Apple’s iPhone 15 Series is Finally Here
It’s that time of the year again – Apple recently announced that it was launching its latest wave of smartphones, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series. Priced starting at $799 for the base model iPhone 15 and $999 for the iPhone 15 Pro, the new devices come with some notable hardware changes. But what can we expect with this latest batch of smartphones from the Cupertino brand? Let’s take a look.
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
First up is the iPhone 15, which comes in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display models. Apple has finally brought over USB-C compatibility to the iPhone 15 which now allows for reverse wireless charging, as well as the Dynamic Island camera cutout, the latter of which was previously exclusive to the 14 Pro models. The iPhone 15 also features a brighter Super Retina XDR display, with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits.
There’s also a newer 48MP main camera with f/1.6 aperture, which is a considerable upgrade over the 12MP lens that Apple stuck with for several generations. The iPhone 15 likewise supports 4K cinematic video, a mode which previously was only available on Pro iPhone models. One downside is the A16 Bionic chip inside, which is an older chipset from last year.
In terms of overall design, the phone now comes with a matte glass design on the rear panel, with support for Qi 2 MagSafe wireless charging.
iPhone 15 Pro
Up next is the iPhone 15 Pro series, the more premium variants of Apple’s new lineup. Apple has introduced a new material with the Pro model this year, which now integrates Grade 5 Titanium into its design, replacing the stainless steel band that was used in previous models. The 15 Pro comes with a 6.1-inch display, although there is a larger Pro Max variant with 6.7-inch screen. As usual, both models come with Pro Motion (which is Apple lingo for 120Hz refresh rate). Apple has also ditched the mute switch on the 15 Pro models this year, replacing it with a customizable action button instead.
As with the iPhone 15, the Pro models now come with USB-C connectivity, although the 15 Pro’s biggest upgrade is arguably the A17 Bionic chip inside, which is based on a 3nm process. Apple claims that the new chip allows for better performance, especially with ray tracing for graphics-intensive gaming. Additionally, the chip will come with support for heavy-hitting console games including Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, to name a couple.
For optics, the iPhone 15 Pro retains a 48MP main camera, aided by 12MP ultrawide and telephoto lenses. The front camera likewise comes with a 12MP resolution – one considerable difference however is that the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with 5X telephoto optical zoom, which depending on your preferences may or may not be a major selling point. Apple also says that it has improved the portrait photo and night mode photos on its newer devices, which should give Apple users something to look forward to.
In terms of availability, the new phones will be available for pre-order starting on September 15, and will go on sale beginning on September 22.