Any analysis of Apple’s future in 2023 must start and stop with the iPhone 15. With iPhones accounting for more than half of the company’s $394.3 billion in revenue for fiscal 2022, Apple’s phone division is still the company’s largest segment.

Because of this, it shouldn’t be surprising that the iPhone 15 is already the subject of rumors, as people try to guess what Apple may have in store for this year’s autumn phone release. However, we are not in a holding pattern until the expected release date of the iPhone 15; iPhone news should rule the new year, with a spring iPhone release possibly followed by a sneak peek of the upcoming iPhone software at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference. And Apple wouldn’t be Apple if there weren’t a few more surprises along the road.

Here are the questions looming over Apple’s subsequent releases, including the iPhone 15 and other potential upgrades to its portfolio, as we enter what looks to be another major year for the iPhone.

iPhone SE 4

Another Apple phone could be released well in advance of the fall release of the iPhone 15. According to iPhone SE 4 speculations, a new model of the company’s budget phone may be in the works, with an early 2023 release date looking very likely.

After two years after the last iPhone SE update, the iPhone SE 2022 was released in March. It would be uncommon for Apple to release new SE versions in back-to-back years given the device’s specialized market. Apple likely released a new model in order to remove a 5G version of the gadget two years after the debut of the iPhone SE 2020.

However, there would be a valid justification for the release of a new iPhone SE. The current model has a look that is similar to the iPhone 8, complete with wide bezels. And if that appeared dated in 2022, it does so even more so now. As a result, the iPhone SE 4 could adopt the old iPhone 11 design, swapping out the current appearance for a notched display and thin bezels. It’s also not like Apple would have trouble coming up with features to include in a new model given that the iPhone SE’s otherwise superb cameras still don’t have a dedicated night mode.

Add to that the likelihood that Google and Samsung will release updated models of their popular midrange phones, and Apple runs the danger of losing out on that segment of the market if the iPhone SE is benched for the remainder of the year.

But a recent report asserts that it may accomplish just that. The iPhone SE 4 may be delayed or never released, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in order to cut expenses associated with manufacturing a product at a time when there isn’t as much demand as there once was for affordable iPhones. (Contrapoint: Perhaps there would be greater demand if the cheapest iPhone didn’t resemble a 2017 model.) Whatever the reason, Kuo doesn’t believe the iPhone SE 4 will be released this year, and his track record is strong enough to raise doubts about an iPhone release in the spring.

What changes will the iPhone see by 2023?

iOS 17

The introduction of iOS 17 around the time the iPhone 15 is prepared to make its debut is one thing we can be quite certain will occur. However, given Apple’s custom of showcasing the newest iteration of iOS at its Worldwide Developers Conference, we’ll be aware of the functionality well before then. The event this year most likely occurs in June, with an iOS 17 public beta to follow.

The fact that Apple develops its own software in-house and lacks any leaky hardware supply chain employees means that iOS 17 rumors are currently less widespread than iPhone 15 rumors. According to leaker Majin Bu, the Messages app needs to be updated with a fresh look, chat rooms, and more augmented reality-enabled features.

According with my resource, Apple is working on a new version of iMessage completely renewed. New home, chat rooms, video clips, and new chat features in AR. It should be released next year along with the new headset #Apple #AppleAR #iMessage pic.twitter.com/Wp2WT8apNX

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) October 14, 2022

In reaction to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, according to a more recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple may end its Software Store monopoly and make the iPhone available to third-party app stores. By the time iOS 17 comes out, Apple might already have something in place allowing for third-party apps, however, one rumor indicates the capability will initially be introduced in Europe.

Other anticipated updates seem more like wish lists, with numerous online Apple watchers calling for interface upgrades, notification improvements, and interactive widgets. (This one might have some basis in fact given that widgets have dominated two of the last three significant iOS upgrades.) If Dynamic Island expands beyond the Pro iPhone models, we would anticipate improvements to that capability as well. Before WWDC 2023, further information about iOS 17 is likely to become available.

iPhone 15 Models

Okay, let’s focus on this year’s iPhone 15, which is the star of the show. We can be quite confident that new phones will be released in the fall. How many phones Apple intends to release is less clear.

There have been four versions for the past three years, with a tiny iPhone being phased out of the lineup in 2022 by the larger iPhone 14 Plus. Consumer reports indicate that Apple’s $899 6.7-inch phone isn’t exactly being embraced because it lacks the more upscale features of the Pro versions and doesn’t really differentiate itself from the $799 base model other than its larger screen and longer battery life.

Apple might reduce its model lineup to just three options if it turns out that the iPhone 14 Plus is indeed laying an egg: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. With a base model, a second 6.1-inch model with more features, and a premium Pro model with a large screen, it is unquestionably a portfolio that makes sense.

However, reports of an iPhone 15 Ultra variant are upending that assumption. According to some theories, the Ultra mode would only be the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a different moniker, preserving all of the functionality of Apple’s 6.7-inch Pro edition. Another theory, however, claims that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the Apple Watch Ultra for smartphones. This would be a more expensive device with features that surpass even the iPhone 15 Pro and a price tag that is justified by the added capabilities.

This brings up the other important question we have about the iPhone 15 lineup: Will Apple continue to distinguish its many iPhone models clearly from one another?

When comparing the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 14 Pro, you could clearly see this trend. The iPhone 14 even kept the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 Pro models, indicating how little the base model iPhone changed in 2022. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max were the first devices to have all the significant upgrades, including a new 48MP primary camera and Dynamic Island in place of the notch on Pro model displays. And that’s before we consider that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are limited to 60Hz refresh rates while the Pro models continue to feature dynamic 120Hz refresh rates.

For what it’s worth, some people think that this year’s iPhone 15 models will all come with the Dynamic Island feature. Additionally, it’s expected that all iPhone 15 models will switch to USB-C connectivity. Apple might provide a bonus for purchasers of the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro, as those devices might get a USB-C version with quicker data transfer rates.

Given that the base model appears to be in line to receive the A16 Bionic chip now powering the iPhone 14 Pro variants, it is likely that the split processors will remain with the iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra would then ship with a brand-new A17 Bionic chip.

Other anticipated features for the iPhone 15 Pro variants include a periscope-style telephoto lens, haptic buttons, and a titanium alloy casing to increase the phone’s durability. If Apple chooses to further differentiate the iPhone 15 Ultra from the iPhone 15 Pro, then final rumor might be an iPhone 15 Ultra-only feature. The most likely release date for the iPhone 15 is September, so by then we should know what Apple has in mind, though there will undoubtedly be lots of new speculations.

Does Apple plan to release a foldable device?

If Apple is going to surprise us with a new model in 2023, it might be the first foldable phone ever produced by the corporation. A folding screen would allegedly be seen when the iPhone Flip’s clamshell design is opened, according to persistent rumors. Consider the Galaxy Z Flip 4 from Samsung with Apple design flair.

The problem with an unexpected iPhone Flip release is that the majority of Apple watchers don’t think the phone will be available until at least 2024. Although others have suggested a release in 2023, it appears that next year would be a more plausible objective – assuming Apple is even working on such a phone.

You may also like to check out:

• Apple Confirms Surprise New iPhone 12 Release
• iPhone 14 Pro models anticipated to embrace a hole-punch display
• Does Surface hardware have a spot in the financial plan space?
• Apple IPhone 14 Max, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, And Other Exciting Smartphones To Look Out For In 2022
• How Much Is Apple Worth When Google, Amazon, And Meta Are Combined?

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