Apple rumor roundup: here’s what we heard about iPhone 15, MacBook Air 15-inch this week
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Apple rumor roundup: here’s what we heard about iPhone 15, MacBook Air 15-inch this week
It's been a rumor-heavy week for Apple – here's what we've heard.
No company likes leaks, but with Apple’s massive supply chain, it’s little wonder that some details escape into the world. This week saw alleged CAD renders, pictures purporting to be actual unreleased iPhones (or early versions of them, anyway) and design filings that clue us into the company’s laptop plans – here’s all of it in one place.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: iPhone 15 in pictures
📸 Alleged leaked photos, CAD renders revealed iPhone 15 with several upgrades
⚡️ Most notable iPhone 15 changes: USB-C port, bigger screen seem set
🏎️ iPhone 15 Pro may come in dark red, get big processor and RAM upgrade
💻 Rumored MacBook Air 15-inch could gain Bluetooth 5.3 for better connection
iPhone 15 rumors: bigger phone, USB-C
The biggest leak of the week came as a one-two punch two days ago. Within just an hour and a half of each other, we got what could be our first look at the iPhone 15 via blurry pictures of the screen and the iPhone 15 USB-C port, as well as ostensibly CAD-based iPhone 15 leak renders.
The most delectable takeaways from the two stories were that the iPhone 15 looks more certain than ever to get a USB-C port, that it will probably see the same curved edges as the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have, and that it could actually be bigger than the smaller Pro model at 6.2, versus 6.1, inches. Oh, and rumors that the iPhone 15 will lose its notch and gain a so-called Dynamic Island pill-shaped cutout like its pricier sibling seem set.
We don’t have any solid information yet backing up claims that the iPhone 15 camera bump will see much of a redesign (the above renders say no, aside from being bigger) or that the iPhone 15 USB-C port will be hampered by MFi requirements or limited throughput, but it’s early days yet.
iPhone 15 Pro rumors: new colors, faster RAM
Following last week’s iPhone 15 Pro render leak and alleged iPhone 15 Pro USB-C port picture, we saw rumors that the phones will be getting a new 3nm process size for its presumed A17 processor. According to reports, the iPhone 15 Pro Max A17 chipset could see performance and efficiency gains as a result – the phones could be more powerful while using less battery.
We also heard the iPhone 15 specs may get a memory boost – not just more of it, but faster RAM as well. That came courtesy of a supply chain analysis by TrendForce researchers, who said the company will be re-upping on the latest DDR5 RAM chips after exhausting its backlog of older, slower memory.
Finally, it sounds like Apple may be using a subtle, dark red color for the iPhone 15 colors – specifically the Pro and Pro Max models – while light blue and pink options are reportedly being tested for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. The unnamed source from the 9to5Mac story we first caught the rumor insists it’s too early to bet anything on these as final iPhone 15 designs, but it’s the first time we’re seeing hints of Apple’s thinking here.
MacBook Air 15-inch rumors: improved Bluetooth
MacBook Air 15-inch release date rumors have persisted for a while, but recently, things have heated up as reliable tipsters have begun making strong predictions of an imminent announcement and April release. This week, an eagle-eyed reporter at MacRumors spotted a filing that could indicate a MacBook Air 15-inch Bluetooth 5.3 upgrade, hinting at more reliable AirPods pairing or Bluetooth accessory use.
Otherwise, most speculation points to a 15.5-inch screen, an M2 processor and a possible name change. If one specific MacBook Air 15-inch launch date rumor is true, it’s been in production for weeks now, so we might not wait long to see the final design in all its slender glory.
Keep salt at the ready
While rumors are fun to read and report on, you should always take them as just that: conjecture based on whispers and analysis. While it’s likely at least some of what you read above will come to pass, some almost certainly won’t, so take all of this with a grain of salt.