Rumor | iPhone 15 Ultra will launch with a new matte finish, "clicky" buttons, USB type-C and no mute switch

Apple is projected to finally select the Ultra tag for its top-end iPhone in 2023. Now, according to the popular YouTuber Lewis Hilsentegger, that is not the only Android smartphone trend it will follow with what might be the ultimate 14-series successor this year.

The Unbox Therapy host claims to have come by a non-working model of the "iPhone 15 Ultra", which, apparently, will come in a Silver (or possibly White) color option this year. Its frame is though to make the long-awaited switch to titanium - however, it exhibits a matte finish in its new video, as opposed to the shiny stainless steel that denotes top-end status in its closest real-life comparator, the 14 Pro Max.

The 15 "Ultra" also reportedly boasts a new, more "grippy" finish for its glass rear panel, possibly finally mimicking what brands such as OnePlus have done for generations now. On that note, the dummy did indeed seem to have a USB type-C port - which may now not be permitted to favor MFi cables as rumored, thanks to a reported European Union (EU) crackdown.

This new leak also serves to dash hopes of a switch to Taptic Buttons - as the haptics supplier Cirrus Logic may also have done as of late - although a first-gen Action Button is apparently present. On that note, the "15 Ultra" has been measured at 76.66 millimeters (mm) across the top, as opposed to 77.68mm in the 14 Pro Max.

The 2 objects also had a height of 8.37mm and 7.91mm respectively, thereby suggesting that, while the "15 Ultra" has gotten narrower than the 14 Pro Max, it has also gotten slightly thicker. Then again, the notorious triple rear camera hump might have shrunken slightly (by ~1.57mm) in this alleged new generation - which might make it more pocket-friendly in real life.

Finally, it is possible that the iPhone 15-series flagship might launch with thinner display bezels - and a possibly very slightly smaller Dynamic Island screen cut-out - than its predecessor. Nevertheless, it will still be several months before any or all of these rumors are confirmed or denied during an official Apple event.

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