iPhone 15 Ultra to Be Apple’s First Phone to Pack USB-C Port; What Else to Expect?

Apple just launched its latest flagship smartphone in the iPhone 14 lineup, which has gained the attention of its fans for its improved imaging capabilities and dynamic island. Soon after the announcement, rumors regarding the next-generation models, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra surfaced online.

Apple is already working on the iPhone 15 series, which will arrive in 2023. While the iPhone 14 lineup saw some significant changes, the upcoming lineup is expected to be a lot different from the latest ones. Though Apple has been tight-lipped about the iPhone 15 lineup, there are some reports that have spilled the beans on what to expect.

Here's a roundup of what to expect from the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra.

Apple iPhone 15 Ultra to Replace Pro Max

As per reports, Apple might replace the Pro Max model in the upcoming series with to iPhone 15 Ultra. Earlier, the well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the newly launched Apple Watch Ultra received an overwhelming response from fans and this could be the reason behind the company's decision to come up with this name change.

First iPhones to Feature USB Type-C Port

A major update is that the iPhone 15 series will be the first one to receive a USB Type-C port. Kuo claimed that the iPhone 15 Pro models could feature USB-C 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 transfer speeds. The USB-C 3.2 port can improve the data transfer speeds significantly reaching up to 20Gbps. In addition, the Thunderbolt 3 could boost the speed to 40Gbps. The charging speed is also said to be faster with this implementation.

Reportedly, Apple plans to ditch the proprietary lightning charging port on the upcoming models. Apple recently agreed to comply with the European Commission's mandate to implement a standard charging port for all electric gadgets. Also, India is in plans to implement a similar norm for devices sold in the country. This mandate is pressurizing Apple to incorporate a USB-C port on its upcoming iPhones. Given that the European Commission has given electronic makers time until 2024 to comply with this mandate, Apple has enough time until then.

Though there are possibilities to see this change as soon as next year, there could be some caveats to the same. While Apple has agreed to comply with the law, it is expected to implement the USB-C port for the sake of the law. There are speculations that the company will not hurry to ditch the Lightning Connector as a wide range of its devices use the Lightning port for wired charging and it might not fade away soon.

New Titanium Exterior

Besides the charging port, another major change is the new rear design. As per ShrimpApplePro, the iPhone 15 series comprising the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Ultra could feature a rounded rear panel instead of the flat one seen on the existing models. Word is that the Ultra variant could resemble the iPhone 5C but without the plastic casing. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Pro is likely to flaunt a Titanium body with a glass back panel.

In addition, Kuo tipped that the iPhone 15 Ultra could feature solid-state buttons that debuted on the iPhone 7 and adapt to a haptic feedback approach for navigation.

Presence of Qualcomm 5G Modems

An earlier report suggested that Apple is in plans to use its own modems for the iPhone 15 series. However, a report from Bloomberg brushed off the claim suggesting that the plan might not come to fruition in 2023. That said, the iPhone 15 Ultra will use the Qualcomm 5G modems, meaning there is no change in how users would latch onto 5G.

Improved Cameras on iPhone 15 Ultra

Furthermore, Kuo mentioned that the iPhone 15 Ultra camera department would witness significant improvements as compared to the existing Pro Max models. As per speculation, the iPhone 15 series could feature an 8P lens in the place of the primary camera but it was brushed off by Kuo. Recently, Apple moved to a 7P element lens for the iPhone 14 Pro and we cannot expect a change in this anytime soon. Though the iPhone 15 Ultra would bring camera improvements, there is no word on the exact details for now.