With the iPhone 14 launch now safely navigated, the next flagship phone from Apple will be the iPhone 15 in 2023 – and one well-placed source has predicted that the iPhone 15 Pro Max model is going to get some major upgrades to further distinguish it from the standard iPhone 15.
This comes from the usually reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says that "Apple will create more differentiation between iPhone 15 Pros and iPhone 15 standard models" in order to boost orders for the more expensive pair of handsets
What's more, Kuo adds, there's going to be a bigger gap between the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max in terms of specs and features than there is between the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This greater segmentation should lead to more sales and higher profits, Kuo predicts.
The Ultra iPhone
As yet, we don't know what these differences are going to be. This doesn't come as a complete surprise: there have already been rumors that the iPhone 15 series will follow the lead of the iPhone 14 handsets by giving the Pro models brand new chipsets, while the standard models get fitted with an older processor.
That's the case this year: the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are powered by the new A16 Bionic CPU, while the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus stick with a tweaked version of the A15 Bionic CPU that was used in all the iPhone 13 handsets.
We might also see a new name next year: Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a good track record with Apple predictions, says that the iPhone 15 Pro Max may well be called the iPhone 15 Ultra, to further differentiate it from the rest of the line.
Analysis: Apple always wants to sell more iPhones
We've come a long way from the days when Apple would launch a single iPhone every year: now, we're used to getting multiple models, in multiple configurations, while the older models remain on sale as more affordable options. There's also the iPhone SE as well, which was once again updated in 2022.
More choice means more people upgrading their iPhones or switching over from Android, and with that in mind it makes sense that Apple would want to differentiate between its devices even more in the years ahead.
What we've seen this year, with the Pro models getting a better processor and the Dynamic Island, is the start of something new.
You won't hear many complaints from consumers that there's a greater choice of iPhones to pick from across multiple price points, but it does make picking the right handset more challenging. Processor speed, screen size, color options, battery life and more all needs to be taken into account.
Apple is using the same strategy for its smartwatches now as well, and of course has been releasing multiple iPad models for several years now. We'll do our best to explain everything in detail for you, and we can expect to see plenty more leaks and rumors around the iPhone 15 in the months ahead.
