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I love (and hate) this stunning iPhone 15 Ultra concept

Christine Romero-Chan
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Though the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are still relatively recent releases, that doesn’t stop the rumor and concept mills from churning about the next iPhone release. This year, that means the iPhone 15, and from recent reports, we may be in for one of the biggest changes yet to the iPhone lineup — especially in terms of hardware.

For a few years now, we’ve had the standard iPhone model, either a mini or Plus size, and the two higher-end models called the Pro and Pro Max. But this year, rumors have been circulating that Apple may either add to the lineup or replace the Pro Max version with the iPhone 15 Ultra. This would become the top-of-the-line model with a titanium frame, periscope camera lens, dual selfie cameras, and other juicy upgrades, along with a hefty price tag of possibly $1,200.

⚪️🟠 pic.twitter.com/7vRuVU1lDy

— Jonas Daehnert (@PhoneDesigner) February 6, 2023

We have no idea what this possible iPhone 15 Ultra looks like, but if it’s anything like this concept from Jonas Daehnert on Twitter, then sign me up! At least, mostly.

Note that this is purely a concept for fun, and none of it has anything to do with the rumors that have been around for the past few months. Still, it offers an interesting take on what an iPhone 15 Ultra might look like.

It’s like the Apple Watch Ultra, but an iPhone

A concept of an iPhone 15 Ultra by Jonas Daehnert on Twitter.
Jonas Daehnert/Twitter

This concept basically takes the design of the Apple Watch Ultra and applies it to an iPhone. In this render, we see a pretty thick iPhone with curved edges, but a flat display, buttons that protrude ever so slightly, a mute toggle with a textured surface, and a camera island on the back — making the triple-lens camera system less of an eyesore. Oh, there’s also a gorgeous champagne-colored titanium frame, cream-colored back, and orange accent around the USB-C charging port. And on the side with the volume buttons, there’s an orange Action button, just like on the Apple Watch Ultra.

Even though I’m not a fan of how big the Apple Watch Ultra is, I think this design would work pretty well for an iPhone 15 Ultra. Just going off this concept alone, I would totally want one. The overall thicker body would hopefully allow the cameras to sit more flush in a camera island than having the lenses freely float around, and I would expect a larger-capacity battery in there if it’s thicker. Who wouldn’t want more battery life?

The Apple Watch Ultra on a man's wrist in a pocket.
Apple Watch Ultra Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

I also love the idea of having an extra Action button on the side that you can customize. On the Apple Watch Ultra, that button defaults to starting a workout, but you can program it to something else if you so desire, including custom shortcuts. If the iPhone 15 Ultra had a programmable button, I would love to make it quickly launch an app, such as the camera. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struggled to launch the camera when I want to capture a spontaneous moment with my toddler daughter, and if the iPhone had a button like that, it would make my life so much easier.

And though I normally don’t go for colors like this, I think this color works very well for an iPhone 15 Ultra. It’s neutral enough, and it just looks classy and elegant, even with the adventure orange shade for the charging port accent and the Action button.

I’m not so sure about one thing …

A concept of an iPhone 15 Ultra by Jonas Daehnert on Twitter.
Jonas Daehnert/Twitter

This concept is fantastic, but one part bothers me — and that’s the way the display protrudes out from the rest of the body of the phone. I know that this is how it’s done on the Apple Watch Ultra, but that’s a small screen compared to an iPhone. I don’t think it works for a phone display, and it looks a bit … weird. I’d also imagine that it may feel a little odd to use in the hands too, with the curvature and then a sharper, square edge.

I would be very tempted to buy an iPhone 15 Ultra if this is how it looks.

But I could be wrong — it may feel perfectly natural to use. I thought the Apple Watch Ultra looked a bit odd with that when it was first announced, and while I haven’t used it myself (it’s too big for my liking), it seems everyone else who has one is fine with it. Perhaps it’s one of those things that may just need to grow on you.

And as much as I hate how large phones have gotten (I have petite hands), I would be very tempted to buy an iPhone 15 Ultra if this is how it looks. I think just having an Action button alone would sell me on the concept, and I quite like the idea of a titanium phone.

Could the rumored iPhone 15 Ultra look like this? Again, this is a concept that was made for fun and not based on any rumors that have come out so far, so who knows. But I would very much like an iPhone with this aesthetic. Let’s make it happen, Apple.

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