(US) – Apple made an historic update and unveiling of its latest iPhone 15 series, showcasing a range of enhancements and innovations across its lineup. While all the new iPhones received updates, the Pro models stand out with several exclusive features that tech enthusiasts and Apple fans will find intriguing.
Here’s a deeper dive into what the iPhone 15 series has to offer:
USB-C Transition
Perhaps the most significant shift for all iPhone 15 models is Apple’s adoption of USB-C, replacing the Lightning port that has been in use since 2012. This change was not driven by Apple’s choice but was a result of recent EU legislation. While all iPhone 15 models now feature USB-C, the Pro models offer faster speeds, supporting USB 3 speeds up to 10 Gbps.
Display and Design
All the new iPhones feature impressive OLED displays, but the Pro models take it a step further. Both the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max boast large OLED displays with the Dynamic Island at the top. This space accommodates the front camera, sensors, app data, and Live Activities. These displays also offer a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring a smoother user experience.
The iPhone 15 Pro features a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with a larger 6.7-inch display. Although the sizes remain unchanged from the previous generation, there’s a subtle refinement with slightly thinner edges. Notably, Apple has switched from stainless steel to titanium for the iPhone’s construction, emphasizing durability and lightweight design. Apple has taken steps to make these phones more repairable, addressing a growing concern among consumers.
Cameras
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max continue the tradition of a three-camera array. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces a notable change by replacing the traditional “telephoto” camera with a periscope camera. This innovative camera offers 5x zoom capabilities at a 120mm focal length with an ƒ/2.8 aperture, surpassing the 15 Pro’s 3x zoom at a 77mm focal length. Apple has also improved stabilization for this camera to reduce shaking when using the extended focal length.
Apart from this significant change, the cameras are similar to last year’s models, with the main camera featuring a 48MP sensor and a larger sensor size than before. Users can now shoot at three different focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, 35mm) with the main camera. The Ultra Wide camera offers a Macro mode at 13mm with an ƒ/2.2 aperture. Apple claims that the iPhone 15 lineup essentially puts “seven lenses in your pocket.”
The new iPhones also introduce enhanced portrait photography, promising richer colors and improved bokeh. iOS now captures the necessary details for portraits automatically, eliminating the need to switch to Portrait mode. Notably, the Camera app now offers focus and depth control, features typically reserved for professional camera apps.
On the video front, users can shoot “Spatial Video,” a type of 3D video experience compatible with the upcoming Apple Vision Pro. Additionally, these iPhones are the first to support the “Academy Color Encoding System.”
A17 Pro SoC
Apple has expanded its Pro branding to its System-on-Chip (SoC) with the introduction of the A17 Pro. This chip represents a significant leap in performance compared to the previous A16 Bionic chip. Built on a 3nm process and boasting 19 billion transistors, the A17 Pro features a six-core CPU (two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores), a 16-core neural engine, and a six-core “pro-class” GPU. Notably, this iPhone is the first to support hardware-based ray tracing, enhancing graphical realism in games.
Connectivity
The Pro models now come with Wi-Fi 6E, an upgraded standard over Wi-Fi 6. This technology enables higher bandwidth, faster speeds, and lower latency. The new iPhones incorporate the next-gen Ultra Wideband chip, simplifying device tracking and locating friends using the Find My app.
Apple has also expanded its Emergency SOS feature, allowing users to text Roadside Assistance when needed. Customers purchasing an iPhone 15 device will receive these satellite features free for two years, although specific pricing details are yet to be revealed.
Action Button
One of the most rumored changes materialized with the iPhone 15 series, as Apple bids farewell to the classic mute switch in favor of a new “Action button.” This versatile button offers multiple functions, including muting, initiating voice memos, launching the camera, and toggling shortcuts.
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone 15 Pro retains the familiar “Pro” price tag, starting at $999 for the base model with 128GB of storage. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max sees a $100 increase, starting at $1,199 for 256GB of storage.
Preorders for the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max begin at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 15, with availability starting on Friday, September 22.
With these significant updates and innovations, the iPhone 15 series is poised to make a lasting impression on the smartphone market, catering to both tech enthusiasts and everyday users alike. Apple continues to push boundaries in performance, camera capabilities, and user experience, setting a new standard for its competitors.
