Apple

iPhone 15 Release Date: Tips & Tricks

Published

6 days ago

06/16/2023

If you’re thinking about buying Apple’s 2023 iPhone, there are some things you’ll want to do before the iPhone 15 release date arrives.

We don’t have an official iPhone 15 release date yet, but as of right now you can expect the new iPhones to land sometime in September alongside iOS 17.

While it might seem like it’s a bit early to start prepping for the iPhone 15’s release, taking some steps ahead of time will ensure you’re fully prepared to buy a new device this fall.

Your research might even convince you to buy another iPhone model or a device outside of Apple’s ecosystem long before the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max arrive.

In this guide we’ll take prospective buyers through some crucial steps to take ahead of Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone 15 release date later this year.

Table of Contents

Track iPhone 15 Rumors

If you’re thinking about buying one of the company’s 2023 iPhone models, you’ll want to track the latest rumors as we push through the year.

Apple will try to keep iPhone 15 details under wraps, but leaks are inevitable. We’ve already seen numerous reports outline potential features and we’ll see plenty more in the months ahead as plans are finalized behind the scenes.

iPhone 15 rumors will fill in many of the blanks and they’ll help you set proper expectations as we get closer to Apple’s announcement.

In addition to keeping an eye out for hardware and software rumors, you’ll also want to keep your eyes peeled for release date and supply chain rumors.

For instance, analyst Jeff Pu believes Apple’s currently dealing with yield issues that could impact iPhone 15 production. The devices are still expected to launch in September, but we could see shipping delays if the company is unable to get these problems under control.

For the latest iPhone 15 rumors, check out our guide.

Keep an Eye on Your Upgrade Eligibility

If you’re planning to buy an iPhone 15 model, or even if you’re interested in potentially picking one up, keep an eye on your upgrade status throughout the year.

If you aren’t eligible for an upgrade until late 2023, you might not be able to buy your new iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro right away.

That being said, carriers will sometimes bump your upgrade status so you’ll want to check in on it to see if anything changes in the buildup to Apple’s announcements.

Checking your current upgrade status is easy. Here’s how to check your upgrade online at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular.

Get Familiar with iOS 17

If you’re currently using a device that got left behind on iOS 15 (or older) or an Android phone, and you plan on upgrading to iPhone 15, you’ll want to get familiar with iOS 16, the current version of iOS.

If you own a newer iPhone model, you’ve probably upgraded to iOS 16 already and you can skip this step. If you’re still using an older version of iOS or you’ll be moving from Android, use this time to get comfortable with iOS. You can start with our guide to Apple’s software.

Apple’s also confirmed iOS 17 for iPhone. iOS 17 will be the software that powers the iPhone 15 series so it’ll be important to get familiar with it as well. And you can do that long before the iPhone 15 release date arrives.

The company’s pushed iOS 17 into beta testing. And if you own an eligible device, you can download a pre-release version of the software right now.

If you prefer to keep your devices on stable software, you’ll want to follow iOS 17’s progress from a distance. Either way, you’ll want to dig into the changes on board so you’re comfortable with the iPhone 15’s software.

For more about iOS 17’s features, have a look at our walkthrough.

Research iPhone Accessories

You should spend some time getting familiar with the best iPhone accessories. This way you’ll know exactly what to buy and how much to spend if you decide you want to pair your new iPhone with some extras.

We recommend reading reviews and digging into the best iPhone accessories long before Apple makes its announcements. Some accessories could drastically alter how you use your new phone.

Make sure you get a feel for potential costs, dig into the pros and cons of each manufacturer, and find the styles that appeal to you. This way, you’ll know exactly what to buy when the time comes to do so.

One thing to keep in mind while you shop around: Apple will reportedly limit the iPhone 15’s USB-C port to Apple-approved accessories, which is also the case for the Lightning port.

This rumor has been backed by a well-known leaker who says the iPhone 15 will only support USB-C accessories that have been certified for Apple’s MFi (Made for iPhone) program. Cables that aren’t MFi certified will likely have data transfer and charging speed limits.

The EU has pushed back on these rumors, warning Apple these limitations won’t be permitted and would prevent the iPhone from being sold in EU countries.

Of course, Apple has until the end of 2024 to meet the EU’s proposed requirements so it’s possible the iPhone 15, and perhaps even the iPhone 16, have these limitations on board. However, given that Apple’s plans are just rumors right now, we could see the iPhone 15 series allow uncertified cables to reach proper charging and data transfer speeds.

The same leaker says USB-C MFi cables and Earpods are in mass production behind the scenes right now. Apple sells the current version of Earpods for $19, but it’s unclear how much the USB-C models will cost.

Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes USB-C will enable faster charging speeds on the iPhone 15 series though he says the upgrade will only be attainable with certified cables.

It’s also worth mentioning that Japanese website Mac Otakara shared a video showing iPhone 15 dummy units compared to iPhone 14 cases.

As of right now it looks like the tweaks Apple’s made to the iPhone 15’s design will render the upcoming flagships incompatible with cases from last year’s flagships.

This has seemingly been confirmed by another video from AppleInsider which you can view above.

Figure Out How Much Storage You Need

Start thinking about how much storage you might want on your iPhone 15. Picking the right amount of iPhone storage will help you save money and avoid headaches down the road.

While some of you will be perfectly fine with the least amount of storage, others will want the peace of mind that comes with having a lot of internal space available.

If you’re unsure about what you might need, have a look at our iPhone 14 storage guide. While the iPhone 15 storage sizes might not mirror these exactly (we’ve seen a 2TB iPhone rumored numerous times in the past), they’ll likely be pretty close.

iPhone 15 Colors

Nothing is confirmed, but it looks like Apple might debut new colors when the iPhone 15 arrives.

The iPhone 15 Pro models might come in a new, dark shade of red while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus may come in light blue and pink.

Unknownz21, a leaker who has provided accurate information about Apple products in the past, disputes this and says there will be four iPhone 15 Pro colors, but none of them will be red.

A source on Chinese microblogging site Weibo also claims Apple is planning to launch a new cyan-green colored iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

We suspect Apple will keep some of the iPhone’s classic color options (silver/space gray) around and we recommend getting familiar with them as well.

You may even want to pick a few favorites so that you’re ready to buy once pre-orders begin.

Look Into Other iPhones

Before you make the decision to wait for the iPhone 15, you’ll want to get research Apple’s current iPhone models. You might find an iPhone you really like long before the iPhone 15 arrives.

First, we recommend taking a look at Apple’s current flagships which include the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

You’ll also want to look at the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. We also recommend taking a look at the budget iPhone SE 3.

Buying an iPhone 15 may seem like a good idea, but a lot of you might be better off buying another iPhone.

iPhone 15 Alternatives

We also recommend taking a look at the best current, and upcoming, iPhone 15 alternatives. You might find something you like outside of Apple’s ecosystem.

Make sure you check out phones like Google’s Pixel 7 before you decide to wait for the iPhone 15.

There are a bunch of excellent iPhone alternatives out there, but here are a few of our current favorites:

You’ll also want to keep an eye on upcoming iPhone 15 alternatives as well.

Make a Plan for Your Current Phone

If you plan to upgrade to an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max make sure you have a plan for your current phone.

Some of you might know of a friend or relative who could make use of your current phone. Ask around and see if anyone might need a hand-me-down. You might also look into donating your phone to charity.

If you plan on selling your current device to help offset the cost of your iPhone 15, you’ll want to dig into prices at popular resellers.

You’ll also want to keep your current phone in pristine condition because that’s how you’ll get the most money back from those resellers, your carrier, or Apple when iPhone 15 trade-in offers go live.

We don’t know how much the iPhone 15 series will cost just yet, but rumors suggest Apple could shake things up in 2023.

A leak from micro-blogging site Weibo claims the price of both iPhone 15 Pro models could jump up. The blog doesn’t specify how much of a leap we’ll see.

Jeff Pu, an analyst at Haitong International Securities, also believes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be more expensive. So does Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. If you recall, Ives accurately predicted the iPhone 14’s price jump in international markets.

On the other hand, we’ve heard that Apple could drop the price of the iPhone 15 Plus in order to make it more attractive to shoppers. If that happens, Apple may drop the price of the base iPhone 15 as well.

Research AppleCare

If you’re planning to buy an iPhone 15, you’ll probably want to protect your investment. AppleCare will help you do that.

New iPhones come with a standard warranty, but Apple’s AppleCare is an extended warranty service that delivers far better support.

If you aren’t familiar with AppleCare’s benefits, you should research them when you have time. You should also look into AppleCare alternatives.

Decide on a Carrier

If you’re currently unhappy with your provider’s coverage or data plan, use this time to dig into competitors and see if you can find a better fit for your iPhone 15.

Each carrier has its pros and cons, but you might find one that stands out. If you’re interested in switching carriers, make sure you shop around.

5 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 15 & 6 Reasons Not To

Wait for Design Changes

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Last year, Apple introduced a brand new pill-shaped notch the company calls Dynamic Island. Unfortunately, this change is only available on the company's high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. That will likely change this year.

Analyst Ross Young believes Apple could bring Dynamic Island to the lower-end iPhone 15 models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does as well.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 15's proximity sensor will be integrated into Dynamic Island. The proximity sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro models is under the display outside of Dynamic Island. This could lead to Face ID improvements.

This might give some of you considering Apple's iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus a reason to hold out and wait for the new models.

On the flip side, Young doesn't think the standard iPhone 15 models will get 120Hz/LTPO like the iPhone 15 Pro models. This haas been backed up by another source who says the iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Plus won't get ProMotion and Always-On display capabilities.

We've heard the the iPhone 15 Max's design will be made out of titanium as opposed to stainless steel.

Leaker ShrimpApplePro claims early information suggests Apple is indeed working on a titanium design. The leaker says the design may also incorporate curved rear edges and a glass back.

In a newer tweet, the leaker says the iPhone 15 Pro models will "have thinner bezels" with curved edges. The display is reportedly still flat, however.

ShrimpApplePro says additional sources now agree with the information and that the bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro models will indeed be thinner.

In a tweet, well-known leaker Ice Universe says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will break the record for thinnest bezels on a smartphone. The record is currently held by the Xiaomi 13.

Front glass panels for the iPhone 15 series have apparently leaked and they depict thinner bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities also believes the company is working to deliver a new titanium design. So does Gurman.

We've seen an iPhone 15 Pro dummy unit leak on the Chinese version of TikTok and it gives us a glimpse at what the device might look like. CAD images of the iPhone 15 Pro from 9to5Mac also show us what the final product could look like.

We've also heard the iPhone 15 Pro might have a multi-use action button instead of a mute button. This button would probably work like it does on the Apple Watch Ultra in that it will allow users to map it to different functions.