If you think Apple's latest Pro-grade iPhones are radically different from their non-Pro siblings, you should probably wait and see what the company has planned for its next big iOS handsets.
We're obviously not talking about the budget-friendly fourth-gen iPhone SE, which is likely to break cover in early 2023 with a design reminiscent of 2018's iPhone XR rather than the iPhone 14 family, but the high-end iPhone 15 lineup.
Regardless of possible branding revisions, this is widely expected to include four main variants, and in addition to a larger number of cameras and a faster processor, the two premium models could gain a couple of other important upgrades over the "standard" members of the iPhone 15 roster.
A long overdue improvement, a mandatory change, and more
Don't expect to hear this from Apple, as the company considers it irrelevant for the iOS user experience, but the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (or Ultra) could share an 8GB RAM count, eclipsing the entire iPhone 14 lineup and presumably the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus by a solid two gigs of the good stuff.
According to TrendForce analysts, the chances of this upgrade finally materializing next year are "high", which is not exactly surprising given that many insiders and tipsters had previously anticipated the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max would make the same jump from 6 to 8 gigs of memory this year.
The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max (pictured here) still pack only 6GB RAM each.
Apple reportedly wants the enhanced memory count to "match its new processor", which almost certainly means the Pro members of its iPhone 15 family will pack an A17 Bionic silicon while the "vanilla" and Plus models are likely to settle for borrowing the A16 Bionic from the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.
Although Apple could technically postpone the iPhone's obligatory switch from Lightning to USB-C connectivity until 2024, the latter universal port is likely to be embraced in 2023... by the full iPhone 15 quartet.
The gap between the camera capabilities of the Pro and non-Pro iPhones, meanwhile, is tipped to further widen in 2023 with the help of a periscope telephoto lens on the back of the Pro Max (or Ultra) model and a super-advanced 8P design rumored for both the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (or Ultra).
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Finally, the odds of any of these four iPhone 15 variants integrating an Apple-made 5G modem in addition to an Apple-made CPU and GPU are slim (at best), although that could very well change when it comes to the iPhone 16 family in 2024.
A quick update on the iPhone 14 series success
Apart from sharing the above (largely unsurprising) predictions on the specs and features of next year's iPhone 15 series, TrendForce is also publishing some (equally unsurprising) iPhone 14 and overall iPhone sales estimates for 2022 today.
Despite the highly publicized struggles of the iPhone 14 Plus to connect with a mainstream audience, Apple apparently still expects to improve its 2021 global handset shipment total by almost 3 percent.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (pictured here) are still nowhere near as popular as their Pro siblings.
That would bring this year's tally up to around 240 million units, of which the iPhone 14 family is likely to account for 36 percent. That's certainly not bad for roughly three and a half months of commercial availability around the world, and of course, the overall solid box-office performance is mainly owed to the exceptional demand generated by the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max models.
The ultra-high-end duo has reportedly jumped from an originally planned 50 percent share of iPhone 14 series production to 60 percent, with Apple strongly considering boosting that number in the near future to 65 percent as it continues to reduce 14 Plus manufacturing and distribution due to weak demand.
Unfortunately for the Cupertino-based tech giant, the economic climate that's already caused great pain for many other smartphone vendors is expected to lead to a pretty serious decline in iPhone production as well starting in Q1 2023. That suggests the iPhone SE 4 couldn't come soon enough... and at a low enough price to help Apple fend off these unfavorable market conditions.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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