With Apple's iPhone 15 series announcement likely now just two weeks away, a concept render has been shared online that is said to be based on the iPhone 15 Pro packaging, or more specifically, the box that the devices will be sold inside.
The above render shared on X (now Twitter) by @chandlerbongzz shows a familiar white box on top of which is a front-facing image of the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, with an "S" curve showing on an otherwise black display.
The render is based on a hand-drawn illustration of the alleged box shared by Weibo sources and subsequently described by several leakers. It is vaguely reminiscent of Apple's iPhone 14 Pro packaging, however there are reasons to remain skeptical about its accuracy.
Since the iPhone XS was released, Apple has annually alternated the topside graphics on its Pro packaging so as to show the front display of the device one year, then the back of the iPhone the next. Last year's iPhone 14 Pro box showed the front display, so this year Apple would be expected to highlight the back of its iPhone 15 Pro models. If the render is accurate, Apple will have broken a pattern it has stuck to for half a decade.
That in itself isn't beyond the realm of possibility – Apple can change up its packaging as it chooses and need not necessarily be wedded to any particular design timeline. Another point of concern however is that it seems reasonable to assume that Apple would want to make the rumored thinner bezels of its Pro devices more noticeable by using a more impactful image, rather than concealing the edges of the screen with a largely black wallpaper.
As such, we're sharing this image with the requisite grain of salt. Besides, it won't be long before we know for sure what kind of packaging Apple has chosen for its iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple is expected to announce the new lineup at an event likely to be held on Tuesday, September 12. All being well, pre-orders would therefore likely take place on Friday, September 15, with a launch to follow on Friday, September 22.