Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro has arrived, and while some may find it slightly disappointing compared to previous models iPhone 14 Pro, there are actually some impressive new features that might convince you to upgrade. In this article, I’ll highlight the top 10 new features, not in any particular order, but I’ll save the best three for last. Be sure to read the entire article so you don’t miss out on those.
Read Also: 23 Things You Need to Know about iPhone 15
10. The Action Button
Feature 10 introduces the groundbreaking action button, a departure from the traditional ringer switch used since the first iPhone. This dynamic button provides instant access to various apps and features, streamlining tasks like activating the flashlight or opening the camera for quick photos. What sets it apart is its limitless customizability, empowering users to create shortcuts for a myriad of functions, from controlling smart home devices to launching any desired app.
9. Thinner Display Bezels
Feature 9 introduces thinner display bezels, enhancing your day-to-day phone experience. The super-thin bezels create immersive visuals, particularly during video or movie playback. The Pro Max model accentuates this effect with even thinner bezels due to its larger display area. Notably, the phone’s overall size is slightly smaller, enhancing comfort in holding and ease of fitting into hands and pockets.
8. 8 Gigs of RAM
Feature 8 brings an upgrade to eight gigabytes of RAM, significantly boosting the phone’s overall performance, especially during multitasking. Beyond mere snappiness, the primary enhancement lies in the seamless transition between apps. Unlike past frustrations with apps like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook resetting when returned to, the 8 gigs of RAM on the 15 Pro markedly improves this issue.
7. A17 Pro Chip
Number 7 introduces the A17 Pro chip, showcasing a 10% single-core and 20% graphics performance boost. While these improvements may not sound revolutionary, the chip excels in efficiency, ensuring sustained performance, especially during gaming, without the past thermal-related power spikes.
The A17 Pro’s redesigned neural engine, now twice as fast, plays a pivotal role in new camera features, as elaborated later in this video. Furthermore, the chip includes a dedicated AV1 decoder, enhancing YouTube video playback efficiency. Additional enhancements comprise a new USB controller for improved connectivity and hardware ray tracing support, elevating it to a pro-class GPU capable of handling upcoming AAA games, aligning with Apple’s recent announcements.
6. 5x Telephoto Camera
6 introduces the innovative 5x telephoto camera for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This camera boasts a unique Tetra prism lens design, reflecting light four times within, creating the necessary distance for 5x zoom—an industry standout. In contrast to other 5x lenses using a periscope design with a smaller side-mounted sensor, the iPhone’s approach avoids a thicker camera bump and overall phone structure.
A notable advantage is the shared aperture, F/2.8, with the 3x lens. This ensures consistent low-light photo quality without introducing extra noise, providing a significant edge in photographic performance.
5. Wi-Fi 6E Support
Number 5 unveils a discreet yet impactful enhancement not explicitly mentioned by Apple—the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E support on iPhone 15 Pro models. This marks the incorporation of the new 6 gigahertz Wi-Fi band, promising faster speeds. Additionally, it introduces Thread support, facilitating a dedicated network for connecting and controlling home devices. This functions as a low-power, low-latency mesh network, elevating the smart home experience.
4. Redesigned Chassis
4 highlights a notable redesign in the chassis of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max by Apple. This redesign is not only a significant boon for the repair industry, making replacements much easier, but it also holds advantages for regular users. The overhaul renders it more cost-effective for users to replace the back glass in case of damage or cracks. This proves to be a substantial bonus, particularly for those prone to frequent iPhone drops, mitigating the impact of cracked back glass.
3. Titanium Metal Design
Now, for the third top feature of the iPhone 15 Pro, we have the new titanium metal design. This is a significant development, considering we’ve been accustomed to stainless steel since the iPhone X. The brushed titanium look brings a unique and fresh aesthetic, but there are practical advantages beyond aesthetics.
Firstly, it makes the iPhone 15 Pro Models approximately 10% lighter than their predecessors, noticeably improving the handling experience and reducing the impact when accidentally dropped on your face while lying in bed. Another benefit is reduced glossiness, leading to better resistance against fingerprints. Additionally, titanium enhances heat dissipation, resulting in smoother gaming and improved performance for apps that consistently load the chip.
Overall, it offers a more premium and high-end look and feel, reminiscent of the Apple Watch Ultra, which appears premium while remaining lightweight.
2. 24-Megapixel Camera and Automatic Portrait Mode
The second top feature of the iPhone 15 Pro introduces a remarkable 24-megapixel camera output and the debut of automatic portrait mode. This marks a substantial departure, as, for the first time in eight years, Apple’s iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Models autonomously capture photos at 24 megapixels, a notable jump from the prior 12-megapixel standard. This enhancement ensures visibly sharper photos, especially when zooming in or scrutinizing details.
Beyond the heightened resolution, Apple introduces automatic portrait mode, activating when detecting a face or a person, simplifying the photographic process. Additionally, the regular camera mode captures depth data even outside portrait mode, facilitating post-processing adjustments. This includes transforming a regular photo into a portrait shot and altering the focus point, particularly beneficial for correcting misfocused portrait shots.
A noteworthy advancement is the availability of 24-megapixel portrait photos, surpassing the previous limitation of 12 megapixels, as observed in the iPhone 14 Pro, with no option for capturing 48-megapixel ProRAW portrait photos.
1. USB-C Integration
The foremost new feature of the iPhone 15 Pro, securing the top spot, is the transition to USB-C. This marks an unparalleled shift, rectifying the limitations imposed by the longstanding Lightning port, especially evident in the 14 Pro Models, which faced constraints in shooting high-quality ProRes video. The adoption of USB-C is a transformative move, allowing a single cable to connect your iPad, Mac, and iPhone. File transfers are now expedited, boasting speeds up to 20 times faster—a boon for extensive backups and transferring ProRes videos recorded at 4K 60fps directly to an external SSD from the iPhone, streamlining the editing process on a Mac.
All iPhone 15 models now support DisplayPort for up to 4K HDR video mirroring and output to displays and TVs. Another noteworthy feature is the capability to charge other devices, such as your Apple Watch or AirPods, directly from your iPhone 15’s USB-C port. This proves invaluable when venturing outdoors without access to power adapters during activities like backpacking or camping.
In conclusion, these ten features collectively underscore the transformative nature of the iPhone 15 Pro series. Any omissions or insights are welcomed for discussion and consideration.
