iPhone 11 Pro vs. 15 Pro: What to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

While the iPhone 15 Pro has yet to launch, several new features have already been rumored. Following our iPhone 12 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro comparisons, we have now put together a version for the iPhone 11 Pro.

iPhone 11 Pro Feature Green
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always significant, new features begin to stack up over multiple generations. For this reason, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a four-year-old iPhone 11 Pro.

The list below includes major iPhone changes introduced since 2019, as well as new features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models.

iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro

  • A17 chip vs. A13 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 72% faster than the A13 chip in the iPhone 11 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to be equipped with an A17 chip manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency compared to previous chips.
  • 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.
  • Action button: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra. The button would replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. Users would likely be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent, Do Not Disturb, Flashlight, Low Power Mode, and more.
  • Larger display: iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a 5.8-inch display, while the 15 Pro is expected to have a 6.1-inch display.
  • Brighter display: Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the 15 Pro's display should have at least 200 nits higher peak brightness.
  • ProMotion: Introduced on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion allows for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother appearing content and scrolling.
  • 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 supports the Live Activities feature for live sports 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.
  • Ceramic Shield: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, Apple said the Ceramic Shield front cover increased drop performance by 4x compared to the 11 Pro.
  • Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have ultra-thin bezels around the display.
  • Flat edges: While the iPhone 11 Pro's stainless steel frame has round edges, Apple switched to flat edges with the 12 Pro and newer.
  • Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 18 hours for the iPhone 11 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.
  • Camera improvements: iPhone 11 Pro users upgrading to the 15 Pro will gain access to a wide range of camera upgrades added over the years, including a 48-megapixel main lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, sensor-shift image stabilization, a 3x optical zoom option, Action mode, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, ProRAW photos, ProRes video, Night mode portraits and time lapses, and much more. Up to 5-6x optical zoom is expected for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
  • 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 SIM cards in other countries, but rumors suggest that iPhone 15 models might be eSIM-only in France, and perhaps some other countries.
  • Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for the iPhone 11 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, the U.K., Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and select other countries.
  • 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: While the iPhone 11 Pro is limited to LTE, the iPhone 12 and newer support 5G for faster cellular data speeds, where available.
  • MagSafe: iPhone 12 and newer models feature MagSafe, a system that lets you magnetically attach accessories to the back of the iPhone, such as Apple's own MagSafe Charger, MagSafe Wallet, and MagSafe Battery Pack.
  • Increased storage: iPhone 11 Pro started with 64GB of storage, but the 15 Pro should have at least 128GB of base storage.
  • LiDAR Scanner: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, the LiDAR Scanner is situated next to the rear camera and offers faster augmented reality experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light photos and videos, according to Apple.
  • Improved water resistance: Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro is water resistant up to a depth of four meters for up to 30 minutes, while the 12 Pro and newer are water resistant up to a depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in September, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...

Top Rated Comments

Jay Tee Avatar
31 months ago
The year-over-year improvements are marginal, so yeah MacRumors is trying to help us out by highlighting differences.

This adds value to the website, for me.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
31 months ago
Oh good, this is a series. ?

Looking forward to the iPhone 3G vs. 15 Pro: What to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade post.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Red Oak Avatar
31 months ago
My iPhone 11 Pro died last week. Was planning to hold out and get the 15 Pro, but went ahead and bought the 14 Pro

Let me tell you - what a MAJOR upgrade the 14 Pro is. The iPhone changed a lot over 4 years. You don’t appreciate it year over year. But Apple is on a continuous improvement march
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Algus Avatar
31 months ago
But no Midnight green color scheme probably ?. The real reason I haven't upgraded.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
31 months ago
I hope they bring back the green from the 11 Pro. By far my favorite iPhone design/color.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
31 months ago
The iPhone X vs iPhone 15 comparison will be summarized as ‘just upgrade already’ ?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)