Apple Launches New iPhone 15 and Wearables, USB-C Finally Here

Order the new iPhone 15 here

Apple unveiled their latest products at the Wonderlust event in Cupertino, California on 12 September. Since the 2007 launch of the first iPhone, the event has become a prominent fixture on the tech calendar. Two notable announcements at the event included the new Apple iPhone 15 and Apple Watch.

Tim Cook announced four new iPhone models. Pre-orders will open on September 15, with units shipping out from September 22.

iPhone 15	$799	6.1 inches	|	128GB	|	A16 Bionic
iPhone 15 Plus	$899	6.7 inches	|	128GB	|	A16 Bionic
iPhone 15 Pro	$999	6.1 inches	|	128GB	|	A17 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max	$1199	6.7 inches	|	256GB	|	A17 Pro

Apple confirmed the iPhone's transition to USB-C from their proprietary Lightning port. Although they didn't admit it, this move was forced by the European Union, which passed a law in 2022 requiring all phones, tablets, and cameras sold in the EU to be equipped with a USB-C charging port. The iPhone and iPhone Plus supports USB 2.0, while the Pro models can tap into the speed of USB 3.0. Apple is also bringing USB-C to their EarPods, so they will work seamlessly with the new iPhone 15.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

The iPhone and iPhone Plus are getting Dynamic Island, a feature that was previously only available on the Pro lineup. This nifty pill-shaped widget is used for displaying notifications, and Apple has expanded its functionality to include features like tracking deliveries and following MLS soccer games.

Another notable improvement is the Super Retina XDR display, which boasts thinner borders, richer colours, and Dolby Vision support. The iPhone 15 can reach a brightness of 1,600 nits during HDR video playback and up to 2,000 when used outdoors—quite a big increase over its predecessor.

The main camera has a new and improved 48-MP sensor, with Apple using computational photography to output a default of 24-MP photos that are super-high-resolution without taking up too much space. The 48-MP sensor has a zoom of up to 2x.

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple unveiled the brand new A17 Pro, an industry-first 3nm chip that powers the iPhone 15 Pro models. The chip boasts a staggering 19 billion transistors with a six-core CPU. Apple promises a 10% improvement for the CPU's two performance cores with the four efficiency cores offering better performance per watt.

There is also a big focus on gaming, and the A17 Pro features a six-core GPU that is up to 20% faster than its predecessor. The new chip introduces hardware-accelerated ray tracing that is four times faster than the software-based solution of the A16 Bionic. Exciting news for gamers: the iPhone 15 Pro is getting native versions of triple AAA titles, including Assassin's Creed Mirage and The Division Resurgence.

Apart from faster hardware, the iPhone 15 Pro comes with a shiny new titanium chassis. Titanium is more durable and lighter than stainless steel, and the Pro models received respectable weight reductions. The iPhone 15 Pro is down to 187g (from 206g) while the iPhone 15 Pro Max weighs 221g (down from 240g).

The Ring/Silent switch has been replaced with an Action Button. By default this button will allow users to toggle between silent and ring mode, but it can also be customised to perform other actions, such as activating the camera or recording a voice memo.

The iPhone 15 Pro models come with an overhauled 48-MP camera, and Apple says it has the equivalent of seven camera lenses. For the first time ever the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 5x optical zoom (120mm lens). Directors can now record Apple's ProRes format directly to external storage, with support for up to 4K at 60 frames per second.

Apple Watch

The next generation of Apple wearables include the Apple Watch Series 9 at $399 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 at $799. These watches can already be ordered and will be available from September 22.

Apple announced two new marquee features. The first of these is double tap, a new supported gesture that can be made with the watch hand. Users simply tap their thumb and index finger together twice, and this can be used to perform tasks like answering calls or starting a timer. The other big feature is on-device Siri processing. This means Siri requests are processed on the device itself, which should result in snappier performance as data doesn't need to be sent to the cloud anymore.

The Series 9 keeps the same 18/36 hours (Standard/Low Power) battery life, while the Ultra 2 has a minor improvement in Low Power mode at 36/72 hours. Both wearables received impressive screen upgrades, and the Series 9 can reach 2,000 nits while the Ultra 2 can hit a whopping 3,000 nits.

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