The iPhone 15 has entered early "machine trial production" with main iPhone assembler Foxconn ahead of launch later this year, according to a report today by Economic Daily News.
According to the report, Foxconn has received instructions to begin "new machine trial production" for the iPhone 15 and begin new product introduction (NPI) for the device. This process is taking place before the iPhone 15 is expected to enter mass production later this year and is meant to introduce the device's specific design and production needs to Foxconn.
The report notes that this year's process for mass production of the upcoming iPhone 15 will differ from previous years due to production taking place in both China and India. A machine-translated copy of the report reads:
It is worth noting that the NPI of the new iPhone this year is a little different from previous years, mainly because the gap between the mass production time of iPhones in mainland China and India will narrow. In previous years, the mass production time of the two places was about six to nine months apart. Last year, it was shortened to two months, and this year it will be shortened to a few weeks.
The iPhone 15 lineup is expected to feature four models matching the sizes of this year's iPhone 14 series, including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Ultra.
Rumors suggest that the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will feature a titanium frame, solid-state haptic volume buttons, and USB-C with faster transfer speeds. The standard models are expected to gain Dynamic Island, a USB-C port with Lightning transfer speeds, and possibly a 48MP camera.
