Apple iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Chip to Boast Remarkable Power- But Is It Too Much?

(Image credit- Forbes) Apple will continue to release its four iPhone flagship models in September 2023, including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Similar to the iPhone 14 Pro versions, the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will offer features that the more affordable iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will not. However, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are anticipated to be the same size as the iPhone 14 Pro versions, measuring 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively.

Design Details

Currently, it appears that the iPhone 15 Pro versions will include some modest design changes. Apple will likely introduce noticeably slimmer, curved bezels as well as a new titanium material for the chassis in place of stainless steel. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Image credit- Tom's Guide[/caption] A new "mute" button that may actually function as an Action button, like the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra, is another feature Apple is anticipated to add. The so-called Action button, which will take the place of the present mute switch, will be capable of more than just muting the iPhone.

Fast USB-C and iPhone Nanometers

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the only models to use the newer 3-nanometer A17 chip; the other iPhone 15 models will continue to use the A16 chip found in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. As a result of the A17 chip's increased speed and efficiency, performance and battery life may both improve. The Dynamic Island and the switch from Lightning to USB-C will be present in all iPhone 15 models this year, but the iPhone 15 Pro lineup will also have an improved USB-C connection with faster USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 transfer speeds. The A17 processor is expected to be paired with more RAM, although all iPhone 15 models will use the same 5G Qualcomm modem chip for connectivity. In early 2024, Apple is anticipated to release the Vision Pro headset, which will integrate with a new Ultrawide Band chip enabling close-by interactions. With the exception of one significant difference—the telephoto camera lens—the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will largely share the same features. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image credit- MacRumors[/caption]

Periscope Lens Technology

Both iPhone 15 Pro models will have telephoto lens technology as part of their typical three-camera array, but only the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have a new periscope lens that will enable 5x to 6x optical zoom, a significant advance above the 3x zoom on the existing iPhone 14 Pro models. According to rumors, the iPhone 15 Pro will be offered in four color options: titanium gray, blue, silver, and space gray/black. The image features a brushed metal surface that could be the speculated titanium chassis and reveals the deeper curve that Apple is anticipated to add to the iPhone 15 Pro variants.

New Powers

The A-series SoCs in iPhone 15 have more than just a CPU. They have a unique image-processing chip engine that enables the camera's amazing real-time effects, such as Portrait and Night modes. Then there is the Apple Neural Engine, which drives Face ID, enables Siri to detect distinct voices, enables the Photos app to scan your photos, and recognizes faces, plants, locations, and soon pets. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Image credit- Tom's Guide[/caption] In other words, it performs tasks requiring AI and machine learning up to 10,000 times quicker than the CPU or GPU could. Apple may not be using chatbot-style AI, but machine learning, also known as AI, and is extensively used on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are expected to include 6.1 and 6.7-inch OLED displays with a Dynamic Island cutout for the camera and Face ID technology, respectively, identical to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. With bezels that are predicted to be 1.55mm thin, the iPhone 15 Pro will "break the record" for having the slimmest smartphone bezels. The bezels of the iPhone 14 Pro measure 2.17mm. The basic iPhone 15 model's bezel size is not said to alter.

According to Nikita Sherbina, co-founder and CEO of AI software company AIScreen, "Apple could strategically use the extra power for enhancing AI capabilities, refining camera processing, and enabling richer augmented reality experiences. This allocation would lead to more innovative and valuable features for users."

Meanwhile, the September event, likely on Tuesday, September 12, will see the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models. Pre-orders would most likely start on Friday, September 15, and the launch would happen on Friday, September 22, according to the schedule. Also read: iPhone 15 Series Will Reportedly Be Available in New Green Hues