Apple supplier might have leaked huge news about the design of the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic might have accidentally leaked big news about the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra models
Sure, this might not be a case of “we caught you red-handed” discussing your company’s contribution to Apple’s new solid-state buttons for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra, but it certainly sounds like it could fit. And if that isn’t enough of a clue, Cirrus Logic CEO John Forsyth said during an earnings call this month that the new component will hit the market during the “back half of next year.” That time frame would include the typical September release for the 2023 premium iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra models.
Render of the iPhone 15 Ultra
Backing up this theory are two analysts from U.K. banking firm Barclays, Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley. The pair said that the new component that Cirrus Logic wrote about in the letter to shareholders will most likely be part of the additional Taptic Engines needed to drive the haptics for the solid-state buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra models next year..
Last month, TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the pricier iPhone 15 Pro (and Ultra) models will sport solid-state power and volume buttons and this will require two additional Taptic Engines for these devices. And yes, it also would require the new HPMS component from Cirrus Logic to drive the additional Taptic Engines.
Top analyst Kuo also expects solid-state power and volume buttons on the pricier iPhone units next year
In his tweet, Kuo said, “My latest survey indicates that the volume button and power button of two high-end iPhone 15/2H23 new iPhone models may adopt a solid-state button design (similar to the home button design of iPhone 7/8/SE2 & 3) to replace the physical/mechanical button design.”
So it certainly would seem to appear that we should expect the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro models next year to be without physical buttons that can wear down over time. They might be more sensitive to touch making it easier to adjust the volume on the handsets. It also would be used as another way to differentiate the non-Pro iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models from the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.
