After months of leaks, hype and online discussion, the iPhone 15 is finally here and we know everything about Apple’s 2023 smartphone. But how does it compare to the iPhone 14, and is it worth the upgrade?
If you’re wondering whether the new iPhone 15 is worth the upgrade, or are just simply interested to see whether this is a big year for upgrades, this guide will walk you through all the big changes.
RIP Lightning
We knew it had been coming for a while, but the iPhone 15 signals the end of the Lightning port – the connector that has adorned iOS devices for over a decade. In its place, you’ll find USB-C – the same port (at least visually) that sits on many of the best Android phones, MacBooks, iPads, cameras…and so on. It’s a handy port and hopefully it’ll be a welcome change for the iPhone series.
You can now charge the iPhone 15 with the same plug and cable as a MacBook, for instance, or an iPad. Although older Lightning accessories will no longer work.
Hello Dynamic Island
Apple introduced the Dynamic Island last year, touting it as a way to turn the notch into something much more functional. However we only saw it on the two high-end Pro models. with the iPhone 14 stuck with the tired notch we’d had since the iPhone X.
That all changes with the iPhone 15, which now sports the Dynamic Island whether you plump for the regular iPhone 15 or the larger Plus model. This gives the iPhone 15 a more modern look.
Various things pop into the Dynanic Island, from your currently playing songs to timers and so on. We’ve not developers go too wild with it yet, but hopefully that’ll now change.
Aside from the introduction of the Dynamic Island and some slightly higher brightness levels on the new iPhone 15, the screen remains fairly similar to what we’ve seen before. Both are OLED and come in either 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch sizes.
A little more power and improved audio
In a change to previous years, Apple shipped the iPhone 14 with a different chipset to the Pro variant. Meaning if you wanted the more powerful phone it would have to be the Pro. It’s a similar thing here, with the iPhone 15 running the same A16 Bionic as the iPhone 14 Pro.
This should still be an upgrade over the iPhone 14, which is powered by the A14. Apple also said it has upgraded the microphone using AI to better cut out background audio.
More megapixels hopefully a better camera
The iPhone 15 (and 15 Plus) boasts a 48MP main rear camera with 100% focus pixels. This is a notable upgrade on the 12MP main sensor inside the iPhone 14. This should improve all aspects of the camera experience, including night mode.
Apple has also upgraded the portrait mode on the iPhone 15 with better low-light performance and more accurate cutouts. During the launch, Apple said this works with dogs and cats too, plus you can alter the depth and focus after the photo has been taken.
The range of colours has been switched up
The iPhone 14 came in the following colours: Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Red, Blue and Yellow. Apple has switched things up slightly for the iPhone 15, and it’ll be available in the following colours: Pink, Blue, Green and Black. All the colours are a little more muted than before. The pink especially looks great.
