Apple’s iPhone lineup has always been a standout in more ways than one. In lieu of micro-USB and USB-C ports, the company found a staple in its proprietary Lightning connector, but things are set to change with an upcoming European Union law, which mandates a USB-C standard.
The iPhone 15 series will thus mark a departure from the norm – connectivity wise, at least. Apart from the leap to USB-C, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus look largely the same as their predecessor, with both continuing to use a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display respectively. The Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped cutout that first debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, has been carried over, offering a new way of viewing notifications and interacting with apps.
Additionally, both devices are powered by the A16 Bionic chip, the same one found in, again, the iPhone 14 and Pro Max models. The biggest noticeable upgrade, however, is an enhanced camera system, which now ships with a 48MP sensor, as well as a 12MP telephoto with image stabilisation and continuous zoom. Night Mode, Live Photos, action mode, and portrait mode have also been improved, such that users will no longer have to manually switch to portrait mode.
Other notable features include an “all-day battery life”, a second-generation ultra wideband chip, and Roadside Assistance via satellite. The generational update improves connectivity to other supported Apple devices placed at a distance and enables precision finding in Find My, while the latter service – an expansion of the Emergency SOS via satellite feature – lets users in the U.S. text AAA for assistance in case of car trouble.
Rounding out the latest line-up are the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. Like their non-Pro siblings, both phones boast a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display respectively, but pack in more significant upgrades. For one, they are touted as Apple’s most powerful and lightest smartphones to date, sporting a rugged, sleek-looking titanium enclosure and powered by the new A17 Pro chip. The latter, coupled with a redesigned GPU, is described to bring the fastest performance in any smartphone and other features like hardware accelerated ray tracing, which allows for improved gaming capabilities.
There’s also a new Action Button – with haptic feedback, to boot – that replaces the ringer switch on the left side of the phone. Technically, it’s still a ringer switch by default, but serves better as a customisable button used to bind shortcuts, open the camera, pull up various features, and more. Both devices will be able to support both the always-on display and new StandBy Mode in iOS 17 as well.
Similarly, the upgraded camera system is the headliner here. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max promise Apple’s best cameras yet, offering the equivalent of seven lenses, including a 12MP ultra-wide, a 3x telephoto, and an improved 48MP camera. The main 48MP shooter touts better low-light images, reduced lens flare, and full-res HEIF photos using Apple’s AI systems.
Users will also be able to shoot at multiple focal lengths – 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm – within the main camera, and get up to 5x optical zoom at 120mm focal length (only on the iPhone 15 Pro Max). To get the most out of the Apple Vision Pro, the company’s mixed reality headset, both devices are equipped to capture “spatial video”, though that’s only coming next year.
Lastly, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will sport a USB-C port (of course), which capabilities go beyond charging. Apple’s latest is set to be the first phone with 10Gbps transfer speeds, allowing imaging work and file transfers to work better and faster on the fly.
The Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, starting at S$1,299 and S$1,449 respectively. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, meanwhile, come in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium finishes.
The former is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities at the base price of S$1,649, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max (256GB, 512 GB, and 1TB) starts at S$1,999. Pre-orders open this Friday, 15 September at 8 pm SGT (GMT+8), with availability beginning 22 September.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
HSALS
