Next year's iPhone 15 could see an 'Ultra' model replace the 'Pro Max'

The iPhone 14 has barely gone sale, but the iPhone 15 rumours are already stacking up. One of the most repeated? That Apple is plotting a range-topping iPhone 15 'Ultra'.

"Expect a revamped iPhone design next year, coinciding with a shift to USB-C and the potential of a new Ultra model", writes Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest PowerOn newsletter.

The iPhone 15 Ultra is tipped for 8K video recording, a periscope camera with a 5x or 6x optical zoom, a new A17 chip and a 2TB storage option. Despite the beefy specs the Ultra's battery is said to last 3-4 hours longer than the iPhone 14 Pro Max's. 

When you factor in the recently released Apple Watch Ultra, it looks like Cupertino is on a mission to create a new 'best-of-the-best' sub-brand. Could we even see a pair of AirPods Ultra to match the iPhone 15 Ultra?

Nothing's official yet, but here's how the 2023 iPhone 15 range could look:

iPhone 15 – 6.1-inch display

iPhone 15 Plus – 6.7-inch display

iPhone 15 Pro – 6.1-inch (120Hz display)

iPhone 15 Ultra – 6.7-inch (120Hz display)

All four iPhone 15 devices are due to get Apple's pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout, thus killing off the dreaded notch. Apple is also expected to ditch Lightning in favour of USB-C ports from 2023 onwards. 

The iPhone 15 Ultra price remains a mystery but the Apple's 2023 flagship is tipped to sell for $1299 (around £1199 / AU$1999), which is $200 more than the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro Max.

So, will the rumoured iPhone 15 Ultra (the handset formerly known as the 'iPhone 15 Pro Max') be all it's cracked up to be? And would a 6x optical zoom impress the critics when Samsung's flagship Galaxy S22 Ultra (oh, snap!) already offers a 10x optical zoom?

We expect all to be revealed in September 2023, when the iPhone 15 is due to break cover.

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