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The iPhone 15 Pro may fix every design problem I’ve had with Apple

Corners that don’t dig into your palm, a lighter design, USB-C, and a price bump are in the cards for the upcoming iPhone Pro model.

Written by June Wan, Reviews Editor on

Holding up an iPhone on iOS 17 — June Wan/ZDNET

If this year’s Apple timeline holds true, we should see a new batch of iPhones come early September. Ahead of the launch, Bloomberg has already reported some significant design changes coming to the newest iPhones.

Also: I ranked the best iOS 17 features from most useful to straight gimmicky

To summarize, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models are expected to shift from the notch camera design to Apple’s pill-shaped Dynamic Island, completing the transition to the newer, more interactive display interface.

The two iPhone models will also feature an A16 chip, the same processor that brought enhanced image processing and battery efficiency to last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, and the long-awaited USB-C port.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are also noted to have USB-C ports for charging and data transferring, and the processor will see an upgrade to a 3-nanometer chipset for even snappier performance.

More interestingly, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the latest Pro models will feature low-injection pressure over-molding (LIPO) displays, the same technology that allowed Apple to slim down the bezels of the Apple Watch Series 8. That’s great news if you’ve always envied the near-bezel-less designs of high-end Android phones.

Apple Watch Series 8 — Jason Hiner/ZDNET

With LIPO, the iPhone 15 Pro series may finally look and feel like the iPhone of dreams, with rounded corners and edges that don’t dig into your palms as the more recent generations do. LIPO also allowed Apple to shrink the borders of the iPhone 15 Pro models from 2.2 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters, giving users more real estate to see and interact with.

Also: iOS 16.6 fixes urgent iPhone security flaws – update your device immediately

Since Apple’s shift to stainless steel material, starting with the iPhone 12 Pro, the handsets have felt noticeably heavier in the hand. This year, the company is expected to pivot from stainless steel to titanium, which should make a world’s difference, especially if you plan to throw on a protective case.

And lastly, Gurman suggests that Apple will do away with the mute switch in favor of an Action Button, similar to that of the Apple Watch Ultra. With it, users can assign a specific function or app to the iPhone’s side button for quicker and more convenient access.

All of the changes tally up to what may be a reasonable price hike, if any. Apple currently charges an extra $100 for the titanium version of the Apple Watch Series 8, and that approach may carry over to this year’s iPhone Pro models. Will you be buying one?