The 9to5Mac outlet claims to have obtained a model of the iPhone 15 Pro design awarded to a Chinese case manufacturer.
The 9to5Mac medium has published what would be the CAD model of the design of the iPhone 15 Pro , the high-end phone that Apple will present this 2023.
According to the international portal , he obtained the plans thanks to a casing manufacturer and replicated it with a 3D artist named Ian Zelbo. Apple delivers CAD files like the ones these renders are based on to factories in Asia to prepare phone cases ahead of launch. This is to ensure that the cases are available when the device boots.
This is what the iPhone 15 Pro will look like
The specific CAD comes from a factory outside of China that is apparently the first to obtain these files. Historically, these files are accurate to the final device in terms of dimensions and design, as having inaccurate files would be costly for case designers and factories.
The renders show some significant changes to the design and features of Apple ‘s flagship smartphone , which is expected to launch later this year.
The most notable change is the move from the Lightning port to USB-C, which would mark a major departure from Apple ‘s proprietary connector that has been used on iPhones and most accessories since 2012.
This could be due to pressure from the European Union , which has been pushing for a common charging standard for all smartphones and devices . Unfortunately, this might be limited to cables that are approved for Apple’s MFi program for data transfer speeds and charging speeds .
Another change is the curvature of the edges, both in the glass and in the metal frame. The glass curves slightly around the edges, creating a more fluid transition to the frame. The frame itself is also more curved than before, resembling the design of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and the new MacBook Air M2. This could make the phone more comfortable to hold and less prone to accidental touches.
The camera bump on the back is also thicker than before, indicating that Apple may have updated the camera system with new sensors or lenses.
Goodbye buttons?
On the side of the phone, we can see some changes to the volume controls and the mute switch. The volume controls look like capacitive buttons instead of physical ones, as rumored . Given the renders, the medium does not assure it as such, but it seems very likely. The mute switch also looks redesigned, with a smaller, rounder shape similar to capacitive buttons.
The renders don’t show any details about the resolution of the iPhone 15 Pro , but we expect it to be similar to the iPhone 14 Pro. The body of the device is a few millimeters smaller with a thinner bezel, so it’s likely that we’ll see the same screen from 6.1 inches in a slightly smaller body.