iPhone 15 Pro to Feature Titanium Edges, Apple's New 3nm Chip, and Repair-Friendly Internals: Mark Gurman

iPhone 15 series — comprising the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max — are expected to make their debut this year. Apple's next generation of iPhone models are likely to bring several hardware upgrades, according to details that have recently surfaced online. The iPhone 15 models are said to feature a USB Type-C port and upgraded rear cameras, while the Pro models might feature a new 3nm chip, titanium edges, improved zoom performance, and easily repairable internals, just like the iPhone 14 that was launched last year.

In the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman states that Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 Pro will drop its easily identifiable stainless steel edges, replacing it with a sturdier material — titanium. This suggests the company's next Pro models will be more durable than their predecessors. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature reworked internals just like last year's iPhone 14, to make it easier to repair, he adds.

On the inside, the iPhone 15 Pro will be powered by a new 3nm chip that will bring performance improvements over last year's Pro models, according to Gurman, who says the new processor is "noticeably snappier". However, customers who pick up the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will reportedly get the 4nm A16 Bionic chip found on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

This year, Apple will reduce the size of the bezels around its iPhone 15 Pro series of smartphones to 1.5mm, down from 2.2mm on the 14 Pro models, using a process called "low-injection pressure over-moulding", according to Gurman. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will drop the notch in favour of the Dynamic Island that featured on last year's Pro models.

Previous reports suggest that the upcoming iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel primary camera instead of the 12-megapixel one on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and Gurman states that the largest model — the iPhone 15 Pro Max — will offer improved optical zoom. Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro Max is tipped to feature a periscope camera, a hardware feature that is present on high-end Android smartphones.

Gurman also reiterates his previous claim that the iPhone 15 series will drop the now-outdated — and slower — Lightning connector, in favour of a USB Type-C port. Apple is expected to bring this hardware change in order to comply with EU rules that go into effect in December 2024.

Meanwhile, Apple's plans to improve the durability of the handset with the inclusion of solid-state buttons for the volume buttons, the power button, and the mute switch — codenamed Project Bongo — has been cancelled, according to Gurman, who says that only the mute switch will be replaced by an Action button.

Unlike last year, Apple is not expected to launch a new Apple Watch SE model this year, but the upcoming Watch Series 9 models and the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra will be equipped with a new — and powerful — S9 chip, according to Gurman. Apple is expected to announce plans to launch new smartphones and smartwatch models later this year.