The iPhone 15 Plus should be here in the next few hours. That’s because Apple’s September event takes place at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST today and we’re expecting it to see the launch of all four new iPhone models.
We’re on the ground in Cupertino and you can follow our iPhone 15 event live blog for all the last-minute leaks and analysis before the show begins, plus all the big reveals once it gets underway. You can also take a look at our guide on how to watch the Apple September event.
The iPhone 15 Plus is the Goldilocks of the iPhone 15 family, neither too small, like the iPhone 15, nor too expensive, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
There have long been large and small iPhone options, but the iPhone 14 Plus offered a bargain take on the larger size, without paying more for the fancier iPhone 14 Pro cameras and unnecessarily fast A16 Bionic processor. Rumors suggest Apple will give us an iPhone 15 Plus follow-up, but it could be the last time we see this sort of Plus model in a new iPhone family.
We have high-hoped for this mid-range model, and it might be a big upgrade over last year’s Plus model, with the same Dynamic Island found currently only on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Every new iPhone 15 should also get a USB-C port, and we’re hearing the iPhone 15 Plus will also use a 48MP camera sensor, among other rumored additions.
Below, we’ve detailed everything we’ve heard so far about the iPhone 14 Plus, and we’ll update this article as soon as the phone is official. So, make sure to check back here frequently in the next few hours.
Latest leaks, rumors and news (Updated September 12)
While we’re focused on the iPhone 15 Plus in this article, it’s worth seeing how this phone might compare to the other upcoming models. So, with that in mind, the chart below contains the key expected specs for all four upcoming iPhones.
None of this is confirmed yet, rather it’s based on leaks, rumors, and in a few cases, educated guesses, but we’d expect the details below to be accurate, for the most part. It’s also worth noting that an iPhone 15 Ultra could arrive in place of the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year, but if it does, many of the Pro Max specs listed below will likely remain accurate for that phone.
iPhone 15 Plus release date rumors
(Image credit: Apple)
Likely to launch today, September 12, at the next Apple event
A delay until October was rumored, but now looks unlikely
The iPhone 15 Plus is expected to launch today – that’s Tuesday, September 12 – at the Apple September event, which has the name “Wonderlust”. Given September is the traditional launch month for new iPhones, we’d place a huge bet that we’ll see the entire iPhone range revealed today, with pre-orders likely to go live soon afterwards.
The phones will then probably ship in just over a week’s time, on, say, September 22. Judging by reports from leakers including Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, that iPhone 15 shipping date seems likely.
The iPhone 15 Plus will likely cost at least as much as the iPhone 14 Plus (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Expect a similar or slightly higher price to last year
The iPhone 15 Plus is sure to cost at least as much as the iPhone 14 Plus, but it might cost more. According to analyst Dan Ives, the average selling price of the iPhone 15 line will be higher than last year’s, and we’ve also heard that these phones are costing more to produce.
That said, most sources seem to think that price rises will be driven by the Pro and Pro Max models, with one report specifically saying pricing won’t change with the iPhone 15 Plus, so there’s still a fair chance that the iPhone 15 Plus will have the same price as its predecessor. In that case, you can expect the following prices:
128GB: $899 / £949 / AU$1,579
256GB: $999 / £1,059 / AU$1,749
512GB: $1,199 / £1,279 / AU$2,099
However, don’t be surprised if the price is actually a little higher than that, and it’s also possible that prices will rise in some regions but not in others.
The iPhone 14 Plus in five shades (Image credit: Apple)
We have a good idea of what iPhone 15 colors to expect, and the iPhone 15 Plus is sure to come in the same shades based on past form. It’s likely, then, that we’ll see some or all of the following colors offered:
Cyan / Green
Light blue
Pink
Midnight
Starlight
Product (RED)
Of those options, we’ve specifically heard rumors of a green iPhone 15, a cyan iPhone 15, a blue iPhone 15, and a pink iPhone 15. The other shades are guesses based on the colors Apple usually chooses.
Reports also suggest that every iPhone 15 model will come with a color-matched braided USB-C cable. The use of braiding should make these cables more durable to the rigors of long-term use, as well as better retain their colors. You can read more about the potential benefits of Apple’s transition to USB-C, specifically, elsewhere in this article.
iPhone 15 Plus design
How the iPhone 15 Plus might look (Image credit: 9to5Mac)
A Dynamic Island instead of a notch
Curvier edges
A matte glass back
One big iPhone 15 design change we’re expecting is the presence of a Dynamic Island instead of a notch on all four models.
Finally, there’s talk that Apple could make the iPhone 15 line eSIM only in some countries beyond the US (which has already made that change). So that would mean the removal of the SIM card slot.
The actual dimensions – and probably also weight – of the iPhone 15 Plus aren’t expected to change much though, meaning it will likely be around 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8mm and 203g.
iPhone 15 Plus display
The iPhone 15 Plus could look a lot like the 14 Pro Max from the front (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Expect a Dynamic Island
The screen size and specs could be the same as last year
We’re expecting iPhone 15 screen sizes to be much the same as they were with the iPhone 14 line, which means the iPhone 15 Plus will probably have a 6.7-inch display.
It will probably also be a 1284 x 2778 Super Retina XDR OLED display with around 458 pixel per inch – again, just like last year. Sadly the similarities also reportedly extend to the iPhone 15 Plus having just a 60Hz refresh rate, and not supporting Apple’s always-on display feature.
The only significant screen upgrade we’re expecting then is the aforementioned addition of a Dynamic Island, which means there will be a big cut-out in the screen rather than a notch at the top. You can see this in an image above, and in the tweet below, showing iPhone 15 line glass panels.
iPhone 15 Plus cameras
The iPhone 14 Plus’s camera array (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
However, interestingly this might be a different 48MP sensor to what the iPhone 14 Pro has, as it reportedly has a smaller sensor, which is likely to translate to inferior performance but an improvement on the 12MP main camera on the current model.
We’ve not heard about any improvements coming to the other lenses though, meaning you can probably expect a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 12MP selfie camera, and no telephoto lens.
iPhone 15 Plus features
The iPhone 15 Plus likely won’t have a Lightning port (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The A16 Bionic chipset from the iPhone 14 Pro is likely
A bigger 4,912mAh battery is rumored
A new iPhone means a new chipset – although in this case possibly not that new, with the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 specs expected to include an A16 Bionic chipset.
It’s been widely rumored that the iPhone 15 Plus will use the A16 Bionic, and while that’s an upgrade on the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Plus, it’s not as good as the A17 Bionic we’re expecting in the new Pro models. In fact, it’s already available in the current Pro models. Apple did a similar chipset split with the iPhone 14 line though, so this isn’t surprising.
The A16 Bionic is still an extremely powerful chipset. though, and it could be joined here by a Snapdragon X70 modem, which should also improve its 5G capabilities.
However, reports suggest that it will stick with 6GB of RAM, along with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage configurations, just like the current model.
One other thing that will likely be improved though is the battery, with a leak suggesting the iPhone 15 Plus will have a 4,912mAh battery. That’s up from 4,325mAh in the iPhone 14 Plus, so it’s a significant upgrade of around 14%.
If the rumors come to fruition, in terms of a 48MP main camera, tweaked design, Dynamic Island and USB-C connectivity, then the iPhone 15 Plus could be a phone worth upgrading to, especially if you have an older iPhone and don’t want to spend a wad of cash on an Pro Max iPhone.
However, if the iPhone 15 Plus is but an iterative upgrade on its predecessor, especially if it lacks a new look and the Dynamic Island, then it could be a bit of a dud given the iPhone 14 Plus hasn’t been a massive success compared to other Apple phones.
by #AI September 12, 2023 · Automatic
