Apple’s latest version of iOS – iOS 16.5 – became available to download on May 18, but the supposedly helpful update has left many iPhone users grappling with a frustrating battery problem.  

“iOS 16.5 is deadly for the battery,” reads one of the several complaints posted to social media in recent days, with users reporting faster-than-usual battery drain after downloading iOS 16.5 on their iPhones. 

The severity of the issue appears to vary case-by-case, but charging speeds seem to be affected across the board, too, with some unfortunate souls claiming that their iPhones are taking almost three hours (three hours!) to reach 100% charge. Yikes. 

The good news is that this annoying battery hiccup is completely normal. When Apple – or indeed any software developer – pushes out major operating system (OS) updates, phones often need to reindex data and recalibrate their battery settings, which in turn leads to faster battery drain. Crucially, though, this faster drain is temporary, and should resolve itself in a few days after first occurring. 

In addition to this recalibration, new OS updates often trigger a slew of app-specific updates that put even more strain on your iPhone’s battery. Once these apps have freshened themselves up for the latest version of iOS, however, this drain subsides. 

In all likelihood, then, your iPhone is experiencing an iOS 16.5-induced hangover, and there’s nothing to worry about in terms of long-term damage. If you’re still concerned about your handset’s battery health after a few more days, head to Settings, Battery, then Battery Health to check for any official battery warnings.

As for the improvements iOS 16.5 brings to your iPhone, Apple’s latest update patches a nefarious loophole that allows – or rather, allowed – anyone to access your contacts book from the lock screen (an issue that presumably arose as a result of the company’s decision to improve lock screen customization in iOS 16 proper). 

Previous versions of iOS 16 have patched similar vulnerabilities concerning access to Messages and the Wallet app through the iPhone lock screen, so iOS 16.5 looks to have fixed the final threat in this particular set of security risks. 

The new update also adds a series of Pride celebration lock screen wallpapers and a dedicated Sports tab in Apple News. The latter provides easier access to stories, scores, and standings for the teams and leagues you follow, with score cards now taking you directly to game pages.

iOS 16.5 addresses various issues relating to Spotlight, CarPlay, and Screen Time, too. The full list of updates can be viewed on Apple’s dedicated iOS 16.5 release notes page. 

Apple is expected to debut its next major revision to iOS – iOS 17 – at WWDC 2023 on June 5, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the latest on that software update.

European Union officials recently warned Apple against imposing charging speed limitations on third-party USB-C iPhone 15 chargers, and it looks as though the company is preparing to lift restrictions on wireless chargers from other manufacturers, too.

At present, newer iPhones support up to 15W wireless charging, but only when they’re paired with Apple-produced MagSafe chargers. Third-party wireless chargers, on the other hand, are limited to 5W-7.5W charging, meaning traditional wired chargers are usually a more efficient option unless you’ve invested in Apple’s own wireless charging tech.

However, a new rumor (via 9to5Mac) hints that Apple could lift this 5W-7.5W limit on third-party wireless chargers used with the iPhone 15 series. If true, non-Apple wireless chargers will be capable of juicing up the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra just as fast as MagSafe chargers (aka the best iPhone chargers).

Why would Apple do this? It’s hard to say for sure, since Apple has never disclosed why, exactly, it imposes this 5W-7.5W limit on third-party wireless chargers in the first place.

The company claims that the magnets in its MagSafe chargers “align themselves perfectly [with the iPhone’s charging coils] every time for faster wireless charging,” so perhaps it hasn’t trusted third-party manufacturers to achieve 15W wireless charging in a way that’s equally as efficient and – crucially – safe.

That stance could be changing with the iPhone 15, though, but we suspect Apple will only lift restrictions on next-generation wireless chargers using the Qi2 standard – i.e., those whose charging technology is based on Apple’s own MagSafe technology (to ensure safety).

Suffice to say, this is good news for anyone who’s reluctant to spend the big bucks on Apple’s expensive MagSafe tech. But it’s good news for your iPhone’s security, too.

Recent research revealed that hackers are using public charging stations to steal data and install malware in users’ iPhones. Cables in compromised charging stations can attach to your iPhone’s data pins, as well as its charging pins, whereas wireless chargers eliminate this risk of pin-to-pin data transfer.

Of course, we’re some years away from seeing Qi2-standard wireless chargers replace standard chargers in airports, train stations and shopping malls, but Apple’s potential commitment to levelling the charging playing feel can only bode well for the future.

Future iPhones could get a big boost from Apple’s new investment into 5G components, which could see the tech giant make a single chip for cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

5G networks offer faster download speeds and superior reliability than their 4G equivalents, but the widespread adoption of 5G has been hampered by the need to develop expensive mobile infrastructure en masse. 

Now, Apple has announced a major new partnership with its long-term parts supplier Broadcom to build a number of “cutting edge” 5G components in the US. 

Why does this matter? As well as providing a huge boost to the US economy – to the tune of billions (and billions) of dollars – the move will reduce Apple’s reliance on third-party chip suppliers like Qualcomm and could mean that future iPhones boast 5G modems uniquely optimized for Apple devices. 

Qualcomm expects Apple to switch to its own in-house 5G modems from 2024 onwards, so in theory, the iPhone 16 line could be the first iPhone line to feature super efficient, Apple-produced 5G components.

Apple is widely believed to have begun work on its own 5G technology after purchasing  Intel’s modem division for $1 billion in 2020. The company signed a six-year deal with Qualcomm in the meantime to ensure that every iPhone since the iPhone 12 has been 5G-compatible, but it’s no secret that Apple is keen to bring more of its manufacturing process under one roof. 

For instance, Apple has also outlined plans to begin using proprietary custom displays in its new mobile devices from 2024 onwards, in a bid to reduce reliance on other component manufacturing partners like Samsung and LG.

More generally, the company’s extended partnership with Broadcom should boost the widespread adoption of 5G among 4G-using consumers. “5G technology is shaping the future of next-generation consumer electronics – and Apple is spending tens of billions of dollars to develop this field in the United States,” the company said in a statement. 

How much better is 5G?

5G speeds vary between locations, countries, carriers and devices, but in the right conditions, they can reach up to 10 Gbps. For context, that’s around 100 times faster than the average 4G download speed. 

However, that superior speed comes at a cost. Being significantly more complex than previous-generation mobile networks, 5G networks require more masts and more advanced (read: much larger) equipment in more places, which is expensive to produce and install. 

Apple’s multi-billion dollar investment should go some way to improving this still-underdeveloped 5G infrastructure – in the US, at least – but we’re still several years away from seeing 5G replace 4G in the main. 

Apple is expected to debut its iPhone 15 line in September, but that hasn’t stopped leakers from speculating about next year’s iPhone 16 series.

We’ve already reported on rumors hinting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max could be the biggest iPhones yet, and new CAD images obtained by 9to5Mac corroborate that suggestion. Now, though, we’re also hearing that the base iPhone 16 could borrow a key design feature from the iPhone 12 line.

According to Twitter leaker @URedditor, the iPhone 16 will sport a vertical camera layout, rather than the diagonal setup used on every iPhone since the iPhone 13. “This will make the device instantly recognizable as the latest model” in 2024, @URedditor writes.

Despite the rumored addition of a 48MP main lens on the base iPhone 15, Apple’s next vanilla flagship will reportedly stick with the same camera arrangement as the iPhone 14, so it figures that the company could shake-up the appearance of the iPhone 16 by, well, going back to what it knows.

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Apple has looked to its own product history for design inspiration. The company had seemingly abandoned the iPhone 4’s straight-sided aesthetic with the iPhone 6, before returning to it with the iPhone 12. The iPhone 15, meanwhile, will reportedly be reminiscent of the iPhone 11 by having slightly curved edges (see the images below). 

It should also go without saying that the iPhone 16 won’t use the same cameras as the iPhone 12. The latter uses two 12MP main shooters, and although the iPhone 14 likewise employs that now-outdated setup, the aforementioned 48MP main lens expected to arrive on the iPhone 15 will surely make its way to the iPhone 16, too.

As for what other features the iPhone 16 could introduce, we’re expecting the phone – or its Pro-level siblings, at least – to sport solid-state (i.e. haptic) volume and power buttons. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get solid-state buttons, but Apple analysts recently poured water on those claims, adding that the feature is more likely to arrive with the iPhone 16 line owing to its technological complexity.

In addition to solid-state power buttons, the iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly get a periscope lens and a larger display, too, which has pretty much killed our excitement for the iPhone 15 Pro.

In other words, the iPhone 16 Pro could be a smaller (and potentially cheaper) version of the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, which is expected to arrive this year in place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max. We’ll have to wait until September for confirmation of that phone’s existence, though, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the latest news on what is likely to be this year’s hottest smartphone launch. 

Samsung made a big song and dance about the bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipsets powering its Galaxy S23 phones, but new rumors suggest a similarly overclocked version of Qualcomm’s latest processor could be coming to other premium handsets very soon. 

That prediction comes from Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (via Android Authority), who claims that Samsung’s “high-frequency version” of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be made available to “domestic” (i.e. Chinese) smartphone brands imminently. 

The leaker makes no mention of specific brands, but the likes of ASUS, OnePlus, Redmagic and Xiaomi could all utilize this upgraded processor in whatever as-yet-unreleased premium handsets they have in the pipeline for 2023 and beyond. 

If you’re into your number-crunching, Qualcomm’s ‘Made for Samsung’ Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset delivers slightly higher peak CPU and GPU clock speeds than its standard counterpart (3.36GHz versus 3.2GHz, and 719MHz versus 680MHz). 

The real-world performance differences between the two processors, however, are negligible. In our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review, we said “the S23 Ultra gains a slight edge over the OnePlus 11 ... but the Ultra's lead is so slight that you're unlikely to feel any real-world benefit." That "For Galaxy" Snapdragon seems “far more beneficial for Samsung Galaxy S23 series marketing campaign” than it is for the user.

In other words, while Qualcomm’s bespoke chipset does technically offer superior performance, it’s nigh-on impossible to perceive any tangible speed differences between the Samsung Galaxy S23 series and other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-equipped phones like the OnePlus 11 and Honor Magic 5 Pro.

The upshot is that anyone hell-bent on owning the fastest and most powerful Snapdragon chipset around may have more options to choose from in a few months’ time. 

As for the chipset that could replace the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, we’re expecting Qualcomm to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which takes place in November.

• If you're interested in smartphone performance, check out the best gaming phones

iOS 16.5 is now available to download on any iPhone newer than the iPhone 8, and despite being an incremental update, it’s an important one for your iPhone’s security. 

Thought to be the last iOS 16 update before the iOS 17 beta goes live in June, iOS 16.5 patches a nefarious loophole that allows anyone to access your contacts book from your iPhone’s lock screen (an issue that presumably arose as a result of Apple’s decision to improve lock screen customization in iOS 16 proper). 

Previous versions of iOS 16 have patched similar vulnerabilities concerning access to Messages and the Wallet app through the iPhone lock screen, so iOS 16.5 looks to have fixed the final threat in this particular set of security risks. 

Elsewhere, iOS 16.5 adds three security patches for issues related to WebKit, the browser engine used in Apple’s Safari app. These patches – which defend against threats regarding personal data leakage – were introduced with Apple’s first iPhone Rapid Security Response update in early May, but now anyone who missed that time-sensitive rollout can benefit from the security improvements. 

As for the non-security-related features introduced with iOS 16.5, the new update adds a series of Pride celebration lock screen wallpapers and a dedicated Sports tab in Apple News. The latter provides easier access to stories, scores, and standings for the teams and leagues you follow, with score cards now taking you directly to game pages.

iOS 16.5 patches various issues relating to Spotlight, CarPlay, and Screen Time, too. The full list of updates can be viewed on Apple’s dedicated iOS 16.5 release notes page. 

To download iOS 16.5, head to Settings, General, then Software Update, and follow the on-screen prompts. Alternatively, read our guide on how to update your iPhone to iOS 16, which contains more detailed instructions for the same steps. 

As mentioned, Apple is expected to debut its next major revision to iOS – iOS 17 – at WWDC 2023 in early June. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had previously reported that development on the Apple VR headset would lead to “fewer major changes” for iOS 17, but the seasoned Apple expert has since claimed that the upcoming update will actually provide several of users’ “most requested features.” 

In practice, this will likely mean a range of significant upgrades to existing iPhone features and apps, like CarPlay, Siri, and Messages. A series of rumored updates to Apple Maps, for instance, might finally make you switch from Google Maps.

Leakers are, however, divided over which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 17. Some report that iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, while others have counterclaimed that iOS 17 will be compatible with all iPhones capable of running iOS 16.

At this stage, then, there's little certainty around which iPhones will be supported by iOS 17 – but we're sure to find out at WWDC 2023 come June 5.

We recently detailed a two-second iPhone trick that lets you delete Safari tabs en masse, but that helpful shortcut is far from the only hidden iOS feature worth knowing about in 2023. 

We say ‘hidden’, but only hidden insofar as Apple doesn’t make a big song and dance about the myriad genuinely useful navigational tools scattered throughout iOS. 

We’ve highlighted 9 iOS tricks that every iPhone user should know elsewhere on TechRadar, but in this article, we've picked out five more handy iOS loopholes to help you navigate your iPhone faster – from keyboard shortcuts to calculator tricks. 

1. No more calculator headaches 

Most iPhone users will know the pain of having to re-enter digits in the calculator app after accidentally pressing a wrong number, but did you know that you don’t need to go back to square one in order to rectify your mistake? 

If you punch a wrong number in the calculator app, simply swipe left or right on the erroneous number to remove the last digit you entered incorrectly. You can do this trick as many times as you like, until the number screen returns to zero.

2. Scroll up with a single tap 

if you’re navigating lengthy web articles like listicles or shopping pages, it can be a nuisance to scroll all the way back up to the top of those pages using thumb swipes alone. Helpfully, tapping the status bar at the top of your ‌iPhone‌'s display – either the clock side or the battery side – will fast travel you back up to where you began. 

This trick works for browsers like Safari and Chrome, as well as in apps more generally. If you’re currently rocking an iPhone with a Dynamic Island – that’s the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max – you’ll only be able to use this method when the Island isn’t in use. 

3. Turn your spacebar into a trackpad  

Okay, okay: we did include this particular trick in our other iOS tips guide, but the method for performing said trick has changed slightly since then. 

Did you know your iPhone has a hidden trackpad? It’s beneath (or rather, inside) the keyboard, and can be activated by long-pressing the spacebar. In other words, you don’t need to awkwardly click between words and letters to fix errors, and can instead surf through text from the comfort of your keyboard. 

What’s more, tapping the trackpad with another finger selects text, so your digits don’t need to venture into the top half of your iPhone’s screen at all, really. 

4. Avoid switching to the numbered keyboard 

This next trick will only save you about a second each time you use it, but every little helps, as they say. When typing on your iPhone’s keyboard, you’re probably used to manually switching to the numbered keyboard when typing, well, numbers. But did you know that you can make the transition between the alphabetical and numbered keyboards super-swift? 

Instead of tapping the ‘123’ tab in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, hold it down and drag your finger to the number or symbol you want to input. When you let go, the keyboard will automatically revert to the alphabetical layout, saving you a couple of clicks in the process. Admittedly, this trick is a little fiddly to perfect at first – but with practice, it will make you feel like an iPhone master. 

5. Say goodbye to in-app ratings prompts

We’ve all been frustrated by those pesky 'rate this app' prompts that appear every so often when you open an app, but thankfully, iOS includes a helpful setting to banish them for good. 

Head to Settings, scroll down to App Store and deselect the In-App Ratings & Reviews toggle. Et voilà! No more annoying requests for feedback (you can thank us later). 

For more on keeping your tech clutter-free, read our guides on how to clean a phone charging port and how to close iPhone apps.

The Android vs iPhone debate – or rather, the Android vs iOS debate - has raged for as long as both operating systems have been out in the wild, but new figures suggest one camp will be the much happier of the two in 2023. 

According to a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), the last 12 months have seen Apple lure more users away from Android than at any other point in the last five years. The research institute found that, from March 2022 to March 2023, 15% of individuals who purchased an iPhone indicated that they had switched from an Android phone. 

In other words: iPhones are winning the war. But why? In this article, we highlight five possible reasons – some objective, some subjective – why Android phones continue to lose so much ground to Apple’s pocket-sized marvels. 

1. iPhones offer longer software support

The strongest hold iPhones have over Android phones is their superior longevity. Apple generally supports new iPhones with iOS updates for five or six years after their release, and those updates come to all devices in one fell swoop. Sure, the oldest devices don’t always support every new feature of a given iOS update, but their security and basic functionality are maintained to a high standard for an impressively long time (there’s a reason why you still see so many banged-up iPhone 8s knocking around).  

Android phones, on the other hand, aren’t supported for anywhere near as long as iPhones. Samsung, for instance, offers four years of software updates and five years of security updates for the best Samsung phones, while Google offers Pixel users three years of software updates (and the same security commitment). You do the math: you’re able to use iPhones for longer.

As TechRadar’s US Mobiles Editor, Philip Berne – a loyal Android fan – recently wrote in an article pleading with Google to give Android its day in the sun at Google I/O 2023: “We respect things that are reliable. We respect products that last and last, proving their value. We respect devices that exceed our expectations and don’t let us down. 

“If I buy an iPhone 14 today, I know that Apple will support it for five or six years to come, maybe more. [...] That’s long enough to be a hand-me-down, which is game-changing when a phone costs so much. I can use my iPhone 14 Pro for 3 years, then give it to my child to keep for another few years. I know that I’ll have the same parental locks and protection that I have today because Apple will keep updating.

“If I buy a Samsung or Google phone today, the best I can hope for is four years of updates, and that’s only if I buy the best phones. If I buy anything less, that lifespan for support gets cut considerably.”

2. iPhones offer better resale value 

As a by-product of their superior longevity, iPhones offer better resale value than Android phones. They’re smarter investments for those who regularly chop and change their devices, being some of the most expensive phones to buy second-hand.

Take the iPhone 13 series, for example. At launch, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro cost $799 / £779 / AU$1,349 and $999 / £949 / AU$1,699, respectively. Two years later, and you’re still able to get around 75% of that cost back, depending on your chosen marketplace.  

For comparison, Samsung’s 2021 flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, cost $1,199 / £1,149 / AU$1,849 at launch and retails for some 60% less on the second-hand market in 2021 (and that’s going by eBay – where used iPhones cost the most). 

3. iPhones offer iMessage 

iPhones offer iMessage whereas Android phones don’t. Why does this matter to people? It’s hard to say for sure, but we suspect that the reasons go beyond a simple preference for blue-colored messaging bubbles. 

Rather than just being a fancy version of SMS (Short Message Service), iMessage behaves in a similar way to Facebook Messenger. Messages, photos, and videos sent between iPhone users use Wi-Fi and data instead of eating into users’ text message plans, and this dissociation with cellular networks allows for a bevy of iMessage-specific features. You can react and reply to iMessages, translate them, and even send money in the Messages app using Apple Cash.

None of this is possible through basic SMS messaging, and although a new communication standard – RCS (Rich Communication Service) – may eventually improve the messaging experience between Android and iOS devices, Apple has so far shown an (understandable) reluctance to level the playing field. 

4. iPhones are more popular with young people

We’ll rip the band-aid off: iPhones are still seen as cooler than Android phones in 2023. Why? It’s hard to say, but their popularity among young people is undeniable. 

As Phil puts it in his aforementioned article: “The Wall Street Journal says that Gen Z leads the charge toward Apple dominance. I can personally attest to that, as my son is 14 and he has an iPhone 11. It is not his first iPhone 11, it’s his third, since he’s broken a couple over the years.

“Every time he breaks his iPhone I ask if he wants to trade it for something else. ‘A better iPhone?’ He asks. Well, no, I explain. A Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus. See, Samsung will give you good money for your iPhone, even if it’s broken, and all you have to do is switch...

“He waves me off with a flap of his hand. This conversation ended before it began. He wouldn’t switch from his iPhone. There’s no chance, I needn’t suggest it. He can’t even explain why. His friends all have iPhones. Does it bother him when a friend shows up with a green bubble in a chat? He doesn’t know, because it hasn’t happened yet.” Ouch. 

5. iPhones boast a better app selection 

This one’s a little subjective, but iPhones offer a better app selection than Android phones. To be clear: we’re not talking about numbers here – in fact, some reports have it that the Google Play Store boasts almost two million more apps than Apple’s App Store. But the unprovable truth is that App Store apps tend to be of a higher quality than their Google Play counterparts. 

Why? There are two reasons, in our book. The first is that app developers typically make more money through iOS, so they prioritize the App Store when it comes to the speed and polish of their products. The second is that Apple’s App Store offers a larger selection of pro-level creativity and productivity apps – those which are optimized for the respective screen sizes of the iPhone and iPad, whereas Android tablet apps are not always optimized. 

The takeaway

It's no secret that Google faces an uphill battle if it hopes to close the gap between Apple and its iOS-powered iPhones, not least because popularity breeds more popularity. The more people that use iPhones, the more popular iPhones become – and it's not a great look when those users continue to defect from Android in increasing numbers.

So, what can Android developers do to stop the exodus? They should start by taking a leaf out of Apple's book and streamlining the whole operating system. The first time you boot up an Android phone, you're met with tons of garbage – games, in-house apps, third-party apps – that just aren't of any interest to most people. Who needs two photo gallery apps, anyway? 

To its credit, Android is definitely a more versatile platform than iOS, but great customization shouldn't come at the expense of usability, and there's no denying that Apple has nailed down the 'anyone can use this' aesthetic of iOS. Your grandma or teenage daughter probably wouldn't have a hard time setting up a new iPhone straight out of the box, but Android phones are still seen as much more complex devices filled with options and shortcuts that baffle and deter the unfamiliar user.

Finally, there's the "Which Android are you using?" question. Because Android is available from a wide variety of handset manufacturers, there's no telling which version of Android you'll get. With iPhone, if you buy a new one, it will have the latest version of iOS. Even if you get a used one, you can instantly – assuming it supports it – upgrade to the latest version. Android may never catch up to Apple if it can't get every partner (and the carriers who often control updates) on the same page.

If you’re already rocking one of the best iPhones, we recently advised you to think twice about splashing the cash on the iPhone 15 Pro and instead wait for the iPhone 16 Pro – and now we’ve got some advice for prospective iPhone 14 Pro buyers. 

Apple’s latest flagship is indisputably one of the best phones money can buy in 2023, but at a base price of $999 / £1,099 / AU$1,749, it doesn’t come cheap. The standard iPhone 14 starts at a much more reasonable $799 / £849 / AU$1,339 – and we suspect that you’ll soon be able to get your hands on the iPhone 14 Pro’s premium features for a similar price. 

Enter the iPhone 15. Apple is expected to unveil its latest vanilla flagship, alongside the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, in September this year, and rumors indicate that the upcoming device will be an iPhone 14 Pro in all but name. 

Essentially, the iPhone 15 is hotly tipped to get three of the iPhone 14 Pro’s defining features: the Dynamic Island, the super-fast A16 Bionic processor, and a 48MP main camera. Couple these with a rumored redesign of the phone’s chassis – all four iPhone 15 models are expected to get iPhone 11-style curved edges and slimmer bezels – and the base iPhone 15 sounds like it’ll offer Pro-level features in a swanky new design package.

Not every iPhone 14 Pro feature will come to the vanilla iPhone 15, mind. The device is expected to retain the static 60Hz refresh rate of the iPhone 14, with Apple’s ProMotion technology – which allows for a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max – reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra. 

The phone likely won’t inherit the iPhone 14 Pro’s advanced camera features, either, despite the presence of a 48MP main lens on the base-model iPhone 15. 

That said, with Apple set to replace the Lightning port with USB-C ports on the entire iPhone 15 line, the base iPhone 15 will actually be a more versatile handset than the iPhone 14 Pro (if you’re someone who regularly finds yourself without a Lightning cable to hand). 

As mentioned, we expect the iPhone 15 to match the iPhone 14 in terms of price, so a starting figure of $799 / £849 / AU$1,339 for the 128GB model seems likely. However, other manufacturers – including Samsung and Oppo – have opted to forgo 128GB storage options with their respective 2023 flagships, so the iPhone 15 could start at $899 / £959 / AU$1,579 (for the 256GB model), but this would still be $200 / £250 / AU$320 less than the equivalent iPhone 14 Pro. 

Suffice to say, the repackaging of old features into new product offerings has proven an extremely lucrative business strategy for Apple throughout the years – though it’s worth remembering that we as consumers have benefited, too. 

If you’re someone who watches Apple’s annual iPhone launches with excitement, only to be disappointed by the unattainable pricing of the company’s latest and greatest handsets, you can usually bet that – in 12 months’ time – you’ll be able to get your hands on what were previously Pro features in a vanilla-branded successor. 

Sure, our wallets – not to mention the environment – would probably be better off if Apple released iPhones every two or three years, with each new model bringing genuine innovation to the table, but unfortunately, that’s not the way capitalism works.

We’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks as we approach the line’s presumed September announcement, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the details.

We’ve made a big song and dance about the rumored upgrades coming to the iPhone 15 Pro, but new intelligence suggests prospective buyers may actually be better off waiting for the iPhone 16 Pro, instead. 

While Apple’s next Pro-level iPhone is expected to feature a super-fast A17 chip and much thinner bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the iPhone 16 Pro will get a periscope lens and a larger display – arguably two more substantial upgrades. 

In other words, the iPhone 16 Pro could be a smaller (and potentially cheaper) version of the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, which is expected to arrive this year in place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

As Kuo notes, the Ultra is rumored to get a periscope lens in 2023 owing to its superior screen size to the iPhone 15 Pro. We expect the upcoming devices to measure 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively, but bumping up that 6.1-inch figure for the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024 would allow Apple to house a periscope lens on the rear of the device.

Kuo’s comments follow previous rumors hinting that the iPhone 16 Pro will hide its Face ID and front-facing camera components under its screen, much like how many of the best Android phones now have under-display fingerprint scanners. This upgrade would presumably arrive in the form of an improved Dynamic Island, the fancy digital cutout Apple introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. 

What’s more, both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get solid-state volume and power buttons, but Apple analysts now predict that these buttons will arrive with the iPhone 16 line, instead.

Solid-state buttons use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched, despite not actually moving, however Apple reportedly needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power this new technology. 

If these solid-state buttons do indeed arrive with the iPhone 16 Pro, then, they’re yet another reason why Apple’s 2024 Pro-level iPhone might be worth waiting for – especially since the iPhone 15 Pro could be the most expensive Pro-level iPhone ever.

For more on Apple’s 2023 iPhones, read our guides to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra. Alternatively, our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra comparisons detail how the iPhone 15 Pro could stack up against other Apple iPhones. 

We’ve made a big song and dance about the rumored upgrades coming to the iPhone 15 Pro, but new intelligence suggests prospective buyers may actually be better off waiting for the iPhone 16 Pro, instead. 

While Apple’s next Pro-level iPhone is expected to feature a super-fast A17 chip and much thinner bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the iPhone 16 Pro will get a periscope lens and a larger display – arguably two more substantial upgrades. 

In other words, the iPhone 16 Pro could be a smaller (and potentially cheaper) version of the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, which is expected to arrive this year in place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

As Kuo notes, the Ultra is rumored to get a periscope lens in 2023 owing to its superior screen size to the iPhone 15 Pro. We expect the upcoming devices to measure 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively, but bumping up that 6.1-inch figure for the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024 would allow Apple to house a periscope lens on the rear of the device.

Kuo’s comments follow previous rumors hinting that the iPhone 16 Pro will hide its Face ID and front-facing camera components under its screen, much like how many of the best Android phones now have under-display fingerprint scanners. This upgrade would presumably arrive in the form of an improved Dynamic Island, the fancy digital cutout Apple introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. 

What’s more, both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get solid-state volume and power buttons, but Apple analysts now predict that these buttons will arrive with the iPhone 16 line, instead.

Solid-state buttons use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched, despite not actually moving, however Apple reportedly needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power this new technology. 

If these solid-state buttons do indeed arrive with the iPhone 16 Pro, then, they’re yet another reason why Apple’s 2024 Pro-level iPhone might be worth waiting for – especially since the iPhone 15 Pro could be the most expensive Pro-level iPhone ever.

For more on Apple’s 2023 iPhones, read our guides to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra. Alternatively, our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra comparisons detail how the iPhone 15 Pro could stack up against other Apple iPhones. 

Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 15 line later this year, with the iPhone 15 Pro sure to stand alongside the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra as the company’s flagship 2023 model. 

It’s been nine months since the launch of the excellent iPhone 14 Pro, so we’re beginning to learn more about what to expect from the next generation of Apple’s  best iPhones. Now that we've heard several consistent rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro, in this guide we’ve pulled together the leaks with the most credence. 

For more iPhone 15 info, our iPhone 15 hub contains all you need to know about the base model iPhone 15, while our iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra comparisons detail how the iPhone 15 Pro could stack up against other Apple iPhones. 

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Apple's next Pro-branded smartphone
• When is it out? Likely September 2023
• How much will it cost? Expect a price increase over the iPhone 14 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro release date

• Likely to launch in the first half of September
• The shipping date will probably be a week or so later

Apple hasn’t yet shared official release information for the iPhone 15 Pro, but using the company’s previous iPhone release strategies as points of reference, we can make an educated guess as to when the iPhone 15 Pro will land. 

The iPhone 14 line was officially unveiled on September 7, 2022 before going on sale over a week later on September 16. Apple generally picks the first or second week of September for its annual iPhone launches, typically opting for a Tuesday or Wednesday. We therefore expect the iPhone 15 Pro to be revealed – alongside the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Ultra – on September 5, 6, 12 or 13 this year, with phones going on sale around a week later.

iPhone 15 Pro price

• Will be the same as (if not more expensive than) the iPhone 14 Pro

There's no good news about the new phone's price, as early rumors suggest the iPhone 15 Pro could be even more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro. Here’s how the latter phone was priced at launch: 

• 128GB: $999 / £1,099 / AU$1,749
• 256GB: $1099 / £1,209 / AU$1,899
• 512GB: $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249
• 1TB: $1,499 / £1,649 / AU$2,599

According to a Weibo source and seasoned Apple analyst Jeff Pu, Apple will hike the price of the iPhone 15 Pro to boost the appeal of the cheaper iPhone 15, whose predecessor hasn’t been selling as well as expected. 

We could therefore conceivably see the iPhone 15 Pro start at $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899 for the 128GB model, though it’s also worth noting that Apple may opt to forgo 128GB storage options with the iPhone 15 lineup, as other manufacturers have done with their respective 2023 flagships. 

For our money, we'd bet the iPhone 15 Pro will cost around $1,199 / £1,209 / AU$1,899 for the 256GB storage option. Of course, Apple may opt to remain consistent with its Pro-level pricing, but we don’t expect to see the iPhone 15 Pro cost anything less than $1,099 / £1,209 / AU$1,899. 

iPhone 15 Pro design and display

• Thinner bezels, titanium sides rumored
• Solid-state buttons were initially touted, but no longer expected

On the design front, we expect the iPhone 15 Pro to be similar in size to its predecessor – that’s 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm – but it could still look like a very different device. 

We’ve heard from multiple sources, for instance, that both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra could get titanium sides, which would make them stronger and lighter than the stainless steel-framed iPhones currently available.

Both devices are expected to have rounded rear edges, too, in contrast to the iPhone 14 Pro’s sharp-angled sides. Apple was reportedly unsure about implementing this design change for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, but leaked renders showing off these curved sides have since emerged, adding credence to the rumor.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 15 Pro will be getting thinner bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro – which would be an impressive feat on Apple’s part, given that the latter’s bezels are already remarkably thin.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get solid-state volume and power buttons, too, but Apple analysts recently poured water on those claims. Leaks had suggested that these buttons would use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched, despite not actually moving, but this technology is now expected to debut on the iPhone 16 line at the earliest, owing to its complexity. 

The final iPhone 15 Pro design upgrade is expected to come in the form of a USB-C charging port. The EU has told Apple that it has to add USB-C charging ports to iPhones by 2024, but multiple leaks have suggested that Apple will be adopting the charging standard in 2023 with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra. 

In terms of the phone’s display, the iPhone 15 Pro will likely retain its predecessor’s 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED screen and Dynamic Island digital cutout. The latter is expected to make its way onto the vanilla iPhone 15, too, though the next iteration of the Dynamic Island won’t necessarily be identical to that which is used on the iPhone 14 line. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro’s proximity sensor will be integrated inside the ‌Dynamic Island itself, rather than positioned separately (as on the iPhone 14 Pro).

It's also worth noting that Apple may be preparing to move to eSIM in countries outside the US for the iPhone 15 Pro, with eSIMs reportedly coming to the next generation of Apple’s best iPhones in France. This is big news for all prospective iPhone 15 Pro buyers outside of the US. Apple typically sells the same iPhone models across most of Europe, meaning SIM card-less iPhone 15 Pros could also be coming to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and many other countries.

iPhone 15 Pro cameras

• Will likely stick with the same triple-lens setup as the iPhone 14 Pro
• Sensors may be improved 

On the subject of cameras, the iPhone 15 Pro isn’t expected to stray too far from its predecessor’s (admittedly excellent) triple-sensor setup. The iPhone 14 Pro boasts the following three lenses:  

• 48MP wide (24mm f/2.8)
• 12MP ultrawide (13mm f/2.2)
• 12MP telephoto (77mm f/2.8)

A periscope camera is the only real upgrade that’s been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro, but we suspect that this technology – and indeed a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens – will be reserved for the photography-focused iPhone 15 Ultra. 

The main difference between the iPhone 15 Pro’s cameras and the iPhone 14 Pro’s, then, will probably be the quality of sensors used. According to leaks, the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to sport new Sony-produced sensors that capture more light.

iPhone 15 Pro specs and features

• Will reportedly use the super-fast A17 Bionic
• Possibly more RAM and larger battery
• USB-C should bring improved functionality

The iPhone 14 Pro rocks the latest version of Apple’s silicon – the A16 Bionic – which makes it one of the fastest phones (if not the fastest phone) money can buy right now. And yet, the iPhone 15 Pro will be even faster. 

Apple’s next Pro-level iPhone is reportedly in line for an A17 Bionic chipset, which is rumored to be more efficient than the A16 Bionic. In fact, Chinese outlet DCInside reports that the A17 Bionic will boast a 20% more powerful CPU than its predecessor, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro should enjoy sizable speed gains over the iPhone 14 Pro.

Crunching the numbers, DCInside claims that the A17 Bionic earns a single-core score of 3019 and a multi-core score of 7860 on Geekbench 6, where the A16 Bionic scores 2504 and 6314, respectively. Naturally, we’d suggest taking these rumored figures with a hefty pinch of salt, but it’s exciting to think that the iPhone 15 Pro might sport benchmark scores to rival Apple’s best MacBooks.

As for other performance specs, the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to get 8GB RAM, where the current iPhone 14 Pro has 6GB RAM.

We haven’t heard all that much about the iPhone 15 Pro’s battery size – and we’re unlikely to, since Apple is typically coy about such details – but the iPhone 14 Pro rocks a capable 3,200mAh battery, so we’d be happy seeing the same size again this year.  

Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a reverse wireless charging feature for the iPhone 15 line, and if true, the iPhone 15 Pro will be able to wirelessly charge other Apple gadgets, where the iPhone 14 Pro can’t.

It’s also worth reiterating here that the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to get a USB-C port, so you probably won’t be able to use your older Apple Lightning cable to juice it up. 

Incidentally, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had stated that the company’s proprietary USB-C chargers would offer faster iPhone 15 charging speeds than accessories produced by other manufacturers, but the EU recently warned Apple against making such a move. 

We've also heard that the iPhone 15 Pro’s Thunderbolt 3 version of USB-C will make the device compatible with 4K monitors, meaning you’ll be able to display certain types of content on a separate screen – as you can with the best iPads.

This option will supposedly arrive with iOS 17, which is likely to be announced in June, but only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will be able to make use of the technology given their support for Thunderbolt 3.

It’s not yet clear whether Apple’s upcoming premium iPhones will allow you to share all types of content across multiple screens using the charging port alone – game and movie content, for instance, might still require AirPlay or an Apple TV. At the very least, though, filmmakers, photographers, and other creatives look set to have the option of visualizing their subjects on larger, control-free monitors with the iPhone 15 Pro.

If one thing has become clear in our reporting of the myriad iPhone 15 rumors, it’s that Apple’s next Pro-level iPhones are getting even Pro-er.

Features like periscope cameras, super-thin display bezels and top-of-the-line chipsets have all been touted as arriving on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, and the latest intelligence suggests that both phones will be getting price tags to further widen the generational gap between this year’s models. 

According to a Weibo source and seasoned Apple analyst Jeff Pu, Apple will hike the price of the iPhone 15 Pro to boost the appeal of the cheaper iPhone 15, whose predecessor hasn’t been selling as well as expected. 

Given that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max start at $999 / £1,099 / AU$1,749 and $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899, respectively, we could conceivably see the iPhone 15 Pro start at $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899, with the iPhone 15 Ultra demanding a base figure as high as $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249. 

This isn’t new news, per se – we’ve reported on worrying iPhone 15 Pro price rumors before, and an unusually high rate of inflation in 2023 means iPhone price increases were expected in markets like the US, UK, and Australia. 

However, since rumors of price increases first surfaced, Apple has claimed that iPhone fans are willing to pay even more to get the very best iPhones in 2023, corroborating the validity of those rumors. 

“I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a recent company earnings call, adding that iPhones have now become “integral” to people’s lives.

The good news is that – for the first time in a while – all three (or four) versions of Apple’s next iPhone look set to boast features that better reflect their respective price tags. The base iPhone 15, for instance, won’t be cheap by any means, but prospective buyers can expect to benefit from previous Pro-level features like a 48MP camera and the Dynamic Island.

And while the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra might be even more expensive than their respective predecessors, Apple is expected to include more new features on each model than it has done with previous iterations of Pro-level iPhones. 

In other words, the gap between the iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro will be larger than the gap between the iPhone 13 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro. 

It remains to be seen whether consumers will be happy to part ways with more of their hard-earned cash to benefit from whatever those differences turn out to be, but Tim Cook and Apple seem confident in the quality of the products they'll be unveiling this September.

Your mother may have once told you that “a tidy home makes for a tidy mind,” and we’re inclined to believe that the same is true of the tech products we use everyday. 

Take the humble iPhone, for example. iPhone users have long debated whether you should close apps running in the background to improve performance and save battery life, and while Apple’s official line on the matter is that there’s no need to close apps unless they become totally unresponsive, we can confidently say that the story is a little different when it comes to open browser tabs. 

We’re all guilty of letting an excessive number of tabs run amok in the Safari app, and – in addition to becoming laggy – Apple’s in-house browser has been known to unexpectedly delete Safari tabs if too many are left open at any one time. 

To help you avoid the headache of a slow Safari browser, then, the good folks over at Today Years Old have seen fit to highlight a two-second iPhone trick that lets you delete Safari tabs en masse. 

If you navigate to the bottom right-hand corner of Safari, you’ll see the open tabs icon. Clicking it once will bring up all your open tabs as normal, but holding down that icon will bring up a menu that contains an option to delete all open tabs in one fell swoop. See the images below for the two-step process:

Suffice to say, this is a neat trick that spares you the need to manually swipe away Every. Single. Open. Tab. one by one – and followers of the fact-finding Twitter account were quick to express their gratitude. 

“Omg. This changed my life. Thank you,” one user wrote in response, while another said: “I just closed 238 tabs in one second. Thanks for saving my time.”

One more thing...

But wait! There’s another, even-more-helpful trick buried deep in your iPhone’s settings that does away with the need to ever again manually delete another open Safari tab. 

Apple actually introduced the option to automatically close open Safari tabs after a chosen amount of time back in 2019 with iOS 13. How, you ask? Allow us to explain. 

Firstly, navigate to Settings and select the Safari options page. Once there, scroll down and select the “Close Tabs” menu. By default, the option is set to manual – meaning your out-of-the-box iPhone makes you delete open Safari tabs by hand – but by selecting this menu, you can choose to have open tabs close automatically after one day, one week or one month. Huzzah!

But what if you need to recover a tab that was automatically closed? Fear not. If you want to revisit a closed Safari tab, long-press the Plus icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the tabs preview screen to bring up a list of recently closed tabs. 

And voila! Just like that, you’re on your way to living a tidier digital existence. For more on keeping your tech clutter-free, read our guides on how to clean a phone charging port and how to close iPhone apps.

Google has officially lifted the lid on its next mid-range powerhouse – the Google Pixel 7a – at Google I/O 2023, confirming many of the impressive specs that had already been leaked in the weeks leading up to the event itself. 

Designed to occupy the space between the already-released Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro – and arriving as a successor to the excellent Google Pixel 6a – the Google Pixel 7a has the makings of being one of the best cheap phones of 2023, and could rival the likes of the iPhone SE (2022) and Samsung Galaxy A54. 

After months of rumors, Google SVP Rick Osterloh announced the company’s new handset at California’s Shoreline Amphitheatre – head over to our Google I/O 2023 live blog for the latest on today’s other Google product launches – and below, you’ll find everything that’s been officially revealed about the Google Pixel 7a.

On the design front, the Google Pixel 7a shares obvious DNA with the other two Pixel 7 phones – it’s got a smooth back, a metal frame and a camera bar – and this latest addition to the Pixel family is supposedly Google's most durable A-Series phone yet. See the device in action below:

Its display features Corning Gorilla Glass, and the device has been designed using a host of recycled materials. It’ll also ship in four colors – Charcoal, Snow, Sea and Coral (though the latter is limited to select regions) – and just one storage option: 128GB. 

The Google Pixel 7a packs a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz – which, incidentally, is a superior refresh rate to the vanilla iPhone 14 – and the device uses Google's Tensor G2 chip under the hood. 

Coupled with 8GB of RAM, that processor should allow the Google Pixel 7a to meet the demands of streaming, swiping, snapping and mobile gaming with ease – perhaps even as well as the standard Google Pixel 7, which uses the same chipset. 

When it comes to cameras, the Google Pixel 7a features a dual rear camera set-up comprising a 64MP main lens – the largest ever included on an A-Series device – and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. Super Res Zoom will allow for clearer close-up portraits from far away, and the Pixel 7a also features Long Exposure (another first for the A-Series). On the front is a 13MP camera that’s capable of Face Unlock – an upgrade over the Pixel 6a’s 8MP selfie snapper. 

Google says the phone’s 4,385mAh battery will yield more than 24 hours of use (or 72 hours if you turn on Extreme Battery Saver), and the Pixel 7a supposedly learns your favorite apps so it doesn't waste power on ones that you rarely use. The device supports 18W fast charging and 7.5W wireless charging on any Qi-certified accessories.

The Google Pixel 7a is available to buy right now for $499 / £449 (Australian pricing tbc), which marks a slight increase over the $449 / £399 / AU$749 launch cost of the Pixel 6a.

This story is developing as Google announces features live on stage…