iPhone 15 Pro Dummy Live Image Confirms “Action” Button, USB-C Port, And Physical SIM Card Tray

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series iOS smartphones next month. These devices will be significantly different from the iPhone 14 series.

A few live images of the alleged iPhone 15 Pro confirm multiple key hardware changes that set the upcoming iOS smartphones fundamentally apart from all its predecessors. Let's look at the key hardware changes that will be introduced in the Apple iPhone 15 series.

iPhone 15 Will Ditch Lightning For USB-C Ports And Get Action Buttons

Several signs indicate Apple Inc. will launch the iPhone series on September 13, 2023, which is just a month away. A trio of images has leaked online that reveal the key changes Apple has made in the hardware of this series, presumably to comply with the EU's ruling about reducing e-waste.

The images of the alleged iPhone 15 Pro reveal the back design, side, and bottom panels. Needless to say, The majority of the changes have taken place in these areas.

The biggest change in the iPhone design is clearly visible. After months of speculations, the Apple iPhone 15 appears to have a USB Type-C port. It would offer data connectivity and serve as an audio out port besides charging the reportedly large internal battery.

The second change that Apple iPhone fans will enjoy is a new "Action" button. Replacing the iconic and highly useful "Mute" flip switch that has been a mainstay for 16 years, the Action button could be a huge differentiator for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Clearly inspired by the Apple Watch Ultra's Action button, this physical button is expected to offer phone-focused options, providing users with quick access to various functions and settings without the need to unlock the smartphone or switch between applications. Needless to say, as the Action button is configurable, users can still use it to switch on the Silent Mode quickly.

Apple Is Retaining The Physical SIM Card Slot, Speaker Grill, And Dynamic Island?

Sitting right below the Action and the Volume buttons, a sleek slot with a pinhole is clearly visible. This should be a physical SIM card slot. This strongly indicates Apple is not ditching the SIM tray for iPhones selling outside the US.

Apple has been aggressively dropping physical buttons and switches. There were rumors about solid-state buttons. However, Apple may have reserved them for future iterations of the iPhone.

Apple decided to completely ditch the SIM Card slot for iPhones sold in the US market in last year's iPhone 14 models. However, the company retained the feature in devices available outside the US.

Several analysts feared Apple could offer the iPhone 15 without any SIM card slot. But that doesn't seem to be the case. It is, however, important to note that Apple will most likely offer the series without this feature to its US customers.

Besides these changes, the iPhone 15 Pro looks similar to the iPhone 14 Pro. It has the same camera layout and placement and the speaker grill appears unchanged.

Although not clearly visible in these images, the iPhone 15 Pro modes are expected to feature Titanium frames with smaller bezels. Additionally, the upcoming premium iOS smartphones should have the Dynamic Island that Apple introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.