iPhone 15 Design Change Possible; Rumor Suggests Rounded Corners, Metal Back

Apple could be planning on changing the shape and the material used for the casing of the iPhone 15, according to new leaks.

Last month, ShrimpApplePro claimed the iPhone 15 may come with curved edges similar to the 2013 iPhone 5C model. The leaker also claimed the model's casing will also be made of titanium, which has the same strength as stainless steel.

"So the new iPhone 15. From the early information that I have, the iPhone 15 will feature a new border design. The back edge corner (as pointed out in the images) will be rounded and not square anymore," ShrimpApplePro wrote in a November tweet. "The material also will be titanium. Still very early to take it as it is."

However, LeaksApplePro — a leaker with a respectable track record — told Forbes to take the leaks with caution, adding that while curved edges are under strong consideration, Apple's senior management has yet to make any final decision.

Additionally, LeaksApplePro also said that while titanium will be used for the sides, glass will still be the material used for the backs of the iPhone 15 to allow for wireless charging.

Other design changes to the iPhone 15 models include dropping the Lightning port in favor of USB-C, upgrading the primary cameras and replacing the power and volume buttons with immovable buttons that provide feedback via haptic motors, according to the outlet.

That being said, LeaksApplePro previously said the iPhone 15 will likely cost "substantially more" to manufacture than Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max. The leaker did not give away how much the difference in cost is between the two iPhone models.

Rumors about iPhone 15's design changes come as Apple falls short of the iPhone 14 series units it expects to produce this year due to China's COVID Zero policy, which led workers at Foxconn to flee. Foxconn is the largest iPhone assembly plant located in Zhengzhou, China.

Foxconn, however, recently announced that it is "gradually" restoring production capacity and has begun recruiting new employees. The company also added that its outlook for the fourth quarter will roughly be in line with market consensus.