At its annual September event, Apple has officially taken the wraps off its latest mainstream iPhone models – the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. While not quite as substantial an upgrade as the Pro iPhones also announced, the standard iPhone 15 lineup still packs some significant improvements that Apple fans will appreciate.
New Colorful and Durable Design
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus feature a completely refreshed design, with new color options and a tougher build. Apple is using an advanced dual ion-exchange process to infuse color directly into the new rear glass backplate, resulting in rich and vibrant shades of pink, yellow, green, blue and black.
Complementing this is an aerospace-grade aluminum frame with smoother, contoured edges. Apple claims this new contoured edge offers a more comfortable grip. The front continues to use Apple’s Ceramic Shield cover glass which it says is the toughest smartphone glass ever made.
Dynamic Island Comes to Entire Lineup
Earlier rumored as exclusive to just the Pro iPhones, the Dynamic Island cutout is now coming to the entire iPhone 15 lineup. This pill-shaped area houses the front cameras and Face ID components, and doubles as an interactive notification hub.
It expands and morphs fluidly to show alerts, notifications, and live activities in a seamless experience that Apple says “feels almost magical”. Users can control music, view turn-by-turn directions, monitor sports scores and more right from the Dynamic Island.
Massive Camera Upgrade with 48MP Sensor
Arguably the most substantial upgrade on the iPhone 15 is to the rear camera system. It now features a massive 48MP main sensor, enabling detailed 12MP shots in normal mode and full 48MP images in Pro mode.
Apple has also added a 2x telephoto lens option alongside the existing 0.5x ultrawide, giving users a total of 3X optical zoom range to play with. This telephoto lens was previously exclusive to just the Pro models.
Apple’s senior VP of marketing Kaiann Drance called it “a huge leap forward with exciting camera innovations that inspire creativity.”
Better Low Light Photos with Improved Smart HDR
Thanks to a larger sensor, new image signal processor in the A16 Bionic chip, and advanced software, Apple claims low light photography will see major improvements.
Portrait mode can now be used without manually switching to it, with the iPhone 15 models automatically sensing depth when a person, pet or object is in frame. Apple also says Smart HDR 4 renders faces and backgrounds more naturally.
Night mode will also get upgrades for better details and color accuracy in low light scenes based on the press release.
Faster A16 Bionic Chip
Powering the iPhone 15 lineup is Apple’s latest A16 Bionic chip. While not the cutting-edge 3nm-based A17 in the Pro iPhones, the A16 still promises faster CPU and GPU performance compared to last year’s A15.
A new 16-core neural engine enables up to 17 trillion operations per second for tasks like live voice transcription of voicemails, augmented reality, and more.
Emergency SOS via Satellite
The entire iPhone 15 lineup will support Emergency SOS via satellite connectivity, which Apple first introduced with the iPhone 14. This unique safety feature lets users send emergency messages over satellite when in remote areas with no cellular signal.
The service has already helped save multiple lives as per Apple, and will expand to more countries over the coming months.
Apple’s New iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus Further Democratize Flagship Features
With features like the Dynamic Island, improved durability, better cameras trickling down to the non-Pro models, Apple continues its trend of democratizing newer innovations across its lineup.
While the Pro iPhones may still have exclusive advantages, everyday users will appreciate additions like the 48MP camera, Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, with the larger Plus model at $899. Pre-orders open September 15, and the phones launch on September 22. With a fresh new design, enhanced durability, and major camera upgrades, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus promise to be compelling upgrades for iOS users.
