Every year, as if following an unspoken rule, the relentless march of time brings me face to face with an old acquaintance. However, while I find myself a year older, greyer and a tad more rotund, this ageless friend – Apple’s iPhone – seems to have hit the gym and bought a brand new a new suit.
This year is no different, and it’s the iPhone 15 Pro that gets to make a grand entrance. Pulling it out the box is like meeting an old school friend, who’s now a toned, tanned, tech titan and me, struggling to keep my dad-bod in check.
Thanks to a lighter titanium frame, this year’s edition translates into the lightest ‘Pro’ phones of recent memory. The slimmer bezels are a welcome sight, too. They give you more screen to admire. And getting to grips with the new contoured edges is like shaking a firm handshake – familiar, yet reassuringly solid.
The iPhone Pro has gotten smarter too. With a new A17 Pro chip that boosts performance noticeably. Unlike me, it rocks a 10% faster CPU and a 20% faster GPU (not that I personally have a graphics engine, but you get the picture).
That means it’s very good when it comes to gaming. While Apple claims it’s like “having a console in your pocket”, but let’s not get carried away. It’s powerful, sure, especially when it comes to Augmented Reality – things load seamlessly (unlike my patience these days) – which bodes well for futureproofing against new powerful features.
The iPhone Pro Max now houses a 5x telephoto lens, alongside a new computational photography engine making low-light shooting a doddle. Portrait mode has also been given a big upgrade – letting you change focus between subjects after you’ve taken the photo. You don’t even have to put it into Portrait anymore, meaning there’s less chance you’ll miss a photo while fiddling around the menu.
There’s now a customizable action button that replaces the traditional ringer/silent switch. This button can do just about anything you want it to, from opening the camera to running a shortcut. For instance, it can load up Deliveroo and order you a coffee – all doable now with the press of a button.
And what’s this? A new port? Yes, you now get USB-C instead of a lightning connection – which gives you speedier data transfers and simplifies charging. No need to carry more than one charger now, everything can be done via USB-C!
The Super Retina XDR OLED Display comes with Ceramic Shield – so it won’t scratch – and ProMotion Technology. Flicking through menus, and watching movies looks amazing. The reduction in bezel size also means you have more screen for your buck. Battery life remains consistent with previous models, and it will last you an entire day (I remember when I used to go a full day; no more – my energy levels plummet post 3 pm).
Now, on to the price. Perhaps the one positive that I have over the new iPhone is the price. While I have stayed the same (one might say, I’m now worth less than ever before), the new iPhone Pro models start at US$1,000 (that’s 100 dollars more than last year) and you’ll have to stretch to US$1,100 for the Pro Max model.
That said, the gentle tinkering under the hood and aesthetic nips and tucks here and there have made it the best iteration to date. It’s a testament to what Apple does best; setting a high benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro will comfortably stand toe-to-toe with any of this year’s flagship smartphones.
Each year, without fail, Apple introduces us to a familiar face. It’s not about monumental shifts, but a refined, subtle evolution. This year, the iPhone 15 Pro effortlessly became tougher, smarter, quicker, and more refined (it also had time to take a few classes, and is now a true professional photographer).
Me? Well, I’d be happy if this time next year I manage to avoid walking into a room and forgetting why I went in there in the first place.