After months of fairly accurate rumours, Apple has finally announced its latest releases, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unveiled on September 13, 2023, these new models boast a host of ground breaking features and improvements that promise to revolutionize the way we use our smartphones. Or so Apple claims; we’ll have to see if they’re just trying to sell us a fancy titanium brick.
Aerospace-Grade Titanium Design
The standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is their aerospace-grade titanium design. Apple swears it’s tough enough to survive a spacewalk, but we’ll have to take their word for it. This marks a significant departure from previous models and sets a new standard for durability and lightweight construction. The titanium used is not just any metal; it’s the same material employed in spacecraft, renowned for its incredible strength-to-weight ratio. Apple has managed to craft its lightest Pro models ever without compromising on strength.
Both the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch models feature a brushed texture and contoured edges, making them not only sturdy but visually appealing. The use of the industry-leading Ceramic Shield on the front and a tough back glass further enhances their durability. Apple has also introduced a new substructure made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, highlighting its commitment to sustainability.
But the innovation doesn’t stop there. The new Action button replaces the OG ring-silent switch that iPhones have had forever. The button offers users more options than the ringer ever could — you can now quickly access the camera or flashlight, activate Voice Memos, Focus modes, Translate, and accessibility features like Magnifier, or create Shortcuts for more personalized functionality.
A17 Pro: Apple’s Most Powerful Chip Yet
Under the hood, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are powered by the A17 Pro, a new 3-nanometer chip. This chip represents a leap forward in smartphone technology, with significant improvements in every aspect of its performance. Apple claims it’s faster, pretty much every iteration has been faster but we’ll have to put it through some real world testing to see how much faster it really is. The CPU is up to 10 percent faster, the Neural Engine is twice as fast, and the GPU boasts a 20 percent boost in performance.
One exciting feature of the new A17 Pro is its hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is four times faster than software-based ray tracing. Apple promises smoother graphics and more immersive AR applications and gaming experiences. With console titles like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage now available on the iPhone 15 Pro, mobile gaming has reached a whole new level. We can’t wait to test this out especially using something like the Razer Kishi V2 or Backbone controller accessory.
Pro Camera improvements all around
Apple has always been one of the best and most consistent smartphone photography experiences, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max look to continue this tradition. With the equivalent of seven pro lenses packed into the device, all powered by the A17 Pro chip, your photography will reach new heights. At least, that’s what Apple wants us to believe.
The star of the show is the improved 48MP Main camera, exclusive to the Pro line up. It now defaults to an impressive 24MP super-high-resolution mode. Ideal for storing and sharing – practical and elegant, right?
But it doesn’t stop there. This camera lets you switch between three popular focal lengths: 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. It’s like having multiple lenses without the lens-swapping hassle. Plus, you can set your favorite as the new default. Professionals now get 48MP ProRAW and 48MP HEIF images with 4x more resolution.
And if you’re into zooming, the iPhone 15 Pro returns with a 3x Telephoto camera but the real party is with the Pro Max that now has the longest optical zoom ever on an iPhone – 5x at 120mm. The Telephoto camera on the Pro Max features a new tetraprism design with optical image stabilization and a snazzy autofocus 3D sensor-shift module. This should eliminate any potential blurriness with zoom shots that would come from your natural body shake.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max bring next-gen portraits with sharper detail, vivid colors, and improved low-light performance. No more need to switch to Portrait mode; your iPhone can turn any photo into a portrait after the fact. If there’s a person, dog, or cat in the frame, or if you just tap to focus, your iPhone automatically captures depth info. So, turn those photos into stunning portraits later in the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This isn’t new tech as Google Photos can already do this but its nice to have one less step when shooting.
And speaking of improvements, Night mode’s got sharper details and more vivid colors. It’s all thanks to the fancy Photonic Engine and finally, Night mode Portraits – all thanks to the LiDAR scanner. Smart HDR has had an upgrade too, capturing subjects and the background with more lifelike skin tones. Plus, it makes sure your photos have brighter highlights, richer midtones, and deeper shadows when you view them in the Photos app. And guess what? Even third-party apps can finally access the Photonic Engine meaning you can take same quality photos in WhatsApp or Instagram for example.
Video just got a whole lot better
It’s no secret that the iPhone has always had the best video capabilities in smartphones and Apple is leaning real hard into that with the new iPhone 15 pros. The A17 Pro chip brings improvements in low-light video and Action mode while the long-overdue adoption of USB Type-C makes transfering video and photos so much easier. Apple says that with an optional USB 3 cable means up to 20x faster transfer speeds.
This now also allows ProRes video to be recorded directly to external storage like an SSD making workflows a whole lot easier. But it’s this next feature that will really please videographers – iPhone 15 Pro now supports Log encoding in video, and it’s the world’s first smartphone to support ACES – the Academy Colour Encoding System. Log is akin to RAW format but for video, allowing you to do some extensive color corrections and grading to the footage. I’ve been wishing for something like this for ages and I can’t wait to put it to good use on my videos.
Oh, and the cherry on top: iPhone 15 Pro’s getting spatial video recording for Apple Vision Pro. Three dimensions of memories, anyone? You’ll be able to relive those moments with incredible depth when it arrives next year.
USB Type-C – Finally!
Obviously, one of the biggest but quietest announcements on the day is the move to USB Type-C that replaces the ubiquitous Lightning port. Despite customer and industry calls, Apple resisted to move to this universal format that everyone else has been using for years but its finally here. Sadly, there’s nothing special here as its just a basic USB 3.0 (10Gbps) format and not the faster USB 3.2 (40Gbps) but its still a massive improvement over Lightning. Now we can finally have a universal charging solution for all Apple products and data transfer is definitely going to be a lot easier.
The introduction of Wi-Fi 6E means faster wireless performance, up to 2 times faster speeds. These models also mark the first Thread-enabled smartphones, paving the way for future Home app integrations. We’re excited about the possibilities, but we’ll need to dive into it ourselves.
The second-generation Ultra Wideband chip enables two iPhone devices to connect at three times the range, enhancing Precision Finding for Find My friends and ensuring you can always locate your iPhone, even in crowded places.
Safety is paramount, and Apple has introduced features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite. This service, currently available in 14 countries and regions, will soon expand to Spain and Switzerland. It sounds great, but we’ll need to be in a real emergency to fully appreciate it. Fingers crossed, we won’t have to test it anytime soon.
Apple is committed to sustainability, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max reflect this commitment. With recycled content in various components, including a 100 percent recycled aluminum substructure and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery, these devices are designed with the environment in mind. Apple is also eliminating leather from its products and introducing more sustainable materials like the FineWoven Case with MagSafe. We’ll do our part too and keep these devices eco-friendly.
Pricing and Availability (But Check Your Bank Account First)
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max come in four stunning finishes: black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium. Pricing starts at A$1849 inc. GST for the iPhone 15 Pro and A$2,199 inc. GST for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. For us gamers, that’s way more than the new Asus ROG Ally so don’t buy the iPhone 15 Pro if mobile gaming is what excited you.
Trade-in options are available, with customers potentially receiving A$300 to A$1255 in credit when upgrading. But make sure to check your bank account before diving into the world of titanium and innovation.
Pre-orders begin on September 15, with availability starting on September 22. The models will be available in over 40 countries and regions, with more to follow.
