Apple will announce the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models in a little over a month with major changes in terms of design. The standard models will now come with a Dynamic Island on display, sharing one aspect with the 'Pro' models. It was also previously reported that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will come with an upgraded 48MP camera. What this means is that the standard iPhone 15 models will come another step closer to the iPhone 15 Pro models. It is now being reported that despite the upgrade, the iPhone 15 will feature inferior camera quality compared to the 'Pro' models due to a smaller sensor.

iPhone 15 to see a major camera upgrade with a 48MP sensor, but it will still be inferior to the iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple will introduce a plethora of camera features for the iPhone 15 Pro, especially the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The device is slated to feature a periscope lens capable of 5x to 6x optical zoom. According to a rumor posted on Weibo by the Digital Chat Station (via MacRumors), iPhone 15 models will feature inferior camera quality compared to the 'Pro' models due to the smaller camera sensor. The account also shared extensive detail on the iPhone 15 Pro's camera as well, suggesting that it will feature the same 48MP sensor with a 1/1.28-inch sensor as the current iPhone 14 Pro models.

Even though the iPhone 15 Pro models will retain the same sensor, Apple will introduce additional improvements in terms of hardware as well as software. There could be enhanced computational algorithms set in place so users can see the difference in the quality of the iPhone 15 Pro and the current models. As for the standard models, the jump to 48MP is a huge deal since there are no rumors of a price increase. This year's iPhone 15 series could potentially be the best-seller, compensating for the loss incurred by the iPhone 14 models.

The source notes that the smaller stacked CMOS image sensor will be 1/1.15 inches, offering inferior quality to the iPhone 15 Pro. However, the jump will be an upgrade from the camera sensor on the iPhone 14 models that houses a 12MP camera with a 1/19 inch sensor. The larger sensor could allow for more light to enter through the lens and offer enhanced low-light photography. To be fair, the iPhone 15's camera will also be inferior to the iPhone 14 Pro due to the smaller sensor.

Apple will announce the iPhone 15 series later this year in September alongside the new Apple Watch Series 9. The 'Pro' models are expected to see a price hike, while the standard models will be priced the same. Externally, the iPhone 15 Pro will come in a grade 5 titanium finish compared to stainless steel, which will offer a stronger but lighter design.