The first piece of hardware from Apple’s “Wonderlust” event is set to hit stores on Friday with the iPhone 15 range making its debut.
The phones have been available for preorder for just under a week but Friday will be the first opportunity for consumers to have their hands on the newest edition of Apple’s flagship product. Also available Friday is a batch of new Apple Watches.
The iPhone 15 lineup starts at $799 and offers four models – the iPhone 15, Plus, Pro and Pro Max. The new phone will have a range of new features and the premium models will introduce a new material to the user experience.
Here’s what you need to know about the iPhone 15.
How much will the iPhone 15 cost?
The base model iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the 15 Plus will start at $899.
The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, while the iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199.
iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus display size
The iPhone 15 has a 6.1-inch display, and the 15 Plus has a 6.7-inch display.
Where can you buy an iPhone today?
The iPhone 15 will be available in Apple stores and on Apple’s website Friday.
What colors does the iPhone 15 come in?
The base models come in five colors – pink, black, white, blue and yellow.
The iPhones have aluminum sides and a glass back like the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus.
The iPhone Pro models come in dark gray, black, dark blue and light grey and have titanium sides.
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New features, camera in the iPhone 15
The standard iPhone 15 models feature an improved camera system that will allow for greater optical zoom and a wide depth of field, switching from a 12-megapixel main camera sensor to a 48-megapixel version.
The new camera has the same resolution as the camera on the iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone 15 base models will get the A16 chip used in the iPhone 14 Pro models.
The phones will also have a “U2” ultrawide-band semiconductor, the first since the U1 launched in the iPhone 11 Pro. The new semiconductor improves the location feature, which allows the phone to be tracked more accurately in the Find My app.
Dynamic Island for all
The phones will have Dynamic Island, a redesigned notch at the top of the screen that takes up less visual space. The feature was first added to the iPhone 14 Pro models last year as a tool to track ongoing activity, like directions or the music you’re listening to.
Emergency roadside assistance
Apple also added roadside assistance on the same system used for the SOS feature.
Drivers who are lost in an area without cell service will be able to trigger the feature via text, which will allow them to share their location via satellite.
The feature will launch with AAA as the roadside assistance provider.
Those who purchase an iPhone 15 will have free access to the feature for two years.
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New phone, old charger: iPhone 15 switches to USB-C
The iPhone 15 will be the first major Apple product to switch its charging port from “Lightning” to USB-C.
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The change in charging technology is in response to laws passed by the Council of the European Union in 2022.
The law applies to a range of electronic devices including mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, headphones, earbuds and portable loudspeakers.
“We all have at least three mobile phone chargers at home. Looking for the right charger, either at home or at work, can be quite annoying,” Jozef Síkela, Czech Republic’s Minister for Industry and Trade said in a press release at the time of the law’s passing. “Having a charger that fits multiple devices will save money and time and also helps us reduce electronic waste.”
At the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference last October, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said the tech giant would abide by the regulations.
Let me upgrade you: iPhone 15 Pro features, camera
The main difference between the iPhone 15 base models and the iPhone 15 Pro is the use of titanium sides, which replaces the stainless steel used since the iPhone X.
The titanium is also fingerprint-resistant, unlike the steel version. The switch makes the phone about 10% lighter, and the edges connecting the side and front are less sharp.
The iPhone 15 Pro models will also have the faster A17 chip that the company claims will improve the mobile gaming experience.
The Pro models will no longer have the ring/mute switch, and instead, the switch will be a programmable “Action Button.”
The iPhone 15 Pro models will still have three cameras and a 48-megapixel main camera sensor. It will have new telephoto and ultrawide lenses with more megapixels than the iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have an updated telephoto system with enhanced hardware zoom capabilities, which will double the iPhone’s ability to zoom into images with the physical lens from 3X to 5X at 120mm focal length.
iPhone 15 debuts with iOS 17
The iPhone 15 will debut with Apple’s iOS 17, the latest operating system from the tech giant. The new operating system will start the phone with a spate of new features.
- Live voicemail screening: The new operating system will allow you to read a transcript of a voicemail in real time and decide whether to pick up the call.
- Standby mode: iPhone users will be able to put their phones into standby mode while the phone is charging on its side. In this mode, the phone can function as a clock, shuffle through photos or operate widgets.
- FaceTime update: You will be able to project calls to an AppleTV device. The iPhone or iPad will serve as the outgoing camera, but incoming video will be seen on the larger screen.
- Offline maps: You will be able to download maps offline. You will be able to get location information and routes in areas without cellular service and it will provide estimated time of arrival data using historical traffic data.
- NameDrop: This new feature, an outgrowth of the AirDrop feature, will allow you to exchange contact information with other iPhone users by holding the phones close to each other.
- Improved weather forecasts: The updated weather app will provide an hour-by-hour forecast of precipitation probabilities for 10 days as well as wind force and direction for the upcoming 24 hours.
- Adaptive Audio: Introduced into the AirPod Pro, this mode will modulate the volume of media and noise cancellation to match your surroundings.
- Conversation Awareness: iOS 17 will also include a Conversation Awareness mode, which will customize the volume of what’s playing and amplify the voices of the people in front of you.
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Brendan Martin is a tech enthusiast with a deep understanding of the latest technological innovations. He explores the intersection of science and technology, providing readers with insights into the digital revolution. When not immersed in the world of gadgets and code, Brendan enjoys experimenting with DIY tech projects.
