Everything you need to know about the iPhone 15
On Friday, 22 September 2023, the iPhone 15 range dropped in-store and online in Australia leaving Apple fanatics desperate to be the first to get their hands on the tech giant's biggest release yet.
Thankfully, getting your hands on their 'most-hyped' device is simple. You can choose from the base model iPhone 15, its bigger sibling the iPhone 15 Plus, the mid-tier iPhone 15 Pro and the top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Buy the iPhone 15 here:
iPhone 15
128GB – $1,499 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
256GB – $1,699 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
512GB – $2,049 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
iPhone 15 Plus
128GB – $1,649 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
256GB – $1,849 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
512GB – $2,199 in black, blue, green, pink and yellow
iPhone 15 Pro
128GB – $1,849 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
256GB – $2,049 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
512GB – $2,399 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
1TB – $2,749 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
iPhone 15 Pro Max
512GB – $2,549 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
1TB – $2,899 in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium
What's new for the iPhone 15 range?
Apple is introducing some big changes to the iPhone 15 range, including a new charging system, altering button functions and a software update.
New USB-C charger
Recent Apple releases have all used a lightning connector as their charger. This is no longer the case due to a ruling set by the EU that all devices should be able to charge using one universal charger: the USB-C.
Because of this, the lightning connector has been ditched by Apple and the USB-C is being introduced to their iPhone 15 range and all upcoming Apple devices. Users can also charge their devices using the wireless MagSafe chargers sold by Apple.
Colour changes
Every new iPhone release welcomes a whole new variety of colour options. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use a matte pastel colour palette while the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max colours are based around titanium.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus come in green, yellow, blue, pink and black. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max come in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium.
Changes to the mute switch
Usually found on the side of the phone, the 'mute' switch has now been changed on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to an 'action' button. This new addition lets users set shortcuts to take them directly to different apps, change volume settings or activate different control modes like the 'Do Not Disturb'.
These changes haven't been made to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, so it's business as usual when silencing these devices.
New frame material
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are built with an innovative and aerospace-grade titanium rather than the traditional aluminium frame as seen in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. This makes it one of the strongest smartphone models while also retaining its light weight.
iOS 17 functionality
The new software iOS 17 upgrades current features to a whole new level. You can now customise how your contacts appear onscreen by setting images for different contacts as their 'poster' for when they call.
Within the messages app, you can get transcriptions of audio messages and automatically notify your selected contacts when you have made it to your destination safely.
For those prone to getting lost or breaking away from the crowd, the new update to the Find My feature will let you share your location with up to five other people and use the precision finding features to direct you exactly to where they are.
When using the internet, you can now separate how you browse according to what are personal searches and what are professional searches. Just a few of the new software upgrades we're looking forward to.
The best features of the iPhone 15
Apple always pushes the boundaries when it comes to modern and high-tech features, and the iPhone 15 is no different.
Build and display
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro measure 6.1 inches while the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max measure 6.7 inches. They are built with contoured edges for a larger screen.
Each model uses colour-infused back glass to make your phone colour choice really stand out. This backing is infused with nanocrystalline particles to make the matte colour finish. It is also built with a strong ceramic shield front screen.
The display for all models is a Super Retina XDR with an Always-On screen.
A limiting factor is the refresh rate. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus only have a 60Hz while the Pro and Pro Max have a 120Hz. This is the amount of times the screen refreshes per second. While those numbers may seem big, 60Hz is rather small compared to other smartphones on the market including ASUS ROG 5S and Motorola Edge 30 Fusion coming in at 144Hz and for a cheaper price.
Cameras
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use a dual-camera system – a 48MP main camera (same as in the iPhone 14 Pro) and 12MP ultra -ide camera. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max also have a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera in their three-camera layout but also have a telephoto zoom camera.
The main 48MP camera is able to support a high-resolution 24MP default image while the front camera has TrueDepth technology that will automatically focus on faces.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have a 48MP sensor with new focal lengths (24mm, 28mm and 35mm) on the main camera to enhance the quality of images when zooming in or snapping at a distance.
These new focal lengths simulate the effect of seven pro lenses in one – a 0.5x ultra-wide macro lens, a 0.5x ultra-wide 13mm lens, a 1x main 24mm lens, a 1x main 28mm lens, a 1x main 35mm lens, a 2x telephoto 48mm lens and a 5x telephoto 120mm lens. The x5 telephoto lens has the longest optical zoom ever on an iPhone.
Photography
Apple new term for their phone's photography capabilities is 'computational photography'. This is where the iPhone 15's software automatically optimises the best quality settings for the photo to be taken.
It will pull pixels together to enhance the image and make it appear lighter in darker settings without compromising the quality of the image. This is best utilised in night mode where images taken at night and in darker environments are sharper and cleaner, just like images taken in daylight.
The iPhone 15 range also has a Smart HDR feature if the lighting is even or too bright. This feature smooths out the lighting for both the person in the image and the background.
Next generation portraits
This is a new portrait photography setting to improve the focus and depth within the image as well as brighter lighting and colours. Users no longer have to manually switch to 'portrait mode' in their camera settings to access these features.
When the phone detects if there is someone in the frame, whether that be a person or a pet, it will automatically capture the depth within the image. This can also be achieved by manually focusing.
You can then convert these images to portraits in photos. You can also switch the focus of the image after the image is taken. So if there are multiple people in the image, you can manually select who is in focus afterwards.
Videos
The iPhone 15 can capture 4K HDR videos at 60fps (frames per second). It also uses 4K filming in 'cinematic mode' that will automatically focus on the subject in the video even as they move throughout the frame. The 'action mode' setting is an option for steadier video when the filmmaker is moving.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max now also allow for spatial Videos. This is a new 3D video format that will be supported on Apple's new Vision Pro headset, set to be released in 2024.
Processor
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus use an A16 bionic processor – the same processor as the iPhone 14 Pro. This processor is up to 40 per cent faster than the processor used in the iPhone 12.
Stepping it up a notch, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max use the new A17 bionic processor. This is the smartphone industry's first 3-nanometer chip processor. It is designed to make everyday tasks ultra-fast. The A17 has made the engine up to two times faster for processes like autocorrect and live speech and created faster gaming times with ray tracing technology AKA the rendering of realistic settings and sequences within games.
Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing says the A17 "enables game-changing new workflows", and "ushers in a new chapter of performance and games never before seen on iPhone".
Also worth noting...
Apple is working towards their products being carbon neutral by 2023, with the iPhone 15 made from 75 per cent aluminium and the Pro range made using 100 per cent recycled aluminium and cobalt in the battery. They are also no longer including leather in their products or accessories.
It is built with crash detection and emergency SOS systems through a satellite connection.
If you cannot reach 000 or don't have a Wi-Fi signal, the emergency SOS feature will let you contact emergency services through a satellite connection.
Crash detection will let you call for help when you have been in a car accident. It can detect the incident through built-in algorithms that can pinpoint sudden speed and distance changes and air pressure within the car which can be caused by airbags deploying.
Additional specs
Software: Dynamic Island – the same as in the iPhone 14 Pro. This creates bubble alerts on the phone so you don't miss out on any important information
Battery: iPhone 15: up to 20 hours; iPhone 15 Plus: up to 25 hours; iPhone 15 Pro: up to 23 hours; iPhone 15 Pro Max: up to 29 hours.
The iPhone 15 provides up to three hours more video feedback compared to the iPhone 12, iPhone 15 Pro provides up to six hours more than the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max has up to nine hours more than the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Weight: iPhone 15: 171 grams; iPhone 15 Plus: 201 grams; iPhone 15 Pro: 187 grams; iPhone 15 Pro Max: 221 grams.
Where you can buy the iPhone 15
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
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