Kuo: Apple to Further Separate Devices in iPhone 15 Lineup With Different Features

Apple will further differentiate its "Pro" and non-"Pro" iPhone models with next year's ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

f1662573062
In a series of tweets earlier today, Kuo said that further differentiating the ‌iPhone‌ lineup would increase sales of the "Pro" models. To this end, Kuo said that "Apple will also start creating differentiation between the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max and the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro," using a "precise product segmentation strategy to generate more sales/profits in a mature market."

This differentiation would presumably occur by giving individual devices in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 lineup different features, providing more reasons upsell next year's ‌iPhone‌ models. The only differentiating features between the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and 14 Plus, and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max, are display size and battery life.

It is not yet clear how capabilities could be separated across the ‌iPhone‌ 15 lineup, with some features such as the Dynamic Island expected to expand to the entire selection of devices, but the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max could be the only model to feature a periscope telephoto camera system.

One of the reasons Apple is able to do this, "even though hardware innovation has become more challenging and the market has matured," is believed to because the "Android camp still poses no threat to Apple in the high-end market" due to brand value and ecosystem disadvantages. That being said, Kuo added that Qualcomm's transfer of high-end chips for Android devices from Samsung to TSMC, Apple's chip supplier, as well as an aggressive push toward foldable phones, could help Android regain ground in the years ahead.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...

Top Rated Comments

somnolentsurfer Avatar
45 months ago
Introducing differences between the Pro and Pro Max would be the wrong way to go. I want all the features, but I still want a phone I can comfortably use in one hand.
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nikaru Avatar
45 months ago
I miss the old days when there was just one iPhone, the new iPhone. Now it is Pro, it is Max, it is SE, it is previous generation models. I'm daily Macrumos visitor for many years and yet, I'll be struggling to remember all the difference between the iPhones in the current portfolio. What is the difference between iPhone 13 and 14? Is iPhone 12 Pro better than iPhone 14? What happened with Apple's slogan "we focus only on few things"?!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
45 months ago
As expected, Hopefully, iPhone Pro Max's next step is the Ultra Model. Apple, please introduce iPhone Pro Max Ultra featuring.. Titanium Frame Chassis.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsboi Avatar
45 months ago
Is this where the Pro Max becomes Ultra?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
qgadrian Avatar
45 months ago
Apple should make a 15 mini Pro, the sales for that one will ?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scubasteve03 Avatar
45 months ago
Well, that didn’t take long at all. Love this website. The preorders for the 14 aren’t even live yet, and we are late we are already speculating on the 15.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)