iPhone 15 is here!
Before you purchase Apple's newest product, check out the features and pricing for the full series.
By Dennison DeNatalie
Apple officially announced on September 12th that the iPhone 15 is here. For some, it’s been a long time coming for the new features. For others, it’s just another phone. Let’s talk about that.
As I usually do, I’ll start with the regular iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. For iPhone 14 and 14 Plus users, you’ll find significant upgrades such as an improved camera system and USB-C charging (finally)! Plus, the Dynamic Island (instead of the notch) makes its way to the budget phone. However, USB-C on the base iPhone is software limited to USB 2.0 speeds.
As in years past, the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models start at $799 and $899, respectively.
Now — what you came here for…. iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Apple’s claim to fame this year is the new material of the iPhone 15. Pro and Pro Max models will be constructed out of titanium, thus making the phone lighter and stronger. Due to titanium’s natural chemical composure, there are new color schemes for the pro models, but there is a catch, which we’ll return to shortly.
15 Pro and Pro Max feature the new A17 Pro chipset. Apple claims this is the fastest chip in any smartphone to date, making the “pro” name really work for its title. A17 Pro features a 6-Core GPU that delivers the best graphics performance in any iPhone yet.
So why go Pro? If you came here for the camera talk, get excited. Let’s start with the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple claims that having the iPhone 15 Pro is like having “seven pro lenses” in your pocket everywhere you go. The options are as follows: 0.5x Ultra-Wide Macro, 0.5x Ultra-Wide 13mm, 1x Main 24mm, 1x Main 28mm, 1x Main 35mm, 2x Telephoto 48mm, 3x Telephoto 77mm (on the 15 Pro Max, instead you’ll get a 5x 120mm telephoto lens). These upgrades were made possible by what Apple calls a new “Tetraprism” camera design, which internally reflects light four times inside the lens without needing a physically larger design.
All this pro-camera talk, but two video features really piqued my interest. You can now shoot Pro-Raw with iPhone 15 Pro. On top of that, you can also shoot 4K60. This function becomes super cool because you can record video directly to an external drive using the new USB-C port on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. 15 Pro and Pro Max support USB 3.0 speeds, allowing up to 20x faster transfer speeds. And now, you can charge your Mac, iPad, and iPhone with the same cable. Finally, Apple. Thank you.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max pricing models fluctuated slightly, with the 15 Pro staying at a $999 starting price and the Pro Max jumping up to $1199. Because of the titanium build, four color options are available: black, white, blue, and natural titanium with a grey/yellowish tint.
iPhone 15 and 15 Pro can be pre-ordered starting Friday, September 15th at 8 a.m. EST and will be available on September 22nd.
iPhone Upgrade Program members, like me, will be able to enjoy their new iPhone on the 22nd when it arrives at their front door. I’m throwing away all of my lighting chargers.
Be sure to check back at The FTC Record for my personalized product review of the 15 Pro Max. In the meantime, take a tour for yourself:
