Everything you need to know about iPhone 15

The iPhone 15 lineup is finally here and it’s better than ever. During the “Wonderlust” event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineups..

Apple’s three-year redesign cycle has seen a transformational change in the iPhone 15 series, with a refreshed design introduced by the company. 

There are a lot of features to brag about that look and feel noticeably different from the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 15 series has received many significant improvements, with most of them being for the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Read on to know about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series, which are expected to be some of the top-notch iPhones out there. Let’s get started,

iPhone 15: Models

There are four models in the iPhone 15 generation:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro, and 
• iPhone 15 Pro Max

Unlike the iPhone 13 generation, the iPhone 15 generation does not have an iPhone Mini because Apple stopped making the model with the iPhone 14.

The iPhone 15 “Ultra” model, which was rumoured to be unveiled at Apple’s September event and feature more upgrades than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, is also not available.

Display and design

All the new iPhones have great OLED displays, but the Pros are the ones that get the most bang for their buck. The 15 Pro and the 15 Pro Max both have large OLED displays, and the Dynamic Island is at the top of the screen. This space houses the front camera, sensors, and a dedicated space for app information and Live Activities, all at 120Hz refresh rates.

On the 15 Pro, the display is 6.1 inches, and on the 15 Pro Max, the screen is 6.7 inches. The sizes are identical to last year, and you may not be able to distinguish them at first glance, but on closer inspection, you may notice the phone’s somewhat thinner edges.

Instead of stainless steel, these phones are now made of titanium, which Apple touts as being “stronger, more durable, and lighter.” 

There’s also a new, brushed finish, and for the first time, Apple has made these phones “repairable.” How repairable is still a question for the reviewers, but any step in that direction is a good one.

Performance

We can expect similar performance to last year’s high-end phones with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus running the same A16 Bionic processor. 

With Apple’s latest A17 Pro processor, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max run at a faster speed than previous models. 

According to Apple, the A17 Pro has a 10% faster CPU and 20% faster GPU (graphics), but it’s unclear what the company is comparing the chip to.

Due to the A17 Pro processor on the iPhone 15 Pro models, Apple has put an emphasis on smoother graphics and gaming performance. 

Apple boasted that the iPhone 15 Pro can run console titles, such as “Resident Evil Village,” “Resident Evil 4,” and “Assassin’s Creed Mirage.” 

Action button

This iPhone is the first to replace the classic mute switch with an “Action button.”, a feature that’s been heavily rumored for the past year.

There are a variety of uses for the Action button. Press and hold the button and it will act as a mute switch. It can also start a voice memo, bring up the camera, or toggle a shortcut.

Cameras

It is no surprise that the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max sport three cameras. However, this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max features an entirely new camera.

Here are some of the exciting features that Apple 15 series camera features:

• The traditional “telephoto” camera was replaced with Apple’s periscope camera, which offers 5x zoom with a 120mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture. Comparatively, the 15 Pro’s telephoto lens can be zoomed three times at 77mm. 
• The camera has an improved stabilizer, which helps avoid shake when using long focal lengths.
• Aside from this big change, the cameras are the same as last year’s 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.

• This year’s main camera is still 48MP, but it has a larger sensor and a wider 24mm focal length than last year. You can now shoot at three different focal lengths: 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm.
• As for video, you can now shoot spatial video, a type of 3D video you can enjoy with Apple Vision Pro.
• Macro setting is available at 13mm with f/2.2 aperture on the Ultra Wide. With all the cameras and lenses considered, Apple calls it “seven lenses in your pocket.”
• The entire iPhone 15 line has new portraits resulting in improved bokeh and boosted colors. 

• With iOS, you can snap a portrait without having to switch to Portrait mode as it will capture the necessary details automatically.  
• The Camera app now offers focus and depth control features that were previously only found in professional camera apps.
•  It’s also the first iPhone with support for the “Academy Color Encoding System.”

A17 Pro

The Pro branding is being extended to Apple’s SoCs. Apple’s latest iPhone chip, the A17 Pro, boasts improved performance over last year’s A16 Bionic (found in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15).

With 19 billion transistors, it has an industry-first 3nm chip with two high-performance cores, four high-efficiency cores, a 16-core neural engine, and six “pro-class” GPU cores. 

Lightning conditions In-game can be more accurately reflected on this iPhone thanks to hardware-based ray tracing.

USB-C

It’s no secret that USB-C is the headline story this year for all iPhone 15 models. Since 2012, Apple has used the Lightning port, which has finally been replaced by the port you may find on most of your electronics today.

Despite the fact that all iPhone 15 models are getting USB-C, the Pro iPhones offer higher speeds, with USB 3 speeds up to 10 Gbps.

Connectivity

As an improvement over Wi-Fi 6, the Pros now ship with Wi-Fi 6E. As a result of the new technology, bandwidths, speeds, and latency are all increased.

Also, the Find My app makes it easier for you to locate friends and devices thanks to the next-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

Dynamic Island

In addition to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple’s Dynamic Island from the iPhone 15 Pro has replaced the notch introduced with the iPhone X in 2017.

With Dynamic Island on iPhone 15, you can create and customize your very own interactive island experience. 

You can add objects, characters, and effects to your island, and even share it with friends and family. Plus, with the iPhone 15’s A15 Bionic chip, you can enjoy seamless performance and stunning graphics.

Roadside Assistance via satellite

Roadside Assistance via Satellite is Apple’s new safety feature that connects users to AAA for help in case they have no Wi-Fi or cell signals. 

Buyers will get this service for free for two years after they activate a supporting iPhone. And only AAA memberships are compatible with it. For those who aren’t AAA members, it works on a cost-per-use basis. 

Although it is supported by the iPhone 14 generation as well, roadside assistance via satellite was first made available with the iPhone 15 generation. 

It adds to the already present safety features, such as satellite-delivered Emergency SOS and Crash Detection.

Colors

There are five colors available with Apple’s new color-infused back glass for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, including blue, pink, yellow, green, and black. 

The titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is available in four color options:

• Black titanium, 
• White titanium,
• Blue titanium, and 
• Natural titanium

iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro: is it really worth upgrading?

Those who are Apple fans might wonder whether the iPhone 15 Pro is worth upgrading from the iPhone 14 Pro.

Both phones have similar designs, features and performance.  However, there are some significant differences that might switch you toward the more recent model. 

Below are some of the pros and cons of upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro.  

Pros:

• The display also supports ProMotion, which means it can adjust the refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and gaming.
• The iPhone 15 Pro has a better camera system than the iPhone 14 Pro. The main camera has a larger sensor and a faster aperture, which means it can capture more light and detail in low-light situations. 
• The telephoto camera has a longer zoom range, up to 6x optical and 15x digital. The ultra-wide camera has a wider field of view and can also take macro shots. The front-facing camera has a higher resolution and can record in 4K.
• Battery life of iPhone 15 Pro is longer than the iPhone 14 Pro. According to Apple, the iPhone 15 Pro can last up to 23 hours of video playback, compared to 22 hours on the iPhone 14 Pro. 
• The iPhone 15 Pro has support for MagSafe and future Qi2 wireless charging which allows you to attach accessories and charge your phone wirelessly.

Cons:

• The iPhone 15 Pro is more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro. If you want more storage, you’ll have to pay even more.
• The iPhone 15 Pro is a little shorter and thicker than the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 15 Pro is 0.2 mm thicker than the iPhone 14 Pro.
• The iPhone 15 Pro does not have a fingerprint scanner, unlike the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 15 Pro relies on Face ID for unlocking and authentication, which might not work well in some situations, such as wearing a mask or sunglasses.

Does the iPhone 15 have a 120Hz display?

No the iPhone 15 models don’t offer a 120Hz display, just like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Instead, the refresh rate of their Super Retina XDR displays is restricted to 60Hz.

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus don’t have a 120Hz refresh rate but still they offer a seamless experience. This is a result of Apple’s numerous iOS 17 enhancements, which make the experience smoother compared to other phones with comparable refresh rates.

Does the iPhone 15 have a SIM card slot?

When Apple removed the physical SIM card slot from the iPhone 14 last year, it was evident that it would not be replaced.  So it’s no surprise that none of the iPhone 15 models from this year, notably those sold in the United States. But you can find models with a SIM card slot outside the United States, mainly due to regulatory concerns.

Disclaimer: All images used on this Blog are official Apple copyrighted material and are used for illustrative purposes only. Apple Inc. owns the copyright for all images related to the iPhone 15.

How much does iPhone 15 cost?

The cost of the iPhone 15 varies depending on the storage capacity and condition. 

The prices start at around $799 for the basic model and can go up to $1,099 for the highest storage capacity.

Here’s a quick comparison of prices and specs for Apple 15 series.