Apple plans to make 85 million iPhones this year (but some of ‘em may be more expensive)

Apple is asking suppliers to produce about 85 million units of the iPhone 15 this year, roughly in line with the year before, according to Bloomberg.

Quoting unnamed “familiar with the matter,” the article says the company is aiming “to hold shipments steady despite tumult in the global economy and a projected decline in the overall smartphone market.” However, Bloomberg says it’s likely to increase revenue overall because Apple is considering raising the price for Pro models

The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) finds this a bummer. It’s not as if Apple is hurting for revenue. And it’s already rumored by The Information (a subscription is required to read the entire article) that Apple is facing challenges assembling its two upcoming new iPhone models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which could lead to a shortage of units at launch in September. 

Here’s a round-up of some of the rumors about the upcoming iPhone 15 models:

° They’ll feature stacked battery technology for increased energy density and longer life.

° Some models of the 2023 smartphone will be available in pink, green, a blue color that has a gray tone, as well as a deep red flavor.

° There will be periscope camera technology exclusive to the larger handset.

° iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models will introduce a new button press combination to power off and force restart the devices.

° They may feature a unified volume button.

 The volume controls on the side of the iPhone 15 Pro may be a single unified rocker button. 

° Pro models may pack 8GB of RAM.

° The iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro’s USB-C port and accompanying charging cables will feature a Lightning-like authenticator chip, potentially limiting their functionality with accessories that aren’t Apple-approved.

° The iPhone 15 models will sport support for faster charging speeds when used with MFi-certifiated USB-chargers.

° iPhone 15 Pro models will have improved LiDAR scanners that offer better battery life and improved performance.

 The standard iPhone 15 models may lack support for ProMotion and an always-on display.

° The iPhone 15 Pro models will see a price increase due to several rumored hardware upgrades.

°  The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor.

° Apple’s plans for “haptic buttons” on the iPhone 15 have been scrapped. Instead, the tech giant plans to debut the feature on the 2024 iPhone 16.