Every year when a new iPhone arrives, I wonder what more can be added next year. That’s the magic of the iPhone — it continues to reimagine what the iPhone can do even so many years after the original device revolutionised the world of communication. When designing the new iPhone 15, which I believe will be the model most people will buy, Apple ensured it is closer to its ‘Pro’ offerings.
I’ve been using the iPhone 15 for 10-odd days and, for someone who has used the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s giving me some déjà vu because it has the Dynamic Island, Apple’s A16 Bionic processor, a 48MP main camera… all the things that were ‘pro’ in last year’s edition, which is a perfectly good thing. The A16 processor, for example, remains one of the quickest in the industry, only second to Apple’s own A17 Pro. And the iPhone 15 has much more than all of these elements.
Ultra-wide shots reproduce colours that are true to life
The iPhone 15 has a new design, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip and a camera system that is different from the iPhone 14 Pros despite their shared resolution. And, of course, there is USB-C charging instead of Lightning port.
Apple finding inspiration in the iPhone 14 Pro for the iPhone 15 is a step forward because now every flagship phone from the company has a certain degree of ‘pro-ness’.
Bright and beautiful
You can change the focus manually after a photo is shot on the iPhone 15 series
The iPhone 15 feels like a bigger step forward than last year’s move from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14. There is also the iPhone 15 Plus, which has a bigger battery and will be a good choice for those who use the camera a good deal.
The new back glass is apparently infused with colour. It has a softer matte finish, making it great to hold without hiding the phone in a case. I feel the design is much better for preventing fingerprint smudges. Having a matte finish ensures the user doesn’t have to constantly wipe it down.
There are two more big design changes. The Dynamic Island was first introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Now it’s on all the phones in the iPhone 15 series. You could be wondering how this helps. You can check alerts and current activity in progress, such as a Voice Memo recording, an AirDrop connection, directions from Maps, the progress of a Zomato delivery or Uber’s estimated time of arrival. The Dynamic Island appears at the top of the screen whenever your iPhone is unlocked. There is no need to open an app to find the status, allowing you to focus on other things. To expand an activity, touch and hold the activity or swipe from the centre to the right or left side.
The 2x zoom helps get close to the action without compromising on quality
The other change is the inclusion of USB-C, which will help you cut down on clutter from cables since you can now use the same cord for your Mac and your iPhone if you have a newer iPad, like the fifth-generation iPad Air or 10th-generation regular iPad.
One difference between the iPhone and iPhone 15 Pro (left) is the inclusion of the Action button on the latter
On top of all this, the iPhone 15 has a brighter screen than last year’s phone. Peak HDR brightness now reaches up to 1,600 nits so HDR photos and videos look better than ever. And when it is sunny, peak outdoor brightness reaches up to 2,000 nits — twice as bright as the previous generation. The change is obvious if you hold the last generation’s phone next to the iPhone 15.
A few words on Cinematic Mode, which the iPhone has had for a few years now. Earlier, when you looked at a video shot using Cinematic Mode on a smaller screen, it looked very convincing. The rendering of the bokeh has dramatically improved and does a better job when seen on the big screen.
The lens has a new coating on it, which is expected to reduce flares. It does and I see fewer crazy orbs while shooting at night. The department where upgrades have been few and far is in ultra-wide lens. It’s improved but I want to see bigger changes because the ultra-wide is one of my favourite modes. Overall, the iPhone 15 camera copes with challenging lighting far better than most Android phones.
Speedy camera and processor
The USB-C port is something many have been asking for on an iPhone
There are big changes to the main camera. You can choose to capture images in either 24MP resolution, which is the default, or the full 48MP resolution. Apple has improved the main camera zoom quality. There’s a new 2x telephoto option which uses the middle 12MP in the iPhone 15’s new camera sensor. I compared this against the regular pinch-to-zoom functionality on the iPhone 14 and noticed sharper details in the new phone.
This is a big change. We’ve been at 12MP for a long time. I think the quality of the 24MP on the iPhone 15 matches up to that of the 24MP on the iPhone 15 Pro. You have to zoom in and pixel peep to identify differences. The cameras on all the iPhone 15s are using Smart HDR 5, which is Apple’s secret sauce for their pipeline of how they process images. The difference can be seen when the camera brings up the darker parts of an image.
Dynamic Island is now present on models of the iPhone 15 series
With the bigger sensors, Raw photos come with a ton of information and colours can look very filmic. Hopefully, Apple will slowly continue to move in that direction. If you’re upgrading from an iPhone 12 or 13, the jump to 48MP will make a visible difference.
The new iPhone can recognise if you’re taking a picture of people or certain pets. It’ll capture the depth information in case you want to change it into a portrait mode photo after the photo has been clicked. To do this, open a snap in the Photos app and look for the ‘f’ symbol in the controls below. If you notice it, turn it on and then tap where you want the focus to be on the photo. I love this feature and use it often while taking pictures of idols being moulded in Calcutta’s artisan hub, Kumartuli. At home, my daughter keeps running around with her cat. After capturing a moment, it’s good to use this feature to add a portrait effect.
The company has given the same A16 Bionic processor that powers last year’s iPhone 14 Pro. Performance is fast and fluid just as you would expect from an iPhone. You won’t get the console-level gaming performance Apple is delivering on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which runs on the new A17 Pro chip, but the A16 Bionic is super-fast and will ensure you play mobile games without any hiccups. Apps quickly launch, multitasking with the Dynamic Island and editing photos… all these happen at the blink of an eye. If you’re upgrading from, say, the iPhone 11 or iPhone 12, the speed will mesmerize you. The boost in speed doesn’t compromise battery life. You will still get a full day (at least) from the iPhone 15. After a long day, at 11pm I had about 25 per cent battery remaining (after seven hours of screen-on time), which is a slight bump. But it all depends on how you use it.
The iPhone 15 has a new Ultra Wideband chip, which is a proximity-detecting tech. It enables two iPhone devices with this chip to connect at three times the range as before. This opens up a new way to use Precision Finding for Find My friends, so iPhone 15 users can share their location and find each other, even in crowds. Precision Finding is built with the same privacy protections that users have come to trust in Find My.
Should you buy it?
If you are using the iPhone 14, well, you can hold out till next year. I wouldn’t mind anyone upgrading to the iPhone 15 because of what you are getting, and it’s far more than USB-C. The Dynamic Island is very helpful and the boost in the camera department is quite a lot.
If you shoot in ProRAW, it will be easier to crop into a photo without compromising on details
The base model comes with 128GB of storage but I suggest you go for at least 256GB because the phone will be with you for four-five years at least. That means, you will take plenty of pictures and videos, which need space. Of course, if you are willing to spend on iCloud, then 128GB is fine. In case you want more battery, then iPhone 15 Plus should be in your shopping cart. With the iPhone 15 comes big upgrades and for many it will become the gateway to the Apple universe.
AT A GLANCE
Device: iPhone 15
Price: iPhone 15 and iPhone 15
Plus is available in pink, yellow,
green, blue, and black in 128GB,
256GB, and 512GB storage
capacities, starting at Rs 79,900
and Rs 89,900 respectively
High notes
A new camera system
Inclusion of Dynamic Island
USB-C capabilities
Very comfortable to hold
Excellent performance
Colourful matte design
Muffled note
Ultrawide camera is unchanged
