iPhone rumour roundup: Everything we expect from Apple’s next big launch

September is likely the most exciting month of the year for anyone who’s invested in Apple’s tech ecosystem. This is because for the past few years, September has been the month when Apple announces the new iPhone. With the iPhone 14 series soon to be almost a year old, the next iPhone series is just around the corner, and unsurprisingly, it may be called the iPhone 15.  

Like each year, a lot of rumours have been floating around Apple’s new smartphones including new designs, USB Type-C connectivity, and more. Ahead of the launch tonight, here’s a sneak peek at the upcoming iPhone series and what to expect from it.  

USB Type-C ports to replace Lightning ports

While Apple has moved on to the now globally accepted USB Type-C standard for many of its gadgets including the MacBook series and the iPad series, its iPhones were still featuring the age-old Lightning cable. The port, also seen on Apple’s AirPods series, has been preventing iPhone users from completely shifting to Type-C. This forced them to carry an extra lightning cable during travel, while all other tech could be charged with a single USB Type-C cable. That is rumoured to change with the next iPhone.  

ALSO READ: iOS 17: Here’s what to expect

A mandate issued by the European Union has forced Apple into either implementing the Type-C port, or not selling iPhones in Europe. Unsurprisingly, Apple has reportedly decided to comply, and while not yet officially confirmed, a Type-C port is set to replace the Lightning port on all the new iPhones launching this year.  

A17 chip

Apple is also expected to launch the new iPhone variants with an upgraded SoC. This year, the new iPhones are expected to feature the A17 Bionic chip, which will succeed the A16 chipset from last year. New improvements will likely include performance boost and support for faster connectivity. That said, we’re still not sure if the new chipset will make its way to all the variants of the next iPhone.  

When Apple launched the iPhone 14 series last year, the A16 chip was only a part of the Pro variants, while the non-Pro variants were still featuring the older A15 chip. Should Apple implement the same strategy this year, we may see the non-Pro variants launch with last year’s A16 Bionic chip instead, while only the Pro variants get the rumoured A17 chip. 

Dynamic island for all models

Apple has been releasing four different variants of the iPhone every year since the iPhone 11 series. While the four models have changed since the discontinuation of the ‘mini’ iPhone, we now have the iPhone ‘Max’ variants instead. However, one change that differentiated the iPhone 14 series’ Pro and non-Pro variants is the Dynamic Island feature. This year, the successor to the notch is set to come to all the variants.  

Rumours have suggested that next iPhone series will also feature four models, and both the Pro variants, as well as the two non-Pro variants will come with Dynamic Island, officially retiring the signature notch that set iPhones apart since the iPhone X. The change will allow non-Pro iPhones to also implement the new UI features that Dynamic Island allows (see video above) with the improvements that have come over the past year.  

Telephoto cameras

The Pro models of the new iPhone series are also expected to include a periscope telephoto sensor as part of the signature three-camera array on the rear-camera setup. This new sensor would allow the new iPhone Pro models to optically zoom before clicking a picture, allowing zoomed photos to retain more detail compared to the standard digital zoom.  

Many Android flagship phones including the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra already feature a periscope sensor. With the new iPhones also sporting the same, iOS users would finally have a way to optically zoom into pictures without needing external third-party accessories.  

Mute button could replace the mute switch

Apple is expected to replace its signature two-way mute switch with a button instead. Rumours suggest this button will retain the functionality of quickly sending the device into silence, but Apple may even add some extra functionality and allow users to configure what they can do with the dedicated button.  

ALSO READ: Here’s why this iOS 17 feature seems godsent for my iPhone

It is currently unknown if the rumoured mute button will come to all variants, or only the Pro variants. Apple is expected to reveal more details on the same during the launch event.  

Slimmer bezels

Closing in on a rumoured design update, the upcoming iPhones are also expected to feature thinner bezels than any previous iPhone models. New leaks on X (previously Twitter) have suggested that the upcoming iPhone models will feature slimmer bezels on all four sides. This is a change we might see on the Pro as well as non-Pro models.  

Note that Apple has not confirmed any of the above-mentioned features. Instead, these speculations are based on posts by tipsters with a good track record for predicting features before launch. We should have more concrete details when Apple officially announces its next iPhone series during the dedicated launch event next month.  

Decoding iPhone trends

While everyone waits to get their hands on the brand-new Apple smartphones, here’s a look at how Indians have traditionally bought the iPhones. “iPhone Unboxed” is a collection of unique consumer insights by Croma showcasing the rapidly evolving tastes and preferences across the consumer spectrum from 2020.

In 2023, Delhi emerged as the top city for iPhone enthusiasts with a lead of 182 per cent over second-placed, Mumbai. Delhi also witnessed a 47 per cent growth in iPhone sales between 2020 and 2021, and 106 per cent growth between 2021 and 2022. Mumbai was followed closely by cities like Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

Similar interesting insights give us a glimpse at customers’ colour preferences when it comes to iPhones. Apple iPhone 13 buyers in Croma bought Starlight White, closely followed by Midnight Black, Blue, Pink, and Green. But with the iPhone 14 series, the preferences shifted towards Blue and Midnight Black, followed by Starlight White and Deep Purple.

As far as the variants are concerned, iPhone 13, 128GB, Starlight White has been the bestselling model. Followed by the iPhone 13, 128GB Midnight Black edition, and the iPhone 13 128GB Blue.