Technologies

iPhone 15 Rumors: All the Buzz About Apple’s Next Phone

Our unofficial curtain-raiser on Apple’s iPhone 15 series based on the most credible rumors circulating so far.

The iPhone 15 lineup likely won’t arrive until the fall of 2023, but there are plenty of questions about what to expect from Apple’s next-generation phone. Will the iPhone 15 have a USB-C port? Will Apple increase iPhone prices in 2023? Will it even be called the «iPhone 15»? No one outside of Apple knows for sure, but the rumor mill will certainly feed our curiosity until Apple throws the next iPhone event. Here are some of the biggest and most credible rumors we’ve seen so far, to paint a picture of what we may see from the iPhone 15.

iPhone 15 design: Embracing USB-C charging

The buzziest design rumor so far involves the iPhone’s charging port, given the European Union’s ruling that iPhones sold in the region will need to switch to a USB-C port by 2024. The question is whether Apple will switch all iPhone models to USB-C or just those sold in the EU. Apple already modifies iPhone models regionally, as it has done with the iPhone 14: The US version has an electronic SIM, while other variants retain the SIM slot.

But Avi Greengart, an analyst at Techsponential, believes Apple has good reasons to move all iPhones to USB-C moving forward. «There are larger ecosystem, security, and accessory considerations with the power/data connector, so I think it is more likely that Apple moves all iPhones [globally] to USB-C in the iPhone 16 timeframe to comply with European regulations,» Greengart said.

iPhone 15 design: Dynamic Island expands to all models

Apple is likely to continue selling four iPhone models with the iPhone 15 lineup. Rumors point to a generally similar design across the board, except that the iPhone 14 Pro’s shape-shifting cutout, known as Dynamic Island, is set to make its way across all models.

That rumor comes from display analyst Ross Young, who also said in a September tweet that he’s not expecting base iPhone 15 models to have a higher refresh rate like Apple’s Pro iPhones because the supply chain can’t support it.

iPhone 15: Solid-state buttons come to pro iPhone 15 models

Noted Apple observer Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, expects Apple to differentiate further between its base and Pro models in the coming years. One way he’s expecting that to happen is by giving the iPhone 15 Pro models solid-state volume and power buttons instead of the standard keys present on today’s devices, he wrote in a tweet in October.

The solid-state buttons, which Kuo says will be similar to the home button found on the iPhone SE and iPhone 7, mimic the feel of pressing a button with the help of haptic feedback. The apparent advantage of this type of button is that it also protects against water getting in.

iPhone 15 camera: Periscope-style telephoto lens arrives

Yet another Kuo prediction has been making the rounds, but this time it’s about the iPhone 15’s camera. The analyst forecasts that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will receive a periscope-style telephoto lens. This sort of telephoto lens allows for higher optical zoom levels, with Kuo forecasting a 6x optical zoom could arrive in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The optical zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to 3x, which lags rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom.

iPhone 15 price: Up, up and away?

Prices have dramatically increased since the original iPhone arrived in 2007. And that may happen again in 2023 with the iPhone 15, except not in the way you might think. The price of the regular iPhone 15 is currently expected to remain the same, according to analysts who previously spoke with CNET.

However, the upper limit of the price range could be pushed higher if rumors about a luxe iPhone 15 Ultra turn out to be true. The rumored Ultra model could potentially replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max next year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes. This falls in line with predictions from Kuo, who expects Apple to differentiate further between the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models. US prices currently range from $829 for the entry-level iPhone 14 model (128GB) all the way up to $1,599 for the highest-end iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1TB of storage.

iPhone 15: Launch and release timeline

Apple holds its annual iPhone event in September almost every year, so we’d expect the timeline to remain the same for the iPhone 15. New iPhones typically get released shortly thereafter, usually the Friday of the following week. Sometimes Apple will stagger release dates for specific models, especially when introducing a new design or size. So it’s possible that the iPhone 15 lineup will have more than one release date.

Here’s what we know:

Apple tends to hold its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Apple’s iPhone 14 event was held on Wednesday Sept. 7, while its iPhone 13 event was held on Tuesday, Sept. 14.
iPhone release dates are typically a week and a half after Apple’s announcements.
In general, new iPhones are released on a Friday, around the third week of September. For the iPhone 13, preorders began Sept. 17 and the phones went on sale Sept. 24.

Looking for more iPhone advice? Check out our iPhone upgrade guide, our list of the best iPhones and our roundup of the best cases for your iPhone 14 or 14 Pro.

Technologies

Here’s What Tesla’s New Range of Affordable Electric Cars Cost

What you get with the stripped-down Model Y and Model 3.

Technologies

The Best PS5 Deal Sold Out On Black Friday, but It’s Back Ahead of Cyber Monday

This amazing PS5 Black Friday deal is back as an early Cyber Monday offer. It has already sold out once, so don’t miss your chance this time.

Black Friday deals kicked off a bit earlier this year, meaning buyers had more time to shop for great discounts. However, it also meant some of the hottest offers disappeared faster than ever. One of the most exciting gaming deals was a $100 price cut on the PlayStation 5 Slim digital edition. This deal already sold out once, but it’s back as an early Cyber Monday offer for $399 on Amazon. So, if you’ve been waiting to get a PS5, there’s no better time.

You can also get the version with a disc drive for $450, and the mighty PlayStation 5 Pro for $649. All of these are $100 off, so you can get a great deal regardless of your preference.

The disc‑free console is the cheapest option, but it means all your games will need to be downloaded. While digital discounts can go pretty far, physical games are nearly always cheaper if you know where to look. If you’d rather save a bit of money in the long run, then go for the disc drive version now.

Not only will you be able to play any old PS4 discs in your collection, but you’ll also be able to borrow games from friends and take advantage of discounts on physical titles at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop and more.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The PS5 Pro is the pinnacle of the PlayStation offerings and has more speed and power all‑around, making it ideal for those who only want the best.

If you decide to commit to Sony with a new console, then it’s definitely worth taking a look at all the best PlayStation deals for even more savings on games, headsets and controllers. You can save a lot of money if you can be patient with these things.

CHEAP GAMING LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK

Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5060 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$1,000 (save $350)
Lenovo LOQ Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 5050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$750 (save $295)
HP Omen Ryzen AI 7 RTX 5060 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 2K Laptop:

$950 (save $850)
Acer Nitro V Intel i7 RTX 4050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$800 (save $150)
Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$800 (save $400)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

The PS5 doesn’t drop in price often, and this is an excellent discount on three different versions. Being able to save $100 across the Slim digital, Slim disc and Pro models is a rare opportunity. Whether you’re looking to get your very first PlayStation 5 or upgrade to the Pro, this is a fantastic chance to do so — especially since the Slim deal has already sold out once and may not linger for long.

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Technologies

The $69 AirPods 4 Black Friday Bargain Is Still Around. Get It While Stocks Last

If you’re quick, you can grab Apple’s AirPods 4 for $69, a budget-friendly deal that feels hard to pass up.

There were a lot of deals on your computer screen this Black Friday, some more exciting than the others. One of those was this AirPods 4 deal, which is still available on Amazon. If you’ve been waiting to buy new earbuds, pick up the entry-level AirPods 4 for just $69 right now (normally $129). This is a record low price.

If active noise cancellation is a must, you’ll be happy to see that the AirPods 4 with ANC are currently selling for $139 on Amazon (normally $179). This isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen — they were down to $100 on Black Friday — but it’s still a decent discount.

The Apple AirPods 4 are available in two formats. The non-ANC version usually runs $129, while the ANC model typically sells for $179. With this discount, you pay only $69 for the non-ANC model. These AirPods have been redesigned for a more comfortable fit. The Apple H2 chip allows for voice isolation whenever you have to take calls in a noisy environment. The AirPods 4 also offer personalized spatial audio and a battery life of up to 20 hours.

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These AirPods are dustproof and waterproof and include a smaller case for easier carrying. You can use them with Siri for added voice control options, which lets you start calls or choose your audio. You can also shake your head or nod to respond to prompts.

Looking for deals on other new Apple devices? We rounded up the best iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 deals.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black):

$248 (save $152)
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black):

$170 (save $181)
Apple AirPods Max ANC Wireless Headphones (USB-C Charging, Midnight):

$400 (save $150)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Lunar Blue):

$299 (save $130)
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones:

$199 (save $150)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Apple makes superb audio gear, and the AirPods offer good sound quality and a comfortable fit for most people. «They may not be quite as cheap or as small as the AirPods 2, but they sound a lot better and have a lot more features,» says CNET audio expert David Carnoy, who thought $100 would be a good price for them.

The lower-priced AirPods lack noise-canceling features, but for just $69, this is a deal you should seriously consider.