September 13 at 1 am marks an anticipatory time in Hong Kong as Apple finally unveiled the newest products to its arsenal with the excitement peaking for news on the iPhone 15 lineup – here are the details
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone family welcomes the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to its fold – and they look mighty serious. Featuring a body made of strong, lightweight titanium design (first time ever for iPhone) with new contoured edges, the newest models mean business.
Their aerospace-grade titanium bodies come in four new finishes: black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium and natural titanium. The Pro lineup is built to be tough on the back and a premier Ceramic Shield on the front.
As per usual, the displays of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max come in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes. Apple has now opted for an all-new Action button instead of the single-function switch to toggle between silent and ring – which means there is also an option to change its functionality to other features on the phone such as quick camera access, activating Voice Memos and more.
Both the Pro and Pro Max are equipped with the A17 Pro, an industry-first 3-nanometer chip. This translates to smoother graphics while bringing more immersive gaming experiences for one; secondly, its new 6-core design increases peak performance and energy efficiency. A new USB controller supports much higher transfer speeds and video output up to 4K at 60 fps HDR.
Of course, the iPhone 15 models feature the iOS 17 – an upgrade to its operating system with a beta testing programme running over the summer.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
In retrospect, the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus may seem slightly less exciting but with a new colour range, innovations in their camera capabilities and also a rounded-edges look, the two new members offer a fresh upgrade while retaining some of iPhone’s more classic feel.
The aerospace-grade aluminium is not restricted to the Pro and Pro Max units but has extended to the 15 and 15 Plus too. For the first time in a smartphone, colour is infused throughout the back glass, creating five new sophisticated colours which are black, blue, green, yellow, and pink. They are oddly reminiscent of the vintage Apple MacIntosh computers when they first hit the market with their colourful presence. In this case, in a more pastel-like capacity.
Apple highlights the phones’ camera capabilities citing that the main camera will give users a new 24MP super-high-resolution setting as a default.
iOS 17 at a glance
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature iOS 17, making iPhone even more personal and intuitive with new capabilities:
- The Phone app gets major updates with Contact Posters, which allows users to customize how they appear to their contacts, and Live Voicemail, which leverages the power of A16 Bionic to see real-time on-device transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. Users can even pick up the call while the caller is leaving their message.
- Messages gets a new stickers experience, more powerful search, transcription of audio messages, and Check In, which allows users to automatically notify friends and family when they have made it to their destination safely.
- NameDrop gives users a new way to use AirDrop to easily share contact information by simply bringing two iPhone devices together. The same gesture can be used for AirDrop content and more.
- StandBy gives users a customizable full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging. With support for Live Activities, Siri, incoming calls, and larger notifications, StandBy is perfect for a nightstand, kitchen counter, or desk.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max comes with the following additional features:
- Interactive widgets on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and in StandBy allow users to take action with just a tap, making it easy to complete a to-do, or play or pause a song right from the widget.
- Safari adds greater protection for Private Browsing and introduces profiles, helping users separate their browsing for topics like work and personal.
iOS 17 includes Journal, a new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling; improvements to autocorrect and Dictation; greater protection for Private Browsing in Safari; password and passkey sharing with iCloud Keychain; pet recognition in Photos; and much more.
