Apple has just announced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with several new changes and improvements along with four new finishes at its “Wonderlust” event.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature the same 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR Display, but they now come with slimmer bezels for a more futuristic look. The limelight falls on the new aerospace-grade titanium design which is both strong and lightweight. Apple claims, “The premium titanium used on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any metal, making them Apple’s lightest Pro lineup ever”
The second most noticeable change in the iPhone 15 Pro design is the replacement of the Ring/Silent Switch with the new Action Button, which not only allows you to set your iPhone to ring/silent modes, but also offers customization options, such as quickly accessing the Camera, Flashlight, Focus Modes, Voice Memo, Translate, and more, along with accessibility features. You can even use Siri Shortcuts to run a custom command based on your preferences. Apple says, “A press-and-hold gesture with fine-tuned haptic feedback and visual cues in the Dynamic Island ensure the new button launches the intended action.”
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature the new 3 nm-based A17 Pro chip with a 10% improvement in CPU Performance, and significant improvement in terms of GPU Performance. According to Apple, “The new CPU is up to 10 percent faster with microarchitectural and design improvements, and the Neural Engine is now up to 2x faster, powering features like autocorrect and Personal Voice in iOS 17. The pro-class GPU is up to 20 percent faster and unlocks entirely new experiences, featuring a new 6-core design that increases peak performance and energy efficiency. Now with hardware-accelerated ray tracing ”” which is 4x faster than software-based ray tracing ”” iPhone 15 Pro offers smoother graphics, as well as more immersive AR applications and gaming experiences. iPhone 15 Pro brings true-to-life gaming to the palm of users’ hands with console titles never before seen on a smartphone, like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.”
A17 Pro also comes with a AV1 decoder along with a new USB Controller, which brings USB 3 speeds to the USB-C Port on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Due to the higher transfer speeds of USB 3, iPhone 15 Pro models can output video at up to 4K 60 fps in HDR. This brings the ability to record ProRes video directly on an external storage rather than recording first and then transferring. The AirPods Pro has also been updated to feature the USB-C Port for added convenience. The second-generation Ultra Wide Band Chip is also included with the iPhone 15 Pro.
The Cameras have received a significant upgrade in this year’s Pro lineup. Photos taken on the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be 24MP by default for super-high-resolution photos. The ability to switch between three popular focal lengths – 24 mm, 28 mm, and 35 mm has been added to the Pro lineup along with support for 48MP HEIF Images. While the iPhone 15 Pro has a 3x Optical Zoom with the Telephoto lens, the iPhone 15 Pro Max takes it to the next level and introduces a new Telephoto camera with a tetraprism design for a 5x Optical Zoom option at 120mm. Apple claims that the new Camera System of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is “equivalent of seven pro lenses”. According to Apple, “the new Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max has an innovative tetraprism design with a combined optical image stabilization and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module, Apple’s most advanced stabilization system yet.”
Not enough for you? The iPhone 15 Pro can also record spatial 3D Videos, which can be played on the Apple Vision Pro once its released early next year.
Along with these advancements, the iPhone 15 Pro also extends the functionality of Emergency SOS via Satellite with Roadside Assistance. According to Apple, “Beginning in the U.S., when a user has car trouble and cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are not available, they can now connect to AAA, the country’s largest roadside assistance provider.5 An intuitive interface, including a short questionnaire to capture important details, will transmit the information via satellite so AAA can message with the user directly and dispatch help to their exact location. Access to Roadside Assistance via satellite will be included for free for two years. Service is covered according to AAA membership, but is also available separately for nonmembers.”
Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said, “This is the most pro lineup we have ever created, with a state-of-the-art titanium design, the best iPhone camera system yet that enables game-changing new workflows, and the A17 Pro chip, which ushers in a new chapter of performance and games never before seen on iPhone,” “iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max represent the best of Apple design and industry-first innovations to help enrich the everyday experiences of our users, while enabling them to unleash their creativity.”
U.S. Models of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available without a physical sim tray and will run on Dual eSIM.
The new Pro models will be available in four elegant finishes ”“ Black titanium, White titanium, Blue titanium, and Natural titanium finishes. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 for the 128GB variant, $1,099 for the 256GB variant, $1,299 for the 512GB variant, and $1,499 for the 1TB variant. The iPhone 15 Pro will be available to Pre-order on September 15th starting at 5 a.m. PDT and it will be available starting September 22nd.
The larger Pro Max starts at $1,199 for the 256GB variant, $1,399 for the 512GB variant, and $1,599 for the 1TB variant. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will also be available to Pre-order on September 15th starting at 5 a.m. PDT and it will be available starting September 22nd. Notably, the base variant of the iPhone 15 Pro Max costs $100 more than last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max, which costed $1,099 — but it also comes with 256GB of base storage, so it is not really a price increase but rather the elimination of the 128GB variant.
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