iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Pro design: What to expect Apple's new iPhones to look like

When it comes to the overall design of Apple’s iPhones, it doesn’t change all that much from year to year. But every couple of years we get a refresh of note and that looks likely to happen in 2023.

That means that iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro buyers can look forward to some design tweaks when they pick up their new handsets this September. Big changes are unlikely, but there are some improvements expected across the board.

Don’t think that you’ll have to buy an iPhone 15 Pro to get the new stuff, either. The iPhone 15 will have one big design change of its own assuming the rumors turn out to be true.

While nothing is confirmed as yet, we think we can make a good guess at what the new iPhones will look like based on what we’ve been hearing so far. And with that said, let’s dive into the good stuff.

iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus

The biggest change expected from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is undoubtedly the arrival of the Dynamic Island. The feature is currently an iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max exclusive, but the smart money appears to be on that changing with this year’s non-Pro models.

The addition of a new Dynamic Island isn’t expected to bring new display technology as such, so no 120Hz ProMotion support is likely to make the move down the lineup. Neither will the always-on display, either.

There’s still plenty to look forward to from that Dynamic Island, though. You’ll of course see new animations for battery charging statuses and Face ID, and media controls will now live at the top of the screen as well. But Live Activities are where the fun’s at.

Live Activities will live in the Dynamic Island while your iPhone 15 is in use, making it quicker and easier to see things like sports scores or where you Uber got to. It’s a big upgrade, and you’re going to love it.

Unfortunately, beyond some new iPhone 15 colors, don’t expect much else to change this time around. It’s a different matter for the iPhone 15 Pro models, however.

iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island showing Music

(Image credit: iMore)

While the iPhone 15 getting the Dynamic Island is cool, the real fun is set to be centered around the iPhone 15 Pro models.

If the rumors are correct there are two main changes that we can expect. At the top of the list is a new titanium construction, a material that will likely make the iPhones more rigid and feel altogether more luxurious. That might be the reason behind the rumored iPhone 15 Pro price increases, too.

To go with that new titanium construction Apple is also thought to be rounding the edges off somewhat, creating a look that might be closer to the iPhone 11 than the boxy look we’re more accustomed to right now. That should make the phone easier to hold in the hand, making it more comfortable in the process. Haters of the sharper edges associated with modern iPhones will surely enjoy the change.

Coupled with the curvier edges, thinner bezels are tipped. The thinnest yet, we’re told, and around 0.7mm thinner than the current iPHone 14 Pro models.

Another big change is a functional one — the mute switch is going away for the first time since the iPhone’s introduction 15 years ago. That OG iPhone introduced the mute switch and it’s been around ever since, but the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to do away with it in favor of a new Action button. That button will work in a similar way to the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button, and allow people to quickly launch shortcuts, apps, and built-in features like the flashlight and more.

A change in charging port

While not strictly a design change, it’s worth mentioning anyway — the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to ditch Lightning in favor of the ubiquitous USB-C. That will mean a slight change in the way hole on the bottom of the new iPhones of course, but you’ll get a new cable in the box anyway.

The only potential thing to consider here is that some of your old accessories might no longer fit. Accessories using Lightning cables will obviously need an adapter, while anything that gets close to the port might foul it depending on how big Apple’s USB-C port turns out to be. Thankfully, Lightning and USB-C aren’t all that different in terms of dimensions so hopefully that won’t be too much of an issue.

New iPhones for everyone

The iPhone 15 models might not be getting a new material or curved edges, but buyers can look forward to real functionality improvements with that Dynamic Island. The same can be said for iPhone 15 Pro buyers thanks to the arrival of that Action button, too.

The two families of iPhones might be getting different things, but they’re both getting new things. And that might just be enough to drive some upgraders who might otherwise have chosen to skip the iPhone 15 lineup and wait for next year’s iPhone 16.