The iPhone 15 series was introduced in September 2023, much to the joy of Apple fans who cannot wait to get their hands on one. The lineup consists of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. With changes made to the design and aesthetics, it is important to understand exactly what the new iPhones offer that one cannot find in the previous generation models.

Key things to know
1. Cost
The price is one of the most important considerations when buying a smartphone. The iPhone 15 starts at $799 for the base 128GB variant, while the 256GB and 512GB storage options cost $899 and $1099, respectively. One also has the option of picking the iPhone 15 Plus starting from $899 or the iPhone Pro or Pro Max from $999 and $1,199, respectively. With Apple’s financing options, one could get the iPhone 15 for as low as $33 per month for 24 months. Additionally, those who want to save more money on their purchase could consider the brand’s trade-in deals, which could get them between $40 to $650 credit toward their new iPhone purchase.

2. Design
The iPhone 15 continues to sport a similar design as its predecessors. The device features glass on the front and back with a squared-off aluminum frame. However, now the smartphone is more comfortable to hold due to its slightly rounded frame. Even the glossy back is swapped for “color-infused” glass with a satin or matte finish. Speaking of colors, the iPhone 15 is available in five colors—blue, pink, yellow, green, and black. The new design is lighter, with the iPhone 15 weighing just 6.02 ounces. The iPhone 15 Plus weighs 7.09 ounces, which is still exceptional for its size. Additionally, the base iOS device is rated IP68, which protects the devices against splashes, rain, and accidental water exposure to a maximum depth of 6 meters and up to 30 minutes.

3. Charging port and battery
This is one of the biggest changes in the iPhone 15 series. All four models in the lineup feature a USB-C port for charging and data transfer instead of the proprietary Lighting port. The swap will enable Apple users to cut down on the number of charging accessories they use for their non-iOS devices and stick to a single universal cable instead. The USB-C port supports wired charging up to 27W. The entry-level iPhone 15 also features MagSafe wireless charging of up to 15W and Qi wireless charging of up to 7.5 W. As for the battery, it can offer up to 20 hours of video playback and up to 80 hours of audio playback on a single charge, which are impressive figures. One can also fast-charge their device up to 50% in 30 minutes with an available 20W adapter or higher.

4. Display
The iPhone 15 comes with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, which is consistent with its predecessors. But there are a couple of notable upgrades this time. For instance, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models also get the intuitive Dyanamic Island, which was previously limited to the Pro models. So, users can receive informative animations around notifications that make the overall user experience more interactive. The smartphone also comes with a higher peak brightness of 2,000 nits outdoors, which makes it much easier to read in direct sunlight.

5. Processor
The iPhone 15 standard models come with the A16 Bionic chip, which features a six-core CPU, five-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. So, the device may offer exceptional performance in terms of multitasking, gaming, and taking loads of photos and videos. What’s more? The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max get the latest A17 Pro chip, which is likely to be faster than the A16.

6. Camera
Apple offers consistency in its iPhone 15 camera specs. The smartphone inherits the 48-megapixel primary camera from the previous generation Pro models but with an all-new sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The front-facing camera is a 12-megapixel component with an f/1.9 aperture. The setup also includes a built-in Retina Flash. Other features in the front camera are Selfie Night Mode, an improved Smart HDR 5 integration, Dolby Vision HDR recording, and a Photonic Engine to improve low light performance.

7. Software
The iPhone 15 will ship with iOS 17, which offers a range of new software features to its users. A few notable perks include transcribed voice notes in messages and a more fine-tuned autocorrect. The device also includes a StandBy mode that can turn the iPhone into a smart tablet when it is on its side, locked, and propped on a compatible charging dock. A new sticker drawer lets users access all the live Stickers, Memoji, and emoji in one place. These can sync with iCloud so that they are available across various compatible Apple devices.