iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus Models Tipped to Debut With 48-Megapixel Wide Cameras, A16 Bionic SoC

Apple is reportedly planning to pack a 48-megapixel primary rear camera sensor in iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models this year. The larger camera sensors are currently exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max units. The regular iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature similar dual 12-megapixel rear camera units. The non-pro models of the iPhone 15 series are also said to come with a USB Type-C port instead of a Lightning charging port. They are expected to be powered by the company's A16 Bionic chip, that is currently available on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

As reported by 9to5Mac, Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research forecast the camera setup and specifications of the iPhone 15 models in a research note. The analyst said that the two non Pro models in the lineup will have a three-stacked sensor with a 48-megapixel wide lens. This will be an upgrade over the current iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus as both come with a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera at the back alongside a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, on the other hand, feature a 48-megapixel main camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilisation. However, Apple is not likely to pack a telephoto lens for optical zoom or a LiDAR scanner on the base iPhone 15 variants.

Further, Jeff Pu adds that Apple could replace the old Lightning charging port with a USB Type-C port on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models. The non Pro models will be powered by the latest A16 Bionic SoC, that is currently exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro models.

The speculation from Jeff Pu is in line with past reports. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier claimed iPhone 15 series will ditch the Lightning port in favour of USB Type-C. The Cupertino-based company is said to be working on 8K video recording support for the next-generation iPhone models. Apple is tipped to pack the A17 Bionic SoC on both iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

Apple has not shared any information on the upcoming iPhone 15 series and its launch, but there have been several leaks in the past hinting at the design and some specifications. This year's iPhone lineup is said to comprise the standard iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. The high-end models in iPhone 15 series are tipped to come with solid-state buttons instead of physical volume and power buttons.