Apple iPhone 15

Despite what its name suspects, the iPhone 15 is Apple's 17th iPhone already. Truly innovative, this iPhone 15 is not. We saw many of its new features last year with the Pro. Still, for the first time in years, the difference from its predecessor is considerably greater.

Screen with Dynamic Island, though slow 60Hz

Like previous years, you can get the iPhone 15 in two sizes. With a 6.1" screen, and a larger 6.7" variant, called the iPhone 15 Plus. Both, however, come with the innovative Dynamic Island that we saw introduced with the Pro versions last year. Instead of the bite out of the screen, the Face ID components are now a pill-shaped cutout in the screen. What's special is that when you get notifications this shape expands and displays information. The software plays with the hardware in a way only Apple can. New to the Super Retina XDR screen is that it can now be brighter, up to 2,000 nits outdoors. This makes it very similar to the screen on last year's Pro version. Except for one key difference; the screen refresh rate. That is still very slow at 60Hz, especially compared to the smooth 120Hz ProMotion screens.

48MP with 2x zoom and improved portrait mode

Turning the iPhone 15 over, we have a choice of five fresh new colors. All but black are soft. Still, our attention turns to the camera system. While we still see two cameras, this time they perform three functions. Not only that, gone is the 12MP resolution that Apple has used since the iPhone 6s (ahem). By now using a 48MP camera, the iPhone 15 can also zoom in. By zooming in on the sensor, combined with some software, you now also have access to 2x zoom. Improvements have also been made to portrait mode. You don't have to select it manually now; instead, the iPhone 15 automatically recognizes when a person is in the picture. Depth information is then automatically saved so you can adjust focus and other settings afterwards.

Main Apple iPhone 15 Specifications

• 6.1" screen with Dynamic Island and 2000-nits maximum brightness
• 48+12MP camera with 2x zoom, ultra-wide angle and new portrait mode
• 12MP TrueDepth selfie camera with autofocus and Retina flash
• Apple A16 Bionic chip with 128, 256 or 512GB of storage
• Waterproof housing with IP68 rating for 30min to 6mtr deep
• USB C connector for charging and data transmission
• Wireless charging with MagSafe or Qi2 chargers

Recognizable power source, recognizable cable

Inside the iPhone 15, we find the A16 Bionic processor we saw in last year's Pro. It remains somewhat crazy to find a year-old power source in a new iPhone but the fact is that this chip is powerful enough for the majority of users. Partly because Apple is ahead of the competition. The same goes for satellite communications capabilities. It will not happen everywhere, but should you be stranded with car trouble somewhere and there is no mobile coverage, you can now call for help via satellite. Just check beforehand whether the service is available in your country and language, to avoid any surprises. Charging, last but not least, is now done with USB C. This universal cable can be found on many other electronics products, including Apple itself. This puts an end to those fragile Lightning cables that break every so often.