Pros:
– A16 Bionic is still a beast of an SoC
– Feels snappier and better than last year’s Pro models
– Improved ergonomics and hand-feel
– OLED Display’s colours are lively and pop out
– Pretty solid camera performance thanks to the 48MP sensor
– Low light photography is solid
– Built like a tank
Cons:
– 60Hz Display
– Can run a little warn out of the box, gets fixed with an update
– USB-C limited to USB 2.0 speeds
Rating: 4.5/5
Pricing: Rs 79,900 for the base 128GB variant
Normally, when Apple launches their new iPhones, the base model, regular iPhones hardly get as exciting an update as the Pro variants do. Sometimes, there have been instances where the non-Pro base models haven’t even got an SoC update. This has drawn a barrage of criticisms from both, tech enthusiasts and Apple fans.
At first glance, the recently unveiled iPhone 15, which made its debut in most regions on September 22, may appear to continue with this pattern. At first, its design seems very similar to that of the previous generations of iPhones.
However, looks can be deceiving. The iPhone 15 gets a massive jump in terms of specs and features than its predecessors. The fact that the new iPhone 15 comes with a USB-C is just the tip of the iceberg. Look under the hood, and there are tons of other upgrades and new features for the base variant, it would be misleading to say that we only get a few incremental updates — we get much more than that.
Apple stepped up its game with the standard iPhone 15, making it more pro-level without hitting your wallet any harder. They’ve taken some of the impressive features that turned the iPhone 14 Pro into a powerhouse and thrown them into the iPhone 15. You’ve got a fresh 2000-nit display, a souped-up 48MP main camera sensor, and they’ve packed in the A16 Bionic chip straight from the iPhone 14 Pro.
That’s where the similarities stop. But beyond that, you’ll also discover some brand-new additions that the 2023 iPhones have brought to the table, such as the inclusion of USB-C and a more ergonomic design. When you factor in all of these things, and the fact that the iPhone 15 starts at the same Rs 79,900 the base variant iPhone 15 looks a lot more appealing.
However, does that mean you should buy these over last year’s Pro model? What about the iPhone 15 Pro series from this year? We find out.
iPhone 15 Review: Design
On the face of it, the iPhone 15 might appear strikingly similar to its predecessors, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13. It retains its flat edges, an aluminium frame, a glass back, and a dual camera setup diagonally. However, this is where the resemblances come to an end.
In the past, standard iPhone models featured a glossy glass back. The shiny surface seemed to attract fingerprints and smudges like a magnet, and really bothered users.
Fortunately, the iPhone 15 tackles this issue by introducing a novel “colour-infused” glass back, resulting in an impressively smooth matte finish. Thanks to this new matte glass, fingerprint marks are notably less visible, at least on the green variant that I had the opportunity to try. I suspect this effect extends to the other lighter colour options as well.
At the back, you also get that familiar camera module, and Apple’s very minimal branding.
The matte glass finish also seems to improve the phone’s grip, making it less prone to slipping out of your hand. The introduction of slight curvature on the edges is another welcome change, that makes the device feel more handy, and ergonomic feel. This is especially pronounced when paired with the lightweight aluminium frame.
Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus still retain the Ring/Silent switch, which remains unchanged. So do the volume and side buttons.
At the bottom of the phone, however, there’s a noteworthy alteration: the introduction of a USB-C port for charging, marking Apple’s departure from the Lightning port.
Then there are some major changes to the front that we were sort of expecting. The bezels surrounding the screen of the iPhone 15 are noticeably slimmer, resulting in a slightly smaller overall phone size. You also get a screen with a Dynamic Island cutout on the front, just like the iPhone 14 Pro from last year.
As for the colours of the iPhone 15 this year, they’re even more understated and subtle than before. We’ve got Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black. All of the colours, barring Black are very subtle — so subtle in fact that the Blue, sometimes, looks white. Nonetheless, thanks to the frosted or matte finish, they look and feel awesome to hold.
iPhone 15 Review: Display
The standard iPhone 15 boasts a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision, which means now, it can show HDR content. It features a resolution of 1179X2556 pixels, and a pixel density of 461PPI. The screen can reach 1,000 nits for regular brightness and an impressive 2,000 nits for peak outdoor visibility.
On the surface, the iPhone 15’s display is quite impressive. It delivers vivid and vibrant colours, and text appears sharp and clear. For the average user, this display is more than satisfactory.
However, if you’re transitioning from a Pro model with ProMotion or a flagship or even a mid range Android phone, you might notice some less-than-smooth scrolling and transition animations. This is because Apple has stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate for the standard iPhone displays, which can be disappointing for some. That’s the iPhone 15’s biggest Achilles heel. Even the lack of an always-on-display doesn’t sting as much as this.
The iPhone 15’s display is by no means subpar, but the 60Hz refresh rate feels somewhat dated when compared to alternatives in the market. Apple should seriously consider moving to at least 90Hz displays for the standard models in the future.
Having said that when it comes to every other aspect of the display, such as display technology, resolution, and peak brightness, the iPhone 15 is almost on par with the its more expensive, Pro siblings.
We also get the Dynamic Island in the standard iPhone 15 models this year. Now, because even the standard iPhone 15 models come with the Dynamic Island, we can expect to see more app developers adopting it and getting creative with animations and other applications for it.
iPhone 15 Review: Cameras
The iPhone 15 has brought about a surprising upgrade in its camera department this year. It now boasts a 48MP primary camera and a 12MP ultrawide lens with an impressive 120-degree field of view (FoV). Unfortunately, the ultrawide lens remains unchanged from the previous year, lacking autofocus. The selfie camera also maintains its 12MP resolution.
A notable difference from last year’s iPhone 14 Pro models is that the iPhone 15 defaults to capturing photos at 24MP, unlike the Pro models that defaulted to 12MP for regular photos (except when shooting in 48MP full resolution with ProRAW). You can switch it back to 12MP if you want to save on file size, but the 24MP photos generally offer superior image quality with a modest 50% increase in size. While this may sound like a substantial difference, it’s not, especially when you consider the enhanced image quality you gain from the 24MP shots.
You still have the option to shoot in the full 48MP resolution if needed, but you must enable this setting in the Settings app. Realistically, the 24MP default setting should suffice for most users, with the 48MP mode reserved for images you plan to print, as the distinctions are not highly noticeable.
What’s truly remarkable is that the 48MP sensor now employs sensor cropping to capture photos with the same quality as a 2x optical zoom, even without a dedicated telephoto lens.
It’s fair to say that the iPhone 15 offers the best 2x zoom quality I’ve experienced in any phone without a telephoto lens. Apple’s computational photography techniques, coupled with the 48MP sensor crop, allow for 2x zoom photos without a significant loss in quality. In many ways, this phone’s camera system competes with the iPhone 14 Pro series from last year.
The photos taken with this camera exhibit rich and vibrant colours, sharp details, and an overall increase in detail beyond expectations. The Auto Portrait feature, available on all iPhone 15 models, is a standout, as you no longer need to manually switch to Portrait mode. When the camera focuses on a person (or even a pet), it automatically captures depth data in the background, allowing you to transform it into a Portrait image later on.
In the meantime, here are some unedited shots taken using the iPhone 15 –
iPhone 15 Review: Performance, software experience and UI
The iPhone 15 comes equipped with iOS 17 right out of the box, and it’s powered by the A16 Bionic chip that made its debut last year with the iPhone 14 Pro models. It also boasts 6GB of RAM.
As you’d anticipate from a new iPhone, the iPhone 15 handles iOS 17 with ease. The device offers a seamless and responsive experience. Switching between apps is effortless, photo editing is smooth, photo capture happens without any lag, and, thus far, there have been no issues with apps crashing.
In the beginning, there were some minor heat-related concerns, but those seemed to resolve themselves after a few days of use. Following the recent iOS 17.0.3 update, everything has been running smoothly.
Benchmark tests indicate that the iPhone 15 is on par with, if not slightly superior to, the iPhone 14 Pro in terms of processing power, despite both devices sharing the same SoC. The benchmark scores are a testament to the iPhone 15’s capabilities, and it’s a highly competent smartphone. There’s very little out there that can impede its performance. Thanks to Apple’s cutting-edge silicon, you not only get a robust performer in the present but also a device that will age gracefully. This positions it as a prime choice for those who prioritize future-proofing their technology investments.
For storage, you still get 128 GB as the base storage, which goes all the way up to 512GB.
As for that USB-C port at the bottom, it’s there because of the EU’s regulation mandating USB-C on personal devices. As opposed to the iPhone 15 Pro series, the standard iPhone 15 gets a USB-C port with USB 2 speeds. Additionally, the iPhone 15 models feature Wi-Fi 6 and BlueTooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity.
iPhone 15 Review: Battery
Apple has equipped all the new iPhone 15 models with slightly larger batteries. In the case of the iPhone 15, you’ll discover a 3,349mAh battery, which is a subtle upgrade from its predecessor that featured a 3,279mAh battery. This battery should easily see you through a full day of use, although it might not stretch much beyond that. Nonetheless, it does mark an improvement over the iPhone 14 Pro.
On an average weekday, I typically start using the device at 7:00 AM, and throughout the day, I’m constantly switching between apps like Gmail, X, Outlook, Chrome, and Slack. I also do some occasional music streaming, spend an hour or two watching video content, engage in some light gaming, and scroll through social media. By 11:30 PM, I usually have about 20-25 per cent of battery remaining.
I’ve been quite pleased with the inclusion of USB-C on the iPhone 15, although I had hoped for an improvement in charging speed with this transition. When you connect the iPhone 15 to a charger with at least a 20W adapter, you can expect to reach approximately 50% charge in 30 minutes, which is consistent with previous models.
MagSafe charging maintains its speed at 15W, and Qi-compatible wireless charging remains at 7.5W. The new feature of reverse wired charging, allowing you to use your iPhone 15 to charge other devices via a USB-C cable, is limited to a 4.5W output.
iPhone 15 Pro Max Review: Verdict
People who have used the iPhone 14 Pro will feel that not a lot has changed with the iPhone 15, minus a few upgrades here and there, and a few omissions — that’s how good the new iPhone 15 is. The iPhone 15 update brings significant improvements, making it a compelling choice even for iPhone 14 (non-Pro) users.
While USB-C and the A16 Bionic chip are notable updates, the standout improvement, in my opinion, lies in the camera department. Apple has relied on 12MP cameras since the iPhone 6S, marking almost a decade without a significant upgrade. With the leap to a 48MP primary camera in the standard iPhone 15, it represents Apple’s first substantial camera enhancement in years. The photos captured with the main camera look fantastic, featuring vivid, non-washed-out colours and an abundance of sharp details.
Is it the best phone out there in this price range? Certainly not. However, the iPhone 15, like all iPhones are a bit special for the way they do things. It is the experience of using an iPhone, especially when they are in the Apple ecosystem that makes people gravitate towards their products — everything just works as it is supposed to.
The iPhone 15 is certainly the best compact phone out there, albeit by a slim margin. Consider looking at it like this. You are getting a slightly better iPhone 14 Pro from last year, but at a significantly discounted price. That’s a pretty sweet deal, considering just how magnificent the iPhone 14 Pro is.
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