Yes, Apple launched the latest iPhone this month and as usual, this generated a huge amount of interest because there are so many of us out there with iPhones now, we all want to know if we need the new features or not and if we can afford to upgrade?
So what’s the news about the iPhone 15? It was released yesterday at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters inside the Steve Jobs Theatre and it’s the latest in the range of iPhones since the first was created back in 2007.
There are four iPhone 15 models and they are the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus. These both have the same powerful processor (A16 bionic) as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro models. Then there’s the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max models which have a new A17 Pro Chip. The iPhone 15 Pro models also feature the triple lens camera system while the 15 and 15 Plus models have a dual lens camera.
So what are the new features of the iPhone 15?
Apple has changed its proprietary Lightning charging connector to the universally used USB-C port for this new iPhone 15 range.
This means that all your other products such as headphones or a Bluetooth speaker – you’ll be able to use the cable that comes with these products to charge your iPhone 15. Apple had to make this change to its USB-C port due to an EU ruling but Apple didn’t acknowledge this, preferring to say the iPhone 15 “uses powerful wired and wireless technologies.”
The USB-C is used for the iPhone 15 but the iPhone 15 Pro models have the capability to support faster data transfer speeds using USB-C on a compatible USB 3.0 cable.
What are the colours and design like?
As usual, the iPhone 15 will come in a range of colours and this year there are more pastels including pink which is almost a first for Apple – they’ve had a pink iPhone 5C and the iPhone 7 came in rose gold, but the iPhone 15 is just plain pink – or yellow, green and blue – as well as black.
The iPhone 15 Pro comes in black, cream (starlight) options and a new blue. But in a new move, the Pro models will feature a titanium outer construction which is a different look to stainless steel and also much lighter.
Apple describes the use of titanium in the iPhone 15 Pro as the “most premium material ever used in an iPhone” and they say it’s far more durable and is the lightest iPhone Pro model ever.
The screen edges of both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro are reduced, making the display sizes of 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches respectively, push further to the edge of the physical device.
From a software perspective, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro both get the Dynamic Island that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro models last year.
The mute switch on the side of the iPhone has been there since its launch in 2017. The iPhone 15 Pro models farewell the switch, replacing it with a programmable action button.
iPhone 15 Pro action button
Users of the Pro models can customise the Action button to do whatever they want. This includes using it to mute or unmute, launching the camera or another app, starting a voice memo or placing the phone on Do Not Disturb mode.
What’s the news on the camera front?
The iPhone 15 models will have the same camera technology released on the iPhone 14 Pro range which is a dual lens system and includes a 48-megapixel main camera, which will provide greater detail in photos.
The iPhone 15 Pro models will have a triple-lens camera system and on the iPhone 15 Pro, the 48-megapixel sensor is improved with the addition of new preset focal lengths for photographers on the main lens. On the Pro Max, there is a new 5x zoom with a 120-millimetre focal length and an f2.8 aperture.
Light is reflected four times within the lens to give this camera an advanced zoom feature and this same lens also features improved image stabilisation. Night mode and other low-light photography is improved on all three lenses on the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Both iPhone 15 Pro models will also support the capture of ‘Spacial Videos’ which are essentially a 3D video format that will be supported on the new Apple Vision Pro headset which will launch next year – see our story on this here.
Is it really that much different to the iPhone 14?
We have to ask the question – is the iPhone 15 really that much different to the iPhone 14? And to tell you the truth – there are a few upgrades here – including the universal charging port, upgraded camera features, the use of titanium in the Pro models etc. – but it does tend to look like there isn’t a huge amount of changes here since the iPhone 14 was released back in September of 2022.
In fact, it does raise the issue outlined in last year’s YouTube video – Introducing the Apple iPhone 14 Pro – It’s Almost Just the Same as it Was – take a look here…
To cut it short – what’s the price of these new iPhone 15 models?
The iPhone 15 starts at $1499 and goes to $1,649 for the Plus. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $1849 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is around $2199.
Pre-orders for all of these have already started so you can jump into the queue for these at Apple, major retailers and major telcos.
For more about the iPhone 15, you can visit Apple here.
For more from Women Love Tech about Apple products, visit here.
