Nobody can be fooled; the four iPhone 15 models announced by Apple at the beginning of September do not revolutionize anything. But they do offer some thoughtful little improvements, like a completely redesigned mute button, simplified sharing between phones, and of course the introduction of USB-C. And they are strong enough to leave the competition far behind.
Posted at 6:00 p.m.
We love
We had our hands on two of the four models that Apple launched this year, the iPhone 15 and its more expensive version, the iPhone 15 Pro. Let’s start with the first, which, as has become tradition, picks up the key features of last year’s iPhone 14 Pro. For $270 less anyway.
Our iPhone 15 now has Dynamic Island, that tablet-shaped window at the top of the screen that completes the display. The first use after a year of experience is to simply switch between two applications, for example Waze and Books. By pressing firmly on this window, it expands and displays further commands, for example for music control.
Although the iPhone 15 has one camera less than the Pro version, it has a 2x optical zoom and the ability to take photos of up to 48 megapixels in JPEG and HEIC formats, not just RAW format, like it was the case last year. This 48-megapixel capability, which is not enabled by default, delights photography enthusiasts and allows you to zoom in on details with impressive precision. For the average person, it must be admitted, it is generally an unnecessary luxury.
Another thing the two iPhone 15s have in common is that, thanks to the USB-C socket, they can now also charge small devices with less than 4.5 watts. Perfect for charging your headphones, even phones according to our tests, but not a tablet. In fact, it’s more likely the latter if it’s capable of charging your iPhone 15.
Before we move on to the Pro model, a quick stop is necessary to test the performance of these iPhones using Geekbench. Since the sixth version of this calibration software was recently released, the previous comparison tests are unfortunately no longer valid. Contrary to our usual, we have included two of the best-known Android models, the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro.
The dominance of Apple phones in graphics processing is overwhelming.
For the photo, we compared the two iPhone 15s with their high-end predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro Max. We also included the Pixel Pro 7, which is praised for the quality of its photos.
The Pixel Pro 7 was only superior in one area, namely in low-light photos, where it was good at compensating for darker corners. Its front camera produced very dull selfies, unlike the three iPhones, which were generous in color and detail.
Clear victory for the two iPhone 15s, here. They are particularly characterized by the details and the management of contrasts with rich colors.
PHOTO KARIM BENESSAIEH, THE PRESS
This photo taken with the iPhone 15 Pro shows how well the device handles contrast and delivers rich colors.
Let’s move on to the iPhone 15 Pro, which is equipped with the new A17 Pro chip, which, as Geekbench 6 notes, stands out primarily for its graphics processing. To the point where Apple promises that this phone can handle big AAA games like Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Death Stranding. We haven’t been able to verify these claims since these games are promised “later this year,” but it’s obvious that the iPhone 15 Pro is a speed monster when it comes to video processing and handles switching between multiple applications like no other. open.
The new “aerospace grade” titanium shell? It’s not as impressive as in the fancy promotional videos and, in our opinion, doesn’t make a very convincing selling point. If everyone sees it when they unbox the phone, 99% of users won’t think about it after installing the case.
What’s fun and easy to test, however, is replacing the good old silent switch with a versatile button, the “Action Button.” This is, in our opinion, the most important discovery of the 2023 version. If you press and hold this button for two seconds, the phone will default to Do Not Disturb mode. The camera can also be opened in five different ways, from portrait to video to classic shots. The button then serves as a trigger. This is our favorite use of this action button, which also lets you turn on a flashlight, start recording voice memos, display a magnifying glass, and launch about twenty accessibility features.
We like less
Whether due to the new iOS 17 operating system or a defective device, we found our iPhone 15 Pro to be unstable at times, e.g. B. sensitive in an app like OneDrive.
The Dynamic Island is still compatible with too few applications. No other commands are offered other than those developed by Apple.
Managing content in Apple’s cloud computing, iCloud, continues to be a headache. Be it music or photos, it’s hard to understand what’s stored locally or what can be found across all iOS devices.
You buy ?
For many, iPhones are still the most advanced smartphones and certainly the most lucrative. So Apple hasn’t changed its recipe, but has offered a few nice little improvements with version 15. Nothing to make an older iPhone owner switch models immediately, but certainly enough to establish its dominance.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Price: starting at $1,129 (iPhone 15) and $1,449 (iPhone 15 Pro), 6.1-inch screen, 128GB.
Rating: 9 out of 10