leak regarding the iPhone 15 Ultra and it’s siblings is the inclusion of USB-C (via MacRumors). The iPhone has sported the Lightning port for years now, whereas Android phones have been making use of the best USB-C features on offer. If the recent leaks are to be believed, this could be the most significant iPhone feature since the Touch ID.
iPhone’s Lightning port has been a slightly controversial feature for as long as it existed – especially following the removal of the 3.5mm audio jack in favor for full audio pass-through via Lightning. If the USB-C interface is to be fully supported by Apple, it could introduce a whole new range of compatibility that iPhone’s are currently missing.
Camera
Not much is really known about the iPhone 15 Ultra camera, aside from an old rumor claiming it will feature a second selfie camera. We’ve seen the main iPhone camera receive serious updates and improvements over the years, however the selfie camera has remained fairly standard.
The inclusion of a second selfie camera could be a real game changer for content-creators or people who simply enjoy snapping photos of themselves.
You’re probably already expecting it as it is allegedly named the ‘Ultra’, but we imagine the inclusion of these new features will demand a fairly ultra price too.
Read More: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max – which one should you pick
Design
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduced the Dynamic Island, which we’re also expecting to feature in the iPhone 15 Ultra.
The feature, as many already know, is a multi-tasking tool that displays small snippets of information while other apps are running.
It’s highly likely that the iPhone 15 Ultra will feature the Dynamic Island as its premium predecessors have also had, though we’re interested to see how the hardware is designed to accommodate for this.
iPhone 15 Ultra – everything we know so far
While the iPhone 15 Ultra is still unconfirmed, we can say we’re fairly confident that it’s going to arrive eventually. The Apple Watch Ultra and the M1 Ultra chip in the Mac Studio seem to align with the possibility that Apple is introducing the ‘Ultra’ name across their product brands, so it strengthens the rumors the that iPhone 15 Ultra is on the way.
The release date is likely a long-while away, and making an accurate prediction isn’t quite possible so far. The existing rumors are interesting, however, they don’t tell us too much yet. The expected features are also interesting, though we’re going to have to wait until Apple confirm the product before we put too much faith in them.
We’re going to be keeping an eye out for the latest updates on the iPhone 15 Ultra, so make sure to check back in with us often for the latest news, rumors, and leaks.
In the meantime, you might be interested in reading about the Samsung Galaxy S23 versus the iPhone 14, which is especially relevant considering Samsung’s recent launch. We hope this has helped you cover everything you need to know about the iPhone 15 Ultra.
iPhone 15 Ultra FAQs
Is the iPhone 15 Ultra coming?
The iPhone 15 Ultra has not been confirmed, though the rumors and leaks seem to suggest it’s arrival in 2024.
Will the iPhone 15 Ultra be better than the iPhone 15 Pro Max?
We expect the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the best iPhone released to date. Little is known about the phone’s possible specs, though they’re likely going to be impressive.
