Just six hours before the much-anticipated iPhone 15 launch event, the Apple Store website went down.
While users can typically navigate across a variety of devices when visiting the website, they are now greeted with a disclaimer that says, “I’ll be right back.”
‘We are updating the Apple Store. Check back soon.’
A blue and gray version of the Apple logo is also displayed, hinting that the outage is related to the launch of the iPhone 15.
The event, titled Wanderlust, will take place in Cupertino, California at 10:00 PT (18:00 BST).
While users can typically navigate across a variety of devices when visiting the website, they are now greeted with a disclaimer that says, “I’ll be right back.” We are making updates to the Apple Store. Check back soon’
While Apple has not mentioned a new iPhone, The company has revealed a new device every year around fall for more than a decade.
Apple will livestream the event on its website later today.
MailOnline will also be covering it live, so be sure to check back for the latest Apple news.
As for when the iPhone 15 will actually hit shelves, Apple expert Mark Gurman believes the launch will come less than two weeks after the event.
He said an anonymous source told him it will go on sale on September 22, meaning Apple will “get about a week of iPhone 15 sales in its fiscal fourth quarter.”
Apple is expected to introduce four variations of the iPhone 15: the standard iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro, and what may or may not be called the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
According to leaker Andrew O’Hara, Apple has decided to change the name of the iPhone Pro Max (the high-end version) to “iPhone Ultra.”
Whatever its name, it is still considered one of their two ‘Pro’ models, meaning it will have more power and greater capabilities, as well as a higher price.
Some features will be exclusive to the high-end versions, although the biggest design changes will likely come to the entire iPhone 15 family.
Gurman says the iPhone 15 “promises to be the biggest device update in three years,” since the launch of the iPhone 12 in 2020.
Here’s what we know about the iPhone 15 design based on leaks and predictions from industry experts
The biggest change to the iPhone 15 will be a new USB-C charging port, already commonly used for Android phones, laptops, and more.
Apple has switched to USB-C and moved away from its own charging design called Lightning (distinguishable by its eight pins) due to an EU law.
The new legislation aims to make a single charging design the common standard and ultimately reduce e-waste.
Apple has effectively been forced to make this design change due to EU law, although it could technically have made iPhones with Lightning ports if they were sold in non-EU countries.
Along with a new charging port, the iPhone 15 will support faster charging speeds of up to 35W, significantly more than the iPhone 14, which has a charging speed of just 20W, another leaker claims.
This means the upcoming smartphone could be charged from 0 to 100 percent in just one hour, saving users precious time if they are in a hurry.
Little by little other details about Apple’s new flagship have been leaking based on internal knowledge and clues from ‘dummy units’ (precise models given to third parties to design the accessories for their phones).
The iPhone 15 will supposedly have more curved edges, so it fits better in the hand, and titanium frames instead of stainless steel.
Meanwhile, the back of the new phone is covered with matte glass instead of polished glass, according to a YouTuber who accessed dummy units.
It is possible that the design of the Apple logo in the official promotional image is a nod to the new materials.
The iPhone 15 will be launched today in a livestream hosted by CEO Tim Cook at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California (pictured)
In the photo, iPhone 14 models in stores a year ago. The new iPhone 15 will reportedly have better charging capabilities
While Apple doesn’t expect to increase the size of the iPhone’s screen this year, it will reduce the border around the edge, known as the “bezel.”
Gurman has stated that the size of the border around the screen will be 1.5 millimeters, compared to 2.2 millimeters on current iPhones.
In the long term, Apple wants to release an iPhone that is “truly all screen,” with no borders around the screen and no cutouts for cameras or sensors, it says, and the iPhone 15 is a step toward that goal.
Apple has already filed a patent for an all-glass phone, which may indicate the company’s secret long-term plans.
According to Hong Kong-based Apple analyst Jeff Pu, the two iPhone 15 Pro models will be more expensive than the previous iPhone Pros.
Apple has raised Pro prices this year due to big hardware upgrades, including the titanium frame and A17 Bionic chip, it says.
Although Pu didn’t reveal exact prices, it’s worth noting that last year’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max started at £1,099/$999 and £1,199/$1,099, respectively.
Barclays analyst Tim Long also expects price increases for the two most expensive iPhone 15 models, while the standard and Plus models will be roughly the same as last year.
The standard iPhone 14 model cost £799/$849, while the iPhone 14 Plus cost £949/$899.
