While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro.
If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a list of features to expect below. The list includes major changes introduced with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, as well as new features rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro.
- A17 chip vs. A14 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 36% faster than the A14 chip in the iPhone 12 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro will be equipped with the A17 chip, which is expected to be manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency over the previous generation.
- USB-C port: With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally expected to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port. This change will provide a more universal charging standard and allow for faster wired data transfer speeds.
- Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel. The back glass and display bezels are also expected to have slightly curved edges.
- Solid-state buttons: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to feature solid-state volume, power, and mute buttons. Two additional Taptic Engines would provide haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of the buttons being pressed, similar to the Home button on the iPhone 7 or the trackpad on newer MacBooks.
- Dynamic Island: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple replaced the notch with the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped area surrounding the Face ID sensors and front camera. The Dynamic Island displays system alerts and integrates with iOS 16's Live Activities feature to show live NBA scores, the status of an Uber ride, and more.
- Always On display option: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple introduced an always-on display option that dims the entire Lock Screen, but still shows the time and date, widgets, wallpaper, and notifications. Once you raise the iPhone, tap the screen, or press the side button, the display returns to normal brightness.
- Brighter display: The iPhone 14 Pro's display is up to 200 nits brighter indoors compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, and offers up to 2,000 nits of brightness outdoors. The increased brightness should carry over to the iPhone 15 Pro.
- ProMotion: Introduced on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion allows for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother appearing content and scrolling.
- Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have even thinner bezels around the display.
- Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 17 hours for the iPhone 12 Pro. With components like the A17 chip and the LiDAR Scanner expected to be more power efficient this year, the iPhone 15 Pro could have even longer battery life.
- Numerous camera improvements: iPhone 12 Pro users upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro will get access to a wide range of camera upgrades, including a 48-megapixel Wide lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, increased optical zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, Action mode, ProRes video recording, Photographic Styles, and more.
- eSIM only in U.S.: Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S., meaning the devices work with eSIMs only. The devices are still compatible with physical SIM cards in other countries.
- Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB for the iPhone 12 Pro. Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously without reloading.
- Wi-Fi 6E: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E, which supports the 6GHz band for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference compared to standard Wi-Fi 6.
- Emergency SOS via Satellite: iPhone 14 models can connect to Globalstar satellites, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years after activation, and is currently available in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the U.K., with more countries to follow later this month.
- Crash Detection: New for the iPhone 14 series, Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes and contact emergency services via Emergency SOS if the user does not respond. The feature is enabled by default.
- 5G improvements: iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X70 modem for improved 5G performance.
- 1TB option: Starting with the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple introduced a 1TB storage option.
Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 15 series in September as usual, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.
Related Roundup: iPhone 15 Pro
Top Rated Comments
In my mind, I want a “new” phone, but then I read comparisons specs and think “do I really need that stuff?” And as I get older (or wiser or crass), I realize what I have the device I bought for a grand better last me more than a few years, just like my Mac or any other computer.
That might be just me though.