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Apple made a highly-anticipated announcement on September 12, 2023, introducing the world to its latest smartphone series – the iPhone 15. This series boasts four different models, each with its own set of features and benefits to cater to a diverse range of users.
The iPhone 15 is the standard model, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display, 128GB of storage, and a dual-camera system. The iPhone 15 Plus is a step up from the standard model, with a larger 6.7-inch OLED display, 256GB of storage, and a triple-camera system.
The iPhone 15 Pro is a premium model that comes with a 6.1-inch ProMotion display, 512GB of storage, and a quad-camera system. Finally, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most advanced model, boasting a massive 6.7-inch ProMotion display, up to 1TB of storage, and a triple-camera system with a 5x telephoto tetraprism camera included.
If you’re in the market for a new phone and considering the iPhone 15 series, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll dive deep into each model’s features, benefits, and drawbacks, so you can make an informed decision on which iPhone 15 is the best fit for your needs.
Apple iPhone 15 Specs
The new iPhone 15 and 15 Plus specs aren’t really that surprising. But there are some nice changes here. So the iPhone 15 has a 6.1-inch OLED display with 1000 nits brightness and 2000 nits peak brightness. It weighs in at 171 grams, with dimensions of 147.6 mm x 71.6mm x 7.8mm. That’s just a gram lighter than its predecessor. The iPhone 15 Plus is largely the same, but with a larger 6.7-inch display, it also weighs 201 grams. It has dimensions of 160.9mm x 77.8mm x 7.80mm. That’s two grams lighter than its predecessor.
Otherwise, they both sport the A16 Bionic chipset from the iPhone 14 Pro series last year, along with IP68 for water and dust resistance. There’s a new camera on these phones this year. With the upgrade to the 48-megapixel sensor that the iPhone 14 Pro models saw last year. This has a f/1.6 aperture and allows to do up to 2x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the ultrawide is still 12-megapixel and has an f/2.4 aperture. The front camera is a 12-megapixel sensor still with a f/1.9 aperture.
Apple does not release battery capacities, but according to their battery life metric, it’s unchanged this year. The iPhone 15 is rated for 20 hours of video playback, and the iPhone 15 Plus for 26 hours of playback. Don’t forget that they also come with USB-C this year.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max Specs
Now, moving on to the Pro models. They still come in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes. The iPhone 15 Pro measures 146.6mm x 70.6mm x 8.25mm and weighs 187 grams. That’s nearly 40 grams lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max measures 159.9mm x 76.7mm x 8.25mm and weighs in at 221 grams. That is also pretty light compared to its predecessor, but only about 19 grams lighter.
Inside, both phones are running the new A17 Pro chipset, which appears to be a pretty hefty upgrade over the A16 Bionic. It’s a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Pretty similar to the A16 Bionic, though it’s adding another GPU core.
Onto the camera front, things are a bit different for the two devices. Both sport a 48-megapixel main camera, with 12-megapixel ultrawide and 12-megapixel telephoto sensors. However, the telephoto sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a periscope lens, which is capable of doing up to 5x optical zoom, matching the Pixel Fold.
As with the regular iPhone 15 models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max do not have battery capacities listed. But Apple claims up to 23 hours of video playback on the iPhone 15 Pro – the same as the iPhone 14 Pro. There are up to 29 hours of video playback on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
We did compare the battery life on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to a few Android phones in our battery life test, and it outperformed everything by a mile. As you can see in the graph above, the iPhone 15 Pro Max lasted over 22 hours on our video playback test. That is still far short of how long Apple claims it would last. But it is more than double the most recent Android flagship phones. Which is really telling.
How much is the iPhone 15 series?
The iPhone 15 series is getting a bit of a price jump this year, but only on one model – the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Which, ironically, has the most upgrades this year around. Otherwise, prices are mostly staying the same.
iPhone 15 will start out at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus at $899, the iPhone 15 Pro at $999, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,199. That’s a $100 jump in price for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. All models, except for the iPhone 15 Pro Max will start at 128GB. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max will start at 256GB.
Now, obviously, the carriers will be offering some pretty incredible discounts on the iPhone 15 this year. We’re expecting to see some pretty good deals, including getting a phone for free with a trade-in, among other things. You can check out our deals section for the best prices on iPhone 15.
Where can I buy the iPhone 15 series?
You will be able to buy the iPhone 15 series virtually anywhere. Anywhere that sells tech will offer the iPhone 15 series. That includes Apple, Amazon, AT&T, Best Buy, B&H Photo, Costco, Sam’s Club, T-Mobile, Verizon and many other options. A number of MVNOs will also sell the iPhone 15, including Visible, Xfinity Mobile, and many more.
Keep in mind that over at Apple’s website, you’ll be able to pay in installments using your Apple Card, as well as using the iPhone Upgrade Program. This allows you to upgrade every year without changing how much you’re paying. The price is a bit higher here, but that is also because AppleCare is included in the upgrade program.
What carriers will support the iPhone 15?
Every carrier will support the iPhone 15, and all of its features will be available, too. That includes AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, as well as the MVNOs that run on their networks.
What colors does the iPhone 15 come in?
The iPhone 15 will have two sets of colors. Those are the colors for the iPhone 15 and another set for the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Starting with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, they’ll be available in black, starlight, light blue, yellow, and pink. This year, Apple is going with a more pastel set of colors for the non-Pro iPhones. This is an exciting look, but at least you can still get black.
Now, over to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, we’re looking at four colors. This includes Space Black, Silver Gray, Titanium, and Dark Blue. Mostly muted colors this year, which is pretty common for the “Pro” models of any of Apple’s products. These will be made of titanium this year, so the Titanium or Titan Gray color will match the Apple Watch Ultra.
What new features will the iPhone 15 Series bring?
The big new feature for the iPhone 15 this year is going to be USB-C. But that’s not the only thing going on this year. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will get the Dynamic Island and an upgrade to the 48-megapixel camera from the iPhone 14 Pro. Meanwhile, the Pro models will get more here, including a Titanium build and a couple of new camera sensors. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will bring in a periscope zoom lens, allowing for better-zooming capabilities.
USB-C
Thanks to the EU, Apple is adding USB-C to all iPhone 15 models this year. All four models get USB-C, though the non-Pro models might get slower transfer speeds. But charging is jumping up to 30W, which is good to see.
With this move to USB-C, Apple is also updating many of its accessories to add in USB-C over Lightning. This move means that you can use the same cable to charge your MacBook, iPad, and now iPhone. So it’s a pretty big deal.
Dynamic Island is coming to non-Pro iPhones
Last year, in a last-minute surprise, Apple launched Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. Apple took the Notch and made it smaller, giving us a pretty large hole punch setup for the front-facing camera and Face ID sensors. They tossed in some software to make it dynamic and show things like timers, progress, etc.
Now, this feature is here on the non-Pro iPhone 15 models. So it’ll be available across the entire lineup now.
New titanium build
The iPhone 15 Pro series is getting a new material this year. It had been using stainless steel for quite some time. This does make it look and feel pretty premium, but the shiny rails make it look pretty disgusting after a couple of days. Well, this year, Stainless Steel is out, and Titanium is in.
Apple has used titanium before on the Apple Watch, and now it’s on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. The main advantages here are that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are lighter this year, and they are also more durable. Two great things to see on the new iPhone.
What updates has the iPhone 15 received?
When the iPhone 15 launched, it came with iOS 17 out of the box. But since then, it has received a few updates, outlined below.
- iOS 17.0.1 – Released on September 21, 2023
- iOS 17.0.2 – Released on September 22, 2023
- iOS 17.0.3 – Released on October 4, 2023
- iOS 17.1 – Released on October 25, 2023
- iOS 17.1.1 – Released on November 7, 2023
- iOS 17.1.2 – Released on November 30, 2023
- iOS 17.2 – Released on December 11, 2023
- iOS 17.1 – Released on December 22, 2023
- iOS 17.3 – Released on January 23, 2024
- iOS 17.3.1 – Released on February 8, 2024
- iOS 17.4 – Released on March 5, 2024
- iOS 17.5 – Released on May 13, 2024
- iOS 17.5.1 – Released on May 20, 2024
- iOS 17.6.1 – Released on August 7, 2024
- iOS 18 – Released on September 16, 2024
What cases are available for the iPhone 15 series?
Finally, what good cases can you pick up for your new iPhone 15 series phone? Well, we have rounded up some of the best options that are currently available.
ESR Classic Series
This is the best clear case that you can buy for the Apple iPhone 15 Pro right now. It has a price tag of around $19, making it pretty inexpensive too. This case includes the MagSafe ring, so you’re able to use this with your favorite MagSafe chargers and other accessories with ease. With the MagSafe ring being included, it makes it a lot easier to use with MagSafe products, and it will also be stronger.
ESR promises military-grade drop protection on their Classic Case. We have not actually tested this out ourselves, since we aren’t trying to break out phones. But this is a really good feature to have for those that need some added protection. It includes Air Guard corners that will absorb the shock so that your phone doesn’t have to.
One of the problems that a lot of clear cases have is that they will start to turn yellow over time. ESR claims that this case is yellowing-resistant, though we haven’t been able to test that out just yet since the iPhone 15 Pro has only been out for a couple of months so far.
ZAGG London Snap
The ZAGG London Snap is a really great-looking case for the iPhone 15 Pro. However, it is a bit on the pricey side, with a regular price of $49.99. But let me tell you, it is worth the price. It’s a stunning case from ZAGG that also offers up to 13 feet of drop protection and has the MagSafe magnet built-in. While the case does look fairly thick, it’s actually pretty thin, especially for what it is offering here.
ZAGG is using Graphene in their new cases, including the London Snap; what this means is that your case is more durable while also being lighter. Graphene is one of the hardest materials on earth, so when you drop your phone in the ZAGG London Snap, you’re going to experience no damage to your phone unless it’s more than a thirteen-foot drop.
This is arguably one of my favorite cases for the iPhone 15 Pro, and ZAGG does sell it in a ton of different colors. Which includes Gray Geo, Dusty Rose, Black Geo, Floral Teal, and Navy. It’s a good-looking case that is still going to do a fabulous job at protecting your phone, and that’s what we all want.
Nomad Modern Leather Case
Nomad’s leather cases are some of my favorite cases for the iPhone. And I really wish the company made cases for more phones – like the Google Pixel 8. These cases are really good because they are available in modern leather and horween leather. The horween leather comes from Chicago and will take a bit longer to patina versus the modern leather. It’s also a bit more expensive at $70 versus the $50 for the modern leather case.
I’ve used this case on my iPhone 12 Pro, 13 Pro, and 14 Pro over the last few years. This year, I decided to try out another leather case – the Andar Aspen – after hearing lots of good things about it. But that doesn’t mean that Nomad’s is no longer good, quite the opposite.
Nomad offers its leather case in three colors: black, brown, and English Tan. If you really want to see the patina, you’re going to want to get the Brown or English Tan color as the black color won’t show the patina as much.
With Nomad, the leather doesn’t wrap around the phone. Instead, it is on the back only, with the sides being made of plastic. This isn’t a knock on Nomad, as this does make the leather case look better with its patina while also adding some grip. The buttons are also really good here, especially the new Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro.