We recently reported that iOS 17 will bring further changes to your iPhone lock screen, and now we’re hearing more about how those changes will impact Apple Maps, specifically. 

According to serial Apple tipster @analyst941, iOS 17 will introduce a new ‘Live Activity’ interface for Apple’s in-house navigation app. Currently, active Apple Maps directions occupy the entirety of the iPhone screen when the device is locked, but this new feature will limit those directions to the bottom two-thirds of the screen. The upper third of the screen will display the current time and date, while the torch and camera buttons will be accessible, too. 

You’ll also be able to view notifications while Apple Maps directions are active by swiping up from the bottom of the lock screen (rather than down from the top) in iOS 17. Check out the new ‘Live Activity’ interface via the tweets below:

Additionally, @analyst941 notes that you’ll “allegedly [be able to] minimize the map to the size of the music player on the lock screen, and re-maximize it by tapping the activity.” However, they “haven’t seen this [feature] nor gotten enough details to show that, yet at least.”

Suffice to say, it’s high time Apple overhauled the experience of using Apple Maps via the iPhone lock screen. In its current state, the functionality of Google Maps via the iPhone lock screen isn’t much better – in fact, it’s worse – but features like Immersive View and Search with Live View have made Google’s navigation app the go-to tour guide for many iPhone users. 

If @analyst941’s claims regarding ‘Live Activity’ are true, though, iOS 17 will shake up the Apple Maps vs. Google Maps debate by better integrating Apple’s in-house navigational software with the iPhone itself. 

Incidentally, @analyst941 also reports that iOS 17 will add a new grid view for lock screen wallpapers. You’ll soon be able to view at least nine custom wallpapers at one time, and rearrange, delete, share or duplicate them as you please by swiping up.

This claim fits with a recent Weibo leak claiming that iOS 17 will let you customize lock screen font sizes, as well as share your custom lock screen designs with other iPhone users – presumably in the same way that Apple Watch faces can be shared between Apple Watch owners.

In other words, the iPhone lock screen looks set to be the biggest beneficiary of iOS 17 – though leakers are divided over which iPhones will be compatible with the upcoming update. Some, for instance, 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’re all but certain that Apple will be equipping the iPhone 15 and its siblings with USB-C charging ports come September, and a new European Union (EU) directive suggests the company will be forced to level the playing field when it comes to charging speeds. 

The tech giant is reportedly planning to implement MFi (‘Made for iPhone’) certification on its range of USB-C accessories, which had led many – including us – to speculate that these Apple-produced chargers would enable faster charging speeds on the iPhone 15 than third-party chargers from other manufacturers. 

The EU, however, has warned Apple against imposing such limitations. According to Germany newspaper Die Zeit, EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton has told the company that it will prevent iPhones from being sold in member countries (such as France, Germany and Spain) if it attempts to skirt around the EU’s new USB-C charging policy.

“Devices that do not meet the requirements for the uniform charger are not approved on the EU market,” Breton reportedly wrote in a letter to Apple, having already reminded the company of the new rules in March.

Owing to the significant amounts of electronic waste caused by unused chargers and the inconvenience suffered by Android and iPhone users who need different cables for different devices, European policymakers have been keen to implement a single mobile charging standard for more than a decade.

The EU finalized its common charger regulation in October 2022, with companies – including Apple – expected to include universal USB-C charging ports on all new technology products sold in EU countries from the end of 2024. 

As such, there’s no legal obligation for Apple to follow the rules before that date, meaning the iPhone 15 line – and possibly even the iPhone 16 line – may still arrive with charging ports optimized for Apple-produced accessories. 

That sounds like good news, but since Apple no longer includes chargers in the box with iPhone purchases, you’d almost certainly have to fork out extra cash for one of the company’s proprietary charging accessories if you want to get the most from your iPhone 15. 

To be clear: if Apple does decide to go its own way until 2024, you’ll still be able to use third-party USB-C chargers to power your iPhone 15, but these accessories won’t work their magic quite as quickly as comparable first-party chargers bought directly from Apple.

That said, it wouldn’t be a great look for Apple to knowingly circumvent legislation that it knows is coming into effect in the near future, so we’re expecting the company to swallow its pride – or rather, tone down its desire for profit – with the iPhone 15 line. 

We’ll be keeping abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks as and when they surface, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the most up-to-date info on what's likely to be 2023’s hottest smartphone launch.

We’ve heard from multiple sources that every model in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 line will use USB-C charging ports instead of Lightning ports, but the latest intelligence suggests that the iPhone 15 Pro (and presumably the iPhone 15 Ultra) will have two important port-related advantages over its vanilla sibling.

For starters, the iPhone 15 Pro will reportedly support Thunderbolt 3 data transfer speeds in addition to USB-C 3.2 data transfer speeds, where the standard iPhone 15 will only support the latter. Thunderbolt 3 speeds can reach 40Gbps, where USB-C 3.2 speeds top out at 20Gbps, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro will be able to transfer files at a much faster rate.

What’s more, serial Apple leaker @analyst941 has now claimed the iPhone 15 Pro’s Thunderbolt 3 version of USB-C will also make the upcoming 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 – without needing to invest in expensive adapter accessories.

As @analyst941 writes: “[the iPhone 15 Pro will use] a new cinematography feature that will allow live 4K Thunderbolt outputs to monitors while recording. Essentially, you’ll have the phone with all the camera controls, connected to a monitor displaying live 4K camera footage without any controls; in 16:9.”

This feature will supposedly arrive with iOS 17, which is likely to be announced in June, but only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra – which are both expected to land in September – 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.

Naturally, it’s worth taking these new predictions with a pinch of salt, but given that @analyst941 was the leaker who first predicted that the Dynamic Island will be coming to every iPhone 15 model, we’re inclined to trust their sources.

For more iPhone 15 rumors, check out our analysis of the iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro, as well as our look at the iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Ultra.

Earlier this year, the New York Times ran a story explaining how Apple had “lost the AI race” to the likes of OpenAI and Microsoft – and a new report from The Information digs deeper into the stagnation of Siri, the company’s once-groundbreaking virtual assistant.

Where the NYT sought to expose Siri’s technological shortcomings – the software is supposedly built on a “clunky” database that takes “weeks” to be updated with “basic features” – The Information’s report takes aim at the ongoing personnel issues facing Siri’s development.

According to “more than three dozen former Apple employees who worked in its AI and machine learning groups,” Apple’s attempts to improve Siri have been hampered by “organizational dysfunction and a lack of ambition,” with the software now “widely derided” by many still working at the company.

Per The Information, developers working on the Apple VR headset reportedly became so frustrated with Siri that they considered “building alternative methods” for controlling the headset with voice technology. Yikes.

So, why is there so much chaos surrounding Siri? By the sounds of things, the answer is two-fold. On the one hand, Apple has struggled to keep hold of employees crucial to the program’s development – or more specifically, it’s lost those individuals to Google. 

The Information reports that the likes of Srinivasan Venkatachary, Steven Baker and Anand Shukla were lured away from Apple to Google; owing to the latter’s supposedly greater understanding of – or, at least, willingness to embrace – large language models (LLMs). Apple CEO Tim Cook allegedly “tried to persuade [these individuals] to stay” at the company, but Google CEO Sundar Pichai is said to have personally wooed them away.

The other problem – which plays into the above – is Apple’s supposed reluctance to take risks with AI and Siri. The Information reports that “top executives” at Apple are worried about seeing the company’s software make headline-worthy gaffes – of the sort we’ve seen from ChatGPT and Bard in recent months – since Apple is known for having a watertight public image.

What’s next for Siri?

As for where these revelations leave Siri, it’s clear that Apple isn’t expecting to revolutionize its virtual assistant any time soon.

Instead, while the likes of Google and Microsoft pile billions into chatbot development, Apple seems set to remain focused on delivering actual, physical products that trump the competition – a strategy which has proven staggeringly lucrative over the years.

That’s not to say Siri is being left to completely fall by the wayside. iOS 17 is expected to bring a handful of improvements to Apple’s virtual assistant, with the upcoming update rumored to shift Siri's on-screen interface away from the bottom of your iPhone's screen and up into the Dynamic Island, on compatible devices.

Additionally, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that users may soon only need to say “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri” when activating the personal assistant. This would bring Apple’s assistant in line with Amazon’s Alexa, which has only required users to say “Alexa” since its launch in 2014. Tellingly, however, Gurman also notes that getting Siri to function correctly without the “Hey” has been a “technical challenge” requiring “a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work.”

Clearly, then, Apple’s failure to invest in AI development is already coming back to bite it. But until the likes of ChatGPT and Bard become irreplaceable mainstream tools, there’s little reason to think that Siri – as bad as it is right now – will impact Apple's continued dominance in the technology space. Alternatively, of course, you can just choose to bolster your Siri with ChatGPT for the best of both worlds.

The iPhone 15 rumor mill has been a frenzy of activity in recent weeks, and the latest intelligence has seemingly given us our best look yet at Apple’s next crop of top-level iPhones.

According to new CAD files obtained by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro will indeed boast a more rounded design than its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro, along with thinner bezels and a USB-C charging port. An Apple Watch Ultra-style Action Button is visible on the new renders, too, which corroborates previous rumors that Apple will be replacing the traditional mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

The most interesting aspect of these new renders, though, is the absence of solid-state volume and power buttons. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra were widely rumored to get touch-sensitive buttons – i.e. panels that use haptic vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched – but Apple analysts recently backtracked on those predictions.

Some leakers remain optimistic about the possibility of seeing solid-state iPhone buttons in 2023, but the below renders suggest Apple will instead be sticking with traditional button designs on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

As for the iPhone 15 Ultra, specifically – which, as a reminder, is rumored to replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max in this year’s iPhone lineup – it looks as if the phone will inherit the same design changes as its Pro-level sibling, along with a slightly larger camera bump.

Why a larger camera bump? Well, the latest rumors suggest that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be getting a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens, as well as the largest main sensor ever used in an iPhone. In other words: it’s the cameras that are going to set the Ultra apart from the Pro, so it figures that these upgrades will be reflected in the former’s design.

It’s worth noting that these new renders line up almost perfectly with the iPhone 15 Pro CAD designs previously obtained by 9to5Mac from the same source (see above). The only difference between the two sets of renders is the absence of solid-state buttons on the newer images, which fits with the rumor timeline regarding Apple’s reported decision to U-turn on the feature.

It’s also important to clarify that these renders remain just that – they aren’t officially associated with Apple in any way. That said, CAD designs are typically given to case manufacturers months in advance of a new phone’s launch, and with the iPhone 15 line expected to hit shelves in September, we’re inclined to believe that 9to5Mac’s source is reputable.

We recently reported that iOS 17 will be a bigger iPhone update than we first thought, with Apple set to improve its core apps with several “nice to have” features. Now, we’ve got a better idea of which apps are in line for a makeover, and what those “nice to have” features might be.

According to the same Weibo user who leaked the existence of the yellow iPhone 14 ahead of time, iOS 17 will bring changes to the iPhone lock screen, Control Center, App Library and Apple Music. CarPlay, Siri and Messages are also set for significant updates, per previous rumors regarding Apple’s next software overhaul.

It’s particularly surprising to hear that further improvements could be heading to your iPhone's lock screen, since Apple only introduced personalized iOS lock screens with iOS 16 (and we weren’t expecting additional customization options so soon). Specifically, the Weibo user in question reports that iOS 17 will let you customize lock screen font sizes, as well as share your custom lock screen designs with other iPhone users – presumably in the same way that Apple Watch faces can be shared between Apple Watch owners.

As for the Control Center, iOS 17 is expected to bring major UI changes to the helpful shortcut page, while custom categories and other organizational features are reportedly bound for your iPhone’s App Library.

Improvements on the agenda for Apple Music with iOS 17 include the ability to view song lyrics directly on your phone's lock screen, with Apple also set to place emphasis on reducing the amount of text in the Apple Music app, in favor of new images and graphics.

And finally, the aforementioned Weibo user reports that iOS 17 will overhaul your iPhone’s flashlight brightness slider, swapping the three preconfigured settings for a volume-style slider (though, in truth, has anyone ever actually used that feature?).

A not-so-little iOS update

News of these rumored iOS 17 improvements follows reports that Apple’s next software update will finally introduce app sideloading on iPhones – allowing you to install apps from sources outside of the official App Store – as well as bring major changes to Siri. 

According to recent leaks, iOS 17 could shift Siri's on-screen interface away from the bottom of the iPhone screen and up into the Dynamic Island on compatible devices (which, at present, is the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max). 

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also reports that you may soon only need to say “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri” when activating Apple’s personal assistant, which would bring the latter in line with Amazon’s Alexa.

In other words, several fairly significant changes are on the horizon with iOS 17 – though leakers are divided over which iPhones will be compatible with the upcoming update. Some, for instance, 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 in June.

Bad news, folks: iPhone thefts are on the rise. Not only that but a new report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) suggests thieves are exploiting Apple’s recovery key system to lock users out of their Apple accounts for good. 

Specifically, eagle-eyed criminals are generating new 28-character recovery codes – having accessed stolen iPhones through spying on lock screen passwords – to commandeer users' Apple IDs. Per Apple’s security guidelines, generating a new recovery key means “you could be locked out of your account permanently,” and thieves are using this loophole to rack up purchases on stolen iPhones while users scramble to cancel their bank cards.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to better protect yourself from the consequences of iPhone thievery, and in this article, we highlight three simple settings you should consider activating now (as first explained by the WSJ). 

1. Set up a custom alphanumeric code 

First thing’s first: you should always be using Face ID if your iPhone is compatible with this biometric security feature (for those not in-the-know, every iPhone released after the iPhone X – aside from the iPhone SE entries – has Face ID capabilities). Try as they might, thieves can’t copy your facial identity, and using Face ID as your primary unlocking method means they won’t be able to spy on your passcode, either.

If and when you do need to punch in a passcode, though, make sure you opt for an alphanumeric one. Four- and even six-digit numeric passcodes are easy to remember, but alphanumeric codes combine numbers and letters to really test thieves’ memory.

iPhone passcodes are numeric by default, so to enable an alphanumeric passcode, head into Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode, enter your current passcode and scroll down to Change Passcode. Here, you’ll be asked to verify your old passcode once more, then tap Passcode Options to access the Custom Alphanumeric Code keypad. 

2. Use a Screen Time Password to limit Apple ID access 

Okay, we’ll admit: this next trick is likely to prove a headache in the short-term, but the long-term payoff could be the protection of your Apple ID. 

As the WSJ notes, you can use a Screen Time Password to add one additional layer of security to your Apple ID. Annoyingly, doing so means you’ll have to enter your Screen Time Password any time you want to make innocent changes to your Apple ID, but that’s a worthy sacrifice for such a helpful stopgap feature, in our book. 

To enable a Screen Time password for your Apple ID, head to Settings and tap Screen Time, then tap Use Screen Time Passcode. Set a passcode of your choice, then enter your Apple ID credentials so you can recover the Screen Time Password if you forget it. 

Next, head to Content & Privacy Restrictions, then toggle Content & Privacy Restrictions on. Scroll down to the Allow Changes menu, and switch the Account Changes slider to Don’t Allow. For one more layer of security, you can also block Passcode Changes at this step, which removes the Face ID and Passcode menu from the Settings app. 

3. Disable Control Center access on the lock screen 

Again, this change may take some getting used to if you’re someone who regularly accesses the Control Center without jumping into your iPhone proper, but disabling Control Center access on the lock screen will stop thieves from activating Airplane mode.

Why is this important? Well, in the event that someone steals your phone but doesn’t know your passcode, you can use Find My iPhone to track its location from another iOS device (see our dedicated guide on how to use Find My iPhone if you haven’t yet set up Apple’s tracking software on your device). If the thief in question activates Airplane mode, though, your iPhone can’t be tracked using Find My iPhone. 

Disabling Control Center access on the Lock Screen, then, means you may be able to quite literally track the movements of your unsuspecting looter – and more importantly, the location of your stolen iPhone. 

To make this change, head to Settings and tap the Face ID & Passcode menu. Enter your iPhone’s passcode, then scroll down to the Allow Access When Locked menu. Here, toggle Control Center off (it’s on by default).  

The Apple rumor mill is a cruel mistress, and the twisting story of the long-awaited iPhone SE 4 may have just taken another turn for the disappointing.

Despite recent claims that the fourth-generation iPhone SE had secured itself a 2025 release, seasoned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now suggested that the device “is not currently part of Apple's new product planning” for the next couple of years.

Pouring cold water on his own predictions regarding the iPhone SE 4’s resemblance to the iPhone 14, Kuo also tweeted that he believes any currently-in-development iPhone SE 4 models are merely engineering prototypes for Apple’s ongoing 5G development.

Suffice to say, this is frustrating news for iPhone SE fans – but those excited by the prospect of a new affordable iPhone have surely grown accustomed to the iPhone SE 4 merry-go-round.

Only a few months ago, analysts reported that Apple had abandoned plans to release a fourth-generation iPhone SE, owing to doubts over the series’ popularity and profitability. Then, two months later, the same analysts counter-claimed that Apple had restarted development on the iPhone SE 4, albeit with the company eyeing a much later release date than initially intended.

Now, though, Kuo has cast doubt over whether we’ll ever see an iPhone SE 4. Do we really expect Apple to pick up development of a device with limited commercial appeal in 2026 and beyond? By that point, we’ll likely be speculating about the iPhone 18 line.

But then again, who knows? The most recent iPhone SE – the iPhone SE (2022) – came in March of last year, and didn’t exactly reinvent the series from a design perspective, so perhaps Apple is waiting until it can offer customers a real reason to buy an iPhone SE 4.

If indeed we do see an iPhone SE 4 in 2026, leakers have suggested that the phone could arrive packing a 6.1-inch OLED screen and a notch – though it's worth noting that those predictions were made based on the device’s expected 2024 arrival. A new iPhone SE that shares design similarities with the now-outdated iPhone X isn’t likely to go down well in 2026.

In all likelihood, then, the iPhone SE 4 is dead. Or at least, the iPhone SE 4 as we envisaged it is dead. There’s always a chance that Apple could pull a rabbit from its hat and resurrect the affordable iPhone line in the future, but the outlook isn’t great right now. Sorry, SE fans...

The iPhone 15 Pro rumors have been more forthcoming than Michael Bublé songs at Christmas in recent weeks, but the latest supposed leak has left us scratching our heads.

We’ve seen plenty of indications that the Pro-level iPhone 15 and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra will be featuring an Apple Watch Ultra-style Action button, but serial tipster @analyst941 has suggested that this new toggle will shut down these phones when used in combination with their respective power buttons.

Why is this significant? Well, at present, if you want to power off or restart your iPhone, you need to press the volume button in combination with the power button. This leak, then, presupposes that the volume button won’t exist on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra in the same way as it does on today’s best iPhones – or more specifically, it implies that both new iPhones will be getting solid-state (i.e. non-physical) volume buttons.

Why is this significant, you ask? Two weeks ago, we’d have told you that this all makes a lot of sense – but two seasoned Apple analysts have since counterclaimed that Apple’s next flagship handset will be sticking with traditional button designs, after all. If that’s true, there’s simply no need for Apple to reconfigure the button combination for shutting down an iPhone, since the existing button combination will remain intact on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

As such, this latest iPhone 15 Pro leak again throws up the question: will Apple be embracing solid-state volume buttons or not? According to Haitong Tech analyst Jeff Pu and reliable Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has decided to delay the introduction of solid-state volume buttons until next year’s crop of new iPhones, with the pair explaining that the company needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power them.

Twitter leaker @analyst941, however, believes that Apple is sticking by its original plan to introduce solid-state (or capacitive) buttons on this year's premium iPhones.

“I’ll let you know if/when I hear changes about the capacitive buttons,” the tipster explained in a follow-up tweet to his aforementioned prediction, “but as of right now, I don’t understand how so many leakers agree they are delayed [until] 2024. [Apple is] on track, at least within core development, so... A major design change like this is, eh, unprecedented.”

It seems, then, that leakers are divided over the inclusion of capacitive buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro, but we’re inclined to side with Pu and Kuo on this one, owing to their respective track records when it comes to leaks.

According to Kuo, Apple’s decision to remove capacitive buttons from the iPhone 15 Pro “will simplify the development and testing process,” which also makes sense, given the technical intricacy of the technology.

Solid-state power buttons are complex beasts – another leaker had previously claimed that a dedicated microprocessor would be needed to support the new feature – and as much as we’d like to see them introduced on this year’s iPhone 15 range, we’ll hopefully see them arrive in 2024 with the iPhone 16 line (unless, of course, @analyst941 is proven right come September).

Only last week, we published a story explaining how the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's zoom capabilities could leave Apple’s iPhones in the dust – but a new rumor suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra will come with the camera tech to rival Samsung’s next Galaxy flagship, after all. 

According to serial Apple tipster Revengus, the iPhone 15 Ultra will arrive packing a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens; the same setup rumored to feature on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – our current pick for the best phone currently on the market – already features two telephoto cameras, but its successor is expected to replace the former’s 3x and 10x lenses with a single telephoto sensor with a variable system that allows it to move optically between these degrees of magnification. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, in contrast, can only optically zoom up to 3x; so the rumored addition of any variable zoom lens to the iPhone 15 Ultra is particularly significant for Apple.

Variable optical zoom cameras are exceptionally rare among today’s smartphones. As noted in our aforementioned article, the Sony Xperia 1 IV uses one, but it’s only capable of zooming between 3.5x and 5.2x. So, if both Samsung and Apple can add variable zoom lenses (with superior ranges) to their respective upcoming flagships, our ranking of the best camera phones is in for a serious shake-up. 

As with all rumors, though, some caveats must be added. For starters, we’ve heard more iPhone 15 rumors in recent weeks than we can shake a stick at, with some – like the news that the iPhone 15 Pro could get solid-state volume and power buttons – being both corroborated and denied in the space of a few days. 

We wouldn’t be surprised, then, if a new rumor emerges tomorrow that contradicts today’s reports of an iPhone 15 Ultra with a variable zoom lens. In any case, it’s exciting to think that the possibility even exists.

iPhone 15 Ultra: what else to expect

As for what other features are expected to arrive with the iPhone 15 Ultra, we’ve heard that the device will – at the very least – be getting more advanced image processing capabilities than its Pro-level counterpart, the iPhone 15 Pro.

On the design front, unofficial iPhone 15 Ultra renders have hinted at a USB-C port, a slightly shallower camera bump and a curvier chassis than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the phone could be clad in titanium, too (which is typically stronger and lighter than the stainless steel used by current iPhones).

Despite using the same processor, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumored to be even more powerful than the iPhone 15 Pro, with one source claiming that the former’s software won't limit the phone as much as it will on the Pro model. The only real reason the software would limit it in the first place is to stop the phone overheating, so that also suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a better cooling system.

We’re keeping tabs on all the latest iPhone 15 Ultra rumors as and when they appear, so stay tuned to TechRadar in the run-up to this year’s potentially-seismic iPhone reveal event.

When it launches later this year, iOS 17 is expected to bring significant improvements to built-in iPhone apps, like CarPlay, Messages and Siri – and now we’ve got a better idea of what those improvements might be for the latter. 

According to Twitter leaker @analyst941, iOS 17 could shift Siri's on-screen interface away from the bottom of the iPhone screen and up into the Dynamic Island on compatible devices.

In its current form, Siri appears as an animated sphere when invoked with a button press or the "Hey Siri" command, while answers to user queries are displayed at the top of the iPhone screen with background content dimmed. Presumably, moving Siri’s interface up into the Dynamic Island would make the voice assistant appear less intrusive.

For obvious reasons, this change will only apply to iPhones that feature the Dynamic Island – which, at present, is the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max (aka the best iPhones money can buy). However, we’re almost certain that Apple’s quirky digital notch will be finding its way onto every device in this year’s iPhone 15 lineup, so we could see Siri moving home on the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, too. 

As for the other changes iOS 17 is expected to bring to Siri, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports – in his latest Power On newsletter – that users may soon only need to say “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri” when activating the personal assistant. 

This would bring Apple’s assistant in line with Amazon’s Alexa, which has only required users to say “Alexa” since its launch in 2014. Gurman suggests that the change could be implemented with iOS 17 either this year or next. 

Despite only being a “small change”, though, getting Siri to function correctly without the “Hey” has been a “technical challenge” requiring “a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work.”

“The complexity involves Siri being able to understand the singular phrase ‘Siri’ in multiple different accents and dialects,” Gurman notes. “Having two words – ‘Hey Siri’ – increases the likelihood of the system properly picking up the signal.”

In terms of which iPhones will support this change, we’ve heard conflicting reports surrounding the availability of iOS 17. According to a one source “with a proven track record,” iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X – but a second reputable leaker has since counterclaimed that iOS 17 will be compatible with all iPhones capable of running iOS 16.

In any case, Apple will almost certainly debut iOS 17‌ at its annual WWDC developer conference in June, with the update expected to begin rolling out to users sometime in September, so we’ll have confirmation on the matter soon. 

Rumors are a funny thing. Only a few months ago, seasoned Apple analysts reported that Apple had abandoned plans to release a fourth-generation iPhone SE, owing to doubts over the series’ popularity and profitability. 

Then, two months later, the same analysts counterclaimed that Apple had restarted development on the iPhone SE 4, albeit with the company eyeing a much later release date than initially intended for the pint-sized device.  

Now, in April 2023, we’ve got a better idea of when that release date might be, with reliable leaker Jeff Pu predicting that Apple will release its successor to one of the best iPhones in 2025. 

The most recent iPhone SE – the iPhone SE (2022) – breathed new life into Apple's classic-but-tired iPhone design, with impressive-for-the-price speeds and 5G connectivity – but the iPhone SE 4 is expected to bring the series in line with modern smartphone standards.

Specifically, Apple is all but certain to ditch the current iPhone SE’s huge bezels and small screen size for a display arrangement akin to either the iPhone X or iPhone 14. Ross Young – a leaker with a reasonable track record – claims that the iPhone SE 4 will have a 6.1-inch screen and a notch, while analyst Ming-Chi Kuo purports that the device will inherit the OLED display used by Apple’s latest vanilla iPhone.

In either case, the iPhone SE is likely to get Face ID, though it's also possible that Apple could stick with Touch ID and house the sensor in a side button, instead of on the front.

As for the phone’s connectivity, Jeff Pu reports that Apple is developing a custom-designed 5G modem that will be manufactured – using a 4nm process – by the company’s chipmaking partner, TSMC. It’s not yet clear whether this 5G chip will offer any performance or power efficiency improvements over rival modems produced by the likes of Qualcomm, but it’s safe to assume that the iPhone SE 4 will offer top-of-the-range network connectivity.

The iPhone SE (2022) was released in March of last year, while the iPhone SE (2020) came to market two years prior, in April 2020. If indeed Pu’s prediction of a 2025 release year for the iPhone SE 4 is accurate, it stands to reason that we could see the phone released sometime in the spring (that’s between March and May, for our Australian readers). 

We’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone SE 4 rumors as and when they surface over the coming months, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the details.

Bad news, folks: despite multiple sources previously claiming that the iPhone 15 Pro will arrive bearing solid-state (i.e. non-physical) volume buttons, two seasoned Apple analysts have since counterclaimed that Apple’s next flagship handset will instead stick with traditional button designs. 

The news was broken by Haitong Tech analyst Jeff Pu and later corroborated by reliable tipster Ming-Chi Kuo; with the pair claiming that Apple has decided to delay the introduction of solid-state volume buttons until next year’s crop of new iPhones. 

According to Pu, Apple needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power these new buttons, with Kuo adding that their removal from the company’s Pro-level iPhone 15 “will simplify the development and testing process.”

Suffice to say, this is a disappointing revelation. We were hoping to see capacitive volume and power buttons – those which use vibrations to simulate the sensation of being pressed despite not actually moving (think the iPhone 7’s haptic Home button) – introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, but it now seems as though both devices will instead stick with the conventional button designs sported by today’s best iPhones. 

Given the technical intricacy of capacitive buttons, though, Apple’s supposed decision to kick the can down the road is understandable. 

On top of the haptic engines cited by Pu, another leaker had previously claimed that a dedicated microprocessor would support the iPhone 15 Pro’s solid-state buttons, rendering them capable of detecting touches even when the device is switched off. The microprocessor in question was purported to replace the Super Low Energy Mode currently used in the iPhone 14 Pro, which allows apps like Find My and Apple Pay to function with next to no power. 

In other words: solid-state power buttons are complex beasts, but we’ll hopefully see them introduced in 2024, with the iPhone 16 line, if not this year’s iPhone 15 range.

iPhone 15 Pro: what else we expect

As a consequence of Apple’s supposed U-turn on solid-state power buttons, we’re now a touch less confident about the accuracy of other iPhone 15 Pro feature rumors, but there are a handful that seem a formality at this point. 

For instance, we’re almost certain that a chip upgrade – likely in the form of an A17 Bionic – will be made exclusive to Apple’s most expensive iPhones, with recent leaks hinting that this processor could make the iPhone 15 Pro as fast as an M1 MacBook. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, by contrast, are expected to inherit last year’s A16 Bionic.

The presence of a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro now seems a given, too. The EU has told Apple that it needs to add USB-C charging ports to iPhones from 2024 onwards, but a newly leaked dummy model – combined with previous leaked photos showing an iPhone 15 Pro with a USB-C port – suggests the company will be making the switch in 2023 with its next crop of iPhones. 

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.

The iPhone 15 Pro rumors have been coming thick and fast of late, with the latest leak seemingly corroborating many of the design changes we’ve been hearing about in 2023. 

While a series of unofficial iPhone 15 Pro renders recently gave us our best look yet at Apple’s next flagship handset, an alleged iPhone 15 Pro dummy – posted to Chinese social media platform Douyin – has now offered a hands-on peek at the expected successor to the excellent iPhone 14 Pro. 

As first spotted by PhoneArena, the mock-up of the Pro-level iPhone 15 teases a USB-C port, slightly curved edges and a unified rocker-style volume button; three design elements that previous rumors have suggested are coming to the iPhone 15 Pro. 

We were all but certain, for instance, that the iPhone 15 Pro will arrive bearing solid-state (i.e. non-physical) buttons, and this new dummy model does indeed appear to feature volume, mute and power buttons that could conceivably be haptic, rather than mechanical. 

The presence of a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro now seems a formality, too. The EU has told Apple that it needs to add USB-C charging ports to iPhones from 2024 onwards, but this dummy model – combined with previous leaked photos showing an iPhone 15 Pro with a USB-C port – suggests the company will be making the switch in 2023. 

Since this mock-up is likely intended for iPhone 15 Pro case manufacturers, there are a handful of feature rumors it doesn’t – or rather can’t – corroborate. For example, we’re expecting the iPhone 15 Pro to boast display bezels that are much thinner than those on the iPhone 14 Pro, but the model in question features no distinguishable display markings. 

As for what other features might be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro (and the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra), we're hearing that a chip upgrade – likely in the form of an A17 Bionic – will be made exclusive to Apple’s most expensive iPhones, with recent leaks hinting that this processor could make the iPhone 15 Pro as fast as an M1 MacBook. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, by contrast, are expected to inherit last year’s A16 Bionic.

A titanium frame and periscope camera have also been touted as arriving with the iPhone 15 Ultra, which looks set to take the place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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

We’re expecting Apple to officially lift the lid on its iPhone 15 line in September, but we’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks in the coming months.

Apple is expected to debut iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 at WWDC 2023 later this year, and a new leak has seemingly revealed which iPhones and iPads will (and won’t) be supported by the upcoming software updates.

According to a MacRumors source “with a proven track record,” iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, while iPadOS 17 will shun the first-generation iPad Pro (both the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch models) and fifth-generation iPad. All six devices were released between November 2015 and November 2017.

If the rumor rings true, Apple will have dropped support for almost all devices running the A11 Bionic chip or older with its next major software updates. The sixth- and seventh-generation iPad, as well as the second-generation iPad Pro (both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch models) will reportedly be exceptions to the rule. 

The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise, mind. Apple routinely drops support for older devices with every new edition of iOS and iPadOS – the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 and iPad Air 2 were among the models left behind by iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, for instance – but it’s hard to hear that the likes of the iPhone X will soon be outmoded. 

Of course, these devices won’t suddenly become redundant with the release of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The latest iOS and iPadOS updates should keep them ticking along nicely for several years yet – Apple is known for providing better support to older devices than most Android manufacturers to theirs, lest we forget – but these iPhones and iPads won’t benefit from any major OS overhauls that Apple has in the pipeline for the future.

iOS 17: what to expect

As for what features Apple’s next updates will be bringing to the table, we now know that iOS 17 will be a bigger iPhone update than we first thought. 

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.”

So, while it’s unlikely that iOS 17 will reinvent the experience of using the best iPhones, we do expect to see a range of significant updates offered to existing iPhone features and apps, like CarPlay, Siri and Messages. 

As for things we’d like to see introduced with iOS 17, our seven wishes for iOS 17 guide contains calls for a redesigned Control Center, universal battery widgets and better picture-in-picture controls.

As mentioned, Apple is all but certain to debut iOS 17‌ at its annual WWDC developer conference in June, with the update expected to begin rolling out to users sometime in September, coinciding with the launch of the iPhone 15 line.