We’re a couple of months away from the iPhone 15 launch event, and some Apple fans are probably getting excited about upgrading to one of the four iPhone 15 models. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are the more exciting models of the four handsets, with reports already anticipating these devices to be the most popular among consumers.
However, rumors say the iPhone 15 Pros might also be more expensive than their predecessors. With that in mind, you shouldn’t dismiss the base iPhone 15 like you might have done with the iPhone 14 last year. I have plenty of good reasons why the iPhone 15 will be a much better phone than its predecessor, with the latest rumor reinforcing an exciting camera leak from earlier this year.
Almost an iPhone 14 Pro camera experience
Since the smartphone is the main camera in our lives, camera specs are among the most important hardware details when buying a new iPhone. The iPhone 14 Pro got a big upgrade last year with its new 48-megapixel sensor. But that was restricted to the Pro models, with the base iPhone 14 phones getting a 12-megapixel sensor instead.
Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a new note to investors on Medium on Wednesday, where he essentially confirmed that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus phones will get the 48-megapixel camera from the iPhone 14 Pro in a new stacked design:
The wide camera CIS of the two iPhone 15 standard models will be upgraded to 48MP and adopt a new stacked CIS design. Due to the low yield rate, Sony has increased the CIS production capacity for Apple by 100–120% to meet Apple’s demand, resulting in a significant reduction in high-end CIS supply for Android.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that the base iPhone 15 models will get iPhone 14 Pro cameras. That said, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will still only feature two cameras on the back. So you’re not getting a telephoto lens like the one on the Pro models.
The iPhone 15’s Dynamic Island design
One of the big reasons why the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus failed to impress was the screen design. The phones looked like old iPhones compared to the fresh new look of the iPhone 14 Pros. But this year, both iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will reportedly feature the same Dynamic Island display as the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Add to that rumors that the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will come with frosted glass panels and many color options, and you have one more reason to be excited about the iPhone 15 rather than the Pro.
You will be missing two Pro features, the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, and the slightly smaller bezels.
Faster processor
Like the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, their successors aren’t getting the newest A-series chip, which will power the iPhone 15 Pro models. However, you are getting the A16 model that’s inside the iPhone 14 Pros. That’s still a great upgrade, and you won’t notice the performance difference.
What matters most here is the speed and efficiency gains you get if upgrading from an older phone. Moving from the iPhone 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max will make little sense here.
Boosted battery life
I’ve often told you how amazing the iPhone 14 Pro battery has been for me and how I’d buy the handset again just for the battery life. Well, prepare to be amazed by the iPhone 15’s battery!
The iPhone 15 will reportedly feature a 3,877 mAh battery, a huge bump over the iPhone 14’s 3,279 mAh battery. It’s even larger than the iPhone 15 Pro’s rumored 3,650 mAh battery, as the Pro has an extra camera lens.
Add to that the more efficient A16 Bionic chip, the lack of Always-on display support, the fixed 60Hz refresh rate, and the iPhone 15 should deliver tremendous battery life compared to iPhone 14.
Switch to USB-C
All iPhone 15 models will come with USB-C ports instead of Lightning. Apple is finally switching to the port you’ve always wanted on iPhone. The immediate benefit is that you can ditch the Lightning cable and use USB-C to recharge your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Will Apple increase charging speeds on iPhone 15? That might not happen, unfortunately. But we’re still looking at rates of at least 20W, which can go up to 30W unofficially.
The one thing you’re not getting on the base models is Thunderbolt transfer speeds, which will be exclusive to the Pro models. And how about old Lightning accessories like the wired Apple EarBuds? Does Apple make a USB-C variant? Or do we just continue to connect AirPods wirelessly and forget about the USB-C port?
Price
To sum up, the iPhone 15 models are essentially variations of the iPhone 14 Pros. The handsets will be at least as powerful as last year’s Pros, and they’ll feature a similar camera experience except for the optic zoom capabilities. Then there are the larger batteries the base model will equip compared to the Pro variants.
All of that makes the iPhone 15 models incredible, particularly the base model. The cheapest iPhone 15 variant should cost $799 ($829 without carrier offers). Had Apple kept in place previous-year Pros, they’d start at $899. That $799 price tag sounds even better, considering rumors that the iPhone 15 Pro starts at $1,099 instead of $999.
