iPhone 15 Australia: Release date, rumours around price and specs
Apple's always tight-lipped when it comes to phone launches, but there are plenty of rumours floating around to give you an idea of what to expect ahead of the big iPhone 15 reveal on 13 September.
Update: Apple has now announced the price, release date and specs of the iPhone 15 models.
Between a massive 2TB of storage, new phone colours such as pink and price hikes on the Pro models, here's a roundup of everything we know so far ahead of the iPhone 15 launch.
iPhone 15 release date in Australia
The rumour mill is loudly buzzing about potential launch dates for the iPhone 15.
Apple announced on 30 August that the iPhone 15 release date will be 13 September. The announcement will take place at 3am AEST.
Pre-orders normally go live on the Friday following the unveiling meaning it'll you'll want to set a reminder for 15 September at roughly 10pm AEST. We can then assume sales will officially kick off on 22 September.
How to stream the Apple iPhone 15 event
If you're eager to jump on the iPhone 15 bandwagon from the get go then we suggest calling it an early night so you can be up and about at 3AM AEST. That's when the live stream will begin.
iPhone 15 pricing
We're hearing there's going to be a bigger than expected price increase on Apple's new iPhone range, mostly directed towards the Pro models.
Does this have anything to do with a decline in sales for iPhones? Maybe.
According to Macworld, Apple might try to justify a $200 increase to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and possible $100 for the iPhone 15 Pro. It could potentially cut the price of the base model and iPhone 15 Plus by $50.
That world make its premium phones more costly and the lower-end models a bit more affordable.
Here's a look at the iPhone 14 pricing for now:
| Model | Australian RRP |
|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 14 128GB | $1,399 |
| Apple iPhone 14 256GB | $1,579 |
| Apple iPhone 14 512GB | $1,899 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Plus 128GB | $1,579 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Plus 256GB | $1,749 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Plus 512GB | $2,099 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro 128GB | $1,749 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro 256GB | $1,899 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro 512GB | $2,249 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro 1TB | $2,599 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB | $1,899 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 256GB | $2,099 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 512GB | $2,419 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max 1TB | $2,769 |
iPhone 15 specs and features
There's A LOT of speculation around specs and features for the upcoming iPhone 15, but let's kick things off with the lineup itself.
The name game
In 2022 Gurman had predicted Apple would swap 'Pro Max' for 'Ultra' in a very Samsung-esque move. However, earlier this year he said the shift would likely take place in 2024 instead.
That means we should expect the usual lineup of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The mini version was scrapped during the iPhone 14 launch, so we don't expect it to make a comeback.
Saving major changes for the Pros
We're expecting Apple to reserve its best feature upgrades for the iPhone 15 Pro lineup.
Here's what we've heard through the grapevine:
- Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will reportedly get a new storage capacity - 2TB.
- Both models may see boast slimmer bezels, shaved down from 2.2 millimetres (mm) to 1.5mm. You can check out the renders at 9to5 Mac.
- Seasoned Apple leaker @MajinBuOfficial posted photos on Twitter (or X) that cases for the iPhone 15 Pro models show a third button that could 'replace the old mute switcher' with an all-new action button, which could be configured to start and stop a bunch of things - for instance on the Apple Ultra Watch you can start and stop workouts via the button.
- The iPhone 15 Pro Max is tipped to get a camera layout change thanks a new periscope lens.
Other Apple moves
For the entire lineup, we're also hearing buzz around:
- A potential major design move which could see a move to USB-C charging in a bid to comply with European rules according to Laptop Mag. Most smartphones come with a USB-C port, making Apple an outlier for now. However, it's yet to be determined if the impact will be limited to just Europe or worldwide.
- Another major upgrade to look out for is the Dynamic Island on the entire iPhone lineup this time around. It was all the rage when Apple announced the feature on the iPhone 14 Pro models, giving users access to mini players and notifications. It's still unclear what type of changes the Dynamic Island could have this year.
- Apple Insider @ShrimpApplePro believes we'll be seeing 3 new phone colours this year: Pink, light yellow and green.
- Also on the cards is much larger battery packs across the range by up to 18%, as reported by Phone Arena.
iPhone 15 offers from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone
All telcos are just as tight-lipped as Apple itself ahead of iPhone launches. This year won't be any different but we can take a few guesses.
For the iPhone 14 launch, pre-order deals from Telstra and Vodafone included $150 bonus trade-in credit.
We also saw Optus and Vodafone slash the prices on some of its mobile plans, so Aussies signing up to an iPhone plan could get more data for cheaper.
That's all we know so far but we'll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for rumours until the launch day itself. So bookmark this page as we ride through to the iPhone unveiling together.
Don't want to pay big bucks for the latest flagship iPhone? Compare iPhone 14 plans instead.
