With WWDC behind us and summer in full swing, it won’t be long before the iPhone 15 is upon us. There are still about two months left, but the rumor mill already gives us a good idea of what to expect. Just like we’ve had for the past few years, we’re expecting a standard iPhone 15 in regular and Plus sizes (6.1 and 6.7 inches, though thinner bezels can make screens ever larger), and the iPhone 15 Pro in nearly identical standard and Max sizes.
At the low end, prices are expected to be similar to the current iPhone 14 models: $799/£849 for the standard iPhone 15 and $899/£949 for the larger Plus model. At the high end, prices could jump $100, with some rumors suggesting the larger Pro model will be rebranded as the iPhone 15 Ultra and see an even bigger price hike.
So why should you pay so much more? What do you get when you opt for one of the iPhone 15 Pro models? Based on the best rumors available to date, here are the differences that Apple hopes will inspire you to spend hundreds more.
The A17 chip
For the past two years, Apple has put a different chip in the Pro model iPhones. The iPhone 13 Pro had an A15 Bionic like the iPhone 13, only the high-end phone had 5 GPU cores instead of 4. With the iPhone 14, Apple went a step further and made the A16 Bionic exclusive to Pro models – the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus again got the A15 (with 5 GPU cores).
If you want the A17 and all the benefits it brings, you’ll need to buy the iPhone 15 Pro or Max. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will receive the A16 found in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It’s still a very fast chip, but we’re hopeful that the new 3nm process will allow Apple to really push the A17 design in new ways instead of just making it 15-20% faster.
The titanium body
The iPhone 15 Pro case may be titanium instead of stainless steel, just like the Apple Watch Ultra. It would be the first time Apple has used a new material in the iPhone Pro since the model launched in 2019.
Steel tends to be a little stronger and harder than titanium (it varies greatly depending on the exact composition and heat treatment of the steel), but titanium is still very strong and hard and weighs around the half steel. That means a much lighter and more comfortable iPhone, especially the larger Max/Ultra model, which currently tips the scales at 240 grams.
The telephoto lens
Regular iPhones have a standard (wide) and ultra-wide camera. Pro models include a telephoto lens, currently a 12MP camera with 3x zoom in the iPhone 14 Pro.
Some say the iPhone 15 will have the same large 48MP wide-angle camera as the iPhone 14 Pro, which could be a reason not to buy the Pro model. But consider this: non-Pro iPhones have so far not supported ProRAW, which is needed to capture full-size 48MP photos – in standard HEIF or JPG formats you only get 12MP photos in pixels. Since ProRAW probably won’t come to the non-Pro iPhone 15, we’re guessing iPhone 15 photos will be limited to 12MP images, so you’ll still need an iPhone 15 Pro to take full advantage of it. 48MP camera.
Either way, the iPhone 15 Pro is sure to have a telephoto lens which the iPhone 15 doesn’t. And if you’re looking at a larger phone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a new periscope lens telephoto lens with 5x-6x optical zoom and at least 20X digital zoom, both much better than the iPhone. 14 For.
Additionally, the iPhones Pro also have LiDAR sensors, which is good for AR applications and for improving focus and portrait mode in dark environments. It could also come in handy when the Vision Pro ships next year.
Foundry
The Action button
With the iPhone 15 Pro models, rumor has it that Apple is finally replacing the mute switch, which has been with us since the original iPhone, with a button. This so-called “action button” would perform different functions depending on how you use your phone. For example, when locked, it will turn your iPhone off or on, but maybe when using the Camera app, it could take on another function like quickly switching between video and photo modes. Perhaps double-tapping your home screen button will perform a shortcut from a list of options, similar to the “tap back” accessibility feature?
There’s no reason the mute should be a toggle switch rather than a button, and a button provides a lot more flexibility. Plus, it means cases without annoying cutouts. And it looks like you’ll only get it on Pro phones.
display
The iPhone 15 should have an OLED display with Dynamic Island, as found today on the iPhone 14 Pro. But even so, the Pro models are still far superior, with features like higher peak and outdoor brightness, always-on display and ProMotion. And this always-on display will become even more useful in iOS 17 with the new StandBy feature.
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The USB-C port
All iPhone 15 models are expected to ditch the Lightning connector in favor of USB-C. New European Union laws require it on future products. Rumors suggest we can expect USB 2.0 data transfer speeds on the standard iPhone 15 (480Mbps, just like Lightning), while the iPhone 15 Pro will get USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, offering data transfer speeds of up to 20 or 40 Gbits per second.
Faster charging speeds are a possibility, though some rumors suggest those higher speeds will be limited to special USB-C cables with authentication chips, like Lightning cables do today.
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