iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: All the likely differences
Apple's fall phone lineup is beginning to take shape, and an iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max rumor comparison can help you anticipate what's headed your way later this year. While nothing's official yet, enough details are emerging to give us a sense of what the next iPhones will look like and what's like to change from the iPhone 14 models that are currently on sale.
As with last year's updates, the iPhone 15 Pro figures to see the more substantial changes, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max potentially getting a major improvement to its camera setup. But the standard iPhone 15 model (and by extension, the larger iPhone 15 Plus) is expected to get a few noteworthy enhancements of its own, as it adopts some of the features that debuted with the current iPhone 14 Pro models.
Throw in a big change to how you charge your iPhone, and this fall's iPhone updates could wind up being pretty significant ones. Our iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max round-up takes all the rumors we've been following for each of those rumored models and compares them to help you get a sense of what the list of the best iPhones might look like later this year.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max release date
September release date likely
All four models likely to launch at the same time
Apple has occasionally staggered the release of its fall iPhone models, usually when there's a disruption to the supply chain and it needs more time to get a particular model to market. (Think back to 2020 when the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro both arrived in October while the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini didn't ship until November, as the Covid-19 pandemic wound up delaying iPhone production.) Even last year, the iPhone 14 Plus arrived later than the other iPhone 14 models.
To date, we've heard nothing about staggered releases for the iPhone 15 models, so we would expect all four new phones to ship at the same time.
Should Apple stick to its traditional release schedule, a September product preview seems like the most likely time. When it comes to that Apple September event, our best guess for an iPhone 15 release date would be around September 12, given Apple's tendency to release new products on Tuesdays and its desire to not hold a launch event too close to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max price
Possible $100 price hike for Pro models
After holding the line on prices for the iPhone 14 models — at least in the U.S. — Apple may be looking at a price increase for at least some iPhone 15 models this year. One report claims the cost of building an iPhone is climbing 12% this year, so Apple may wind up passing on those costs to consumers.
The iPhone 15 seems likely to keep the same $799 price tag as its predecessor, at least according to the rumor mill at this point. That would mean a Plus model would continue to start at $899.
It's the Pro models that are expected to see an increase in cost, as Apple includes more upgrades in those models. Analyst Jeff Pu anticipates a $100 price hike for the iPhone 15 Pro, echoing a rumor that's appeared on Twitter on Weibo. That would place the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,199 — matching what Samsung charges for the Galaxy S23 Ultra (and potentially next year's Galaxy S24 Ultra).
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max design
Same sizes as the iPhone 14 lineup
Dynamic Island coming to all iPhone models
USB-C for all four new iPhones
We're expecting to see the same iPhone 14 models return for the iPhone 15 — that means a standard iPhone with a 6.1-inch screen and a 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus model. The Pro and Pro Max models are expected to be available in the same sizes. Early iPhone 15 rumors suggested an iPhone 15 Ultra was in the works, but it sounds like most of the high-end features reportedly ear-marked for this model will be included in an iPhone 15 Pro Max instead. We may not see an iPhone Ultra until 2024 at the earliest.
After three years of making phones with straight edges, Apple could go back to curved sides for its handsets with the iPhone 15. We've also heard rumors about thinner bezels, though that change could be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro. Rumors also suggest the iPhone 15 Pro could adopt titanium frames, which is both lighter and more durable than the aluminum Apple currently uses.
Another potential design change for just the iPhone 15 models would be the addition of an action button similar to a feature included on the Apple Watch Ultra. The iPhone 15 Pro action button could be used to trigger custom shortcuts, turn on the phone's flashlight or perform other such tasks.
One design element currently limited to the Pro phones might find its way to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is the Dynamic Island. This strip replaced the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro displays, and in addition to housing the front camera and Face ID sensor, it's also a place for notifications and Live Activities to appear. Several Apple observers expect every iPhone 15 model to feature the Dynamic Island, doing away with the notch once and for all.
Another rumored addition to every iPhone 15 model concerns USB-C. Apple finally appears ready to swap out its Lightning connector for the more universal USB-C, though we're guessing regulators in Europe mandating such a switch probably pushed Apple to adopt the change. The type of iPhone you get may determine charging speeds, though, as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the iPhone 15 Pro models will offer faster speeds through their USB-C ports. Apple may also mandate that cables get Made for iPhone certification if they want to offer faster speeds.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max display
ProMotion displays likely to remain a Pro-only feature
One of the big limitations of buying an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus is that the refresh rate of those models' displays remain stuck at 60Hz. With other entry-level flagships featuring 90Hz panels (in the case of the Google Pixel 7) or even 120Hz (see the Galaxy S23), that puts Apple's entry-level flagships at a decided disadvantage.
That appears to be continuing with the iPhone 15. The standard iPhone is set to remain at 60Hz, while the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max should still offer dynamic 120Hz screens that automatically adjust their refresh rate. Apple calls this feature its Pro Display, and screen expert Ross Young doesn't anticipate Pro Displays finding their way to the rest of the iPhone lineup before 2025.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max cameras
48MP camera upgrade potentially coming to iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Pro Max in line for a periscope-style telephoto lens
In what could be the biggest addition to the standard iPhone, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are tipped to get a 48MP main camera, bringing some parity with the Pro iPhones. It's unclear whether Apple would include a 48MP Raw mode as it does on the iPhone 14 Pro, perhaps as a way of keeping some differentiation between the iPhone 15 and the more expensive Pro models.
Speaking of the iPhone 15 Pro, analysts have quashed rumors that Apple would switch to an 8-element lens, instead forecasting the new phones will stick with the current 7-element lens. Instead, the biggest change could be an iPhone 15 Pro Max-only addition — a periscope-style telephoto lens.
Zooming capabilities are one area where Apple's handsets lag behind the best camera phones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, for example, offers both a pair of telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zooms, respectively. Together, they can support up to a 100x digital zoom. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 3x telephoto lens and can support up to a 15x digital zoom. The periscope-style lens, which stacks lenses on top of one another would allegedly give the iPhone 15 Pro Max a 6x optical zoom.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max performance
A17 Bionic for the iPhone 15 Pro models
A16 Bionic for the remaining iPhones
Apple set a precedent with its iPhone 14 lineup, reserving its most powerful chip for the Pro models. It's expected that will happen again with the iPhone 15 release. Specifically, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are tipped to feature the A16 Bionic that currently powers the iPhone 14 lineup. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are likely to run on a new A17 Bionic chipset.
When the iPhone 14 was equipped with the A15 Bionic, it was actually the version of the chipset that powered the iPhone 13 Pro models, featuring an extra GPU core. It's unclear if the A16 Bionic likely slated for the iPhone 15 will be a modified version of the current silicon or just the same version found in the iPhone 14 Pro.
As for the A17 Bionic, it's being built on a 3nm process — potentially, the only mobile system-on-chip to do so this year. That could give the iPhone 15 Pro models a big advantage over rival flagships running on 4nm chipsets. The smaller the chipset, the closer the transistors are packed together, leading to improvements in performance and efficiency. Indeed, leaked A17 Bionic benchmarks are promising, suggesting the iPhone 15 Pro models will easily hold on to Apple's performance edge.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max battery life
USB-C potentially brings faster charging speeds
We have very few rumors speculating on battery size and other power management features for the iPhone 15 lineup. The biggest clue comes from the likely possibility that the iPhone 15 Pro models will feature the A17 Bionic chipset. Reportedly, that chip is forecast to deliver a 35% improvement to power efficiency over the A16 Bionic, which could translate to long battery life for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple had little problem squeezing long battery life out of its 6.7-inch iPhone 14 models, with the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max earning spots on our best phone battery life list. The 6.1-inch phones could last longer on a charge, though. We'd expect the iPhone 15 Pro to get a power efficiency boost from the A17 chipset, so that only leaves the iPhone 15 looking for a way to last longer on a charge.
As mentioned above, the switch to USB-C could see charging speeds increase over the 20W speeds Apple's supported for a good long while. It's possible, Apple could reserve its fastest charging speeds for the Pro models, following Samsung's strategy with its Galaxy S phones.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max software
iOS 17 on all four models when the iPhone 15 ships
There's no mystery here. It's all but certain all four iPhone 15 models will ship with iOS 17 pre-installed, as the updated iPhone software will likely ship just days before the iPhone 15 release in the fall, if Apple sticks to its normal way of doing things.
While the finished version of iOS 17 won't ship until the fall, we'll get our first preview of the software at WWDC 2023 on June 5. A public beta will follow during the summer.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max outlook
Our iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison suggests that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max should continue to get the premium features first, while the standard iPhone 15 plays catch-up. Additions like Dynamic Island and an improved main camera could make the iPhone 15 a more compelling option, particularly if prices rise on the iPhone 15 Pro models as expected. But with the A17 processor and a potential periscope-style lens headed to the Max model, the iPhone 15 Pro is going to be the phone to pay attention to in the fall.
