6 min Devices

Apple shows iPhone 15 models: USB-C, telephoto lens and GPU redesign

Apple shows iPhone 15 models: USB-C, telephoto lens and GPU redesign

At Apple’s “Wonderlust” event, the latest iPhone 15 was unveiled. The iPhone will feature a USB-C port, as previously speculated. For the Pro models, Apple has shaken up the camera island, making room for a 3x or 5x telephoto lens.

Apple presented the latest iPhone during the event at 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday night. The Pro models always reveal the most striking new features Apple has to offer. Therefore, we first provide an overview of this device, which price is starting at $999. The Max is available starting at $1,199. Pre-ordering is possible this Friday, although then it will only be waiting until September 22 before the device will also be available at Apple retailers.

The iPhone is made entirely of titanium to make the device sturdier and more portable at the same time. Strong, durable and light, with those keywords Apple describes the titanium exterior of the device. Ceramic shield protects the iPhone’s screen from water and dust. According to Apple, the protective layer is stronger than any screen protector alternative available today. Screen size starts from 6.1 inches. The Pro Max further increases the screen size to 6.7 inches.

That’s not the only design change Apple is making. The tech company is also changing the functionality of the side button, which is used to put the device on silent mode, to a customizable “Action” button. Users can give the button a function of their own. To give an example, the button can serve to open the camera.

A17 chip: GPU redesign

On the inside is a new A17 chip that Apple again developed in-house, a 3-nanometer chip. It features 19 billion transistors. The main breakthrough, according to the tech giant, is GPU performance. The GPU is up to 20 times faster and uses the battery more efficiently than the previous generation through a new 6-core design.

Furthermore, A17 features a 6-core CPU with twice as fast performance cores, which makes the chip the fastest compared to competitors’ smartphones. This makes it possible to perform difficult operations extremely fast. These operations include autocorrecting words and removing a background on a photo. The CPU is said to be up to 10 times faster.

Telephoto lens

The Pro model features three cameras on the back of the device. The iPhone 15 Pro again features a 48 MP main lens. Users can now take photos in HEIF rather than just ProRAW. So you can shoot in all lighting conditions, Apple is increasing the camera’s ability to shoot in dark areas. Photos in these conditions should be twice as sharp, Apple promises. The main camera allows users to play with three popular focal lengths: 24 mm, 28 mm and 35 mm.

Een close-up van een iphone 11 met vier lenzen.

Source: Apple

Furthermore, there is room on the Pro for a 3x telephoto lens. The lens features a longer focal length, allowing more light to be captured and reflected by the lens to get sharper photos. The iPhone 15 Pro Max adds another element: “The longest optical zoom ever on iPhone.” 5 times to 120 mm makes the camera suitable for photographers who want to take close-ups or zoom in without losing quality.

Lightning makes way

Charging is done via a USB-C port. As such, the Lightning port which has characterized the device since 2012 is being written off for good. That Apple is switching to the USB-C port is not due to the company itself. This is because the EU requires every phone to use USB-C to ensure interoperability. In other words, fewer cables will end up in the trash because they are no longer useful. “USB-C has become a common standard,” the company reports during the event. The company points out that other Apple devices have been working with USB-C for years, making it easier for users to charge all devices with the same cable.

Despite earlier rumours claiming Apple would incorporate the USB 2.0 standard from the 2000s because it provides the same maximum transfer speed as Lightning cables, the Pro models introduce USB 3. Data transfer is possible at 10 GB per second, a huge upgrade for Apple users: “Up to 20x faster than before.”

Competing smartphone brands have been experimenting with the USB-C port for years to make charging times shorter and shorter. After 20 minutes of charging, most smartphones today will provide enough capacity to get through a workday. Charging speeds are not communicated, and Apple only states that the battery capacity should be enough to get through a day.

iPhone 15 (Plus).

The iPhone 15 comes at a price starting at $799. The Plus model will cost $100 more. The device will be available at the same time as the Pro models.

The front features the in-screen notch that Apple introduced in the iPhone Pro 14. This bar displays notifications, navigates while driving, displays calls and summarizes other information in an uncluttered way.

The OLED screen has a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and outdoors up to 2,000 nits, double the brightness of the iPhone 14. The models are available in two sizes, 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch. Ceramic shield is again present to protect the screen.

Een rij verschillende gekleurde iPhones op een witte achtergrond.

Source: Apple

Two cameras

Apple is making the camera island of the iPhone 15 completely different. It features a 48 MP main lens that works in conjunction with a computational light sensor and boosts the resolution of photos, making them up to twice as sharp. It also features a 2x telephoto lens.

Furthermore, Apple is making the camera more suitable for taking photos in dark conditions. Another new feature is changing the blurred objects after the photo was taken. When an object in the background is blurred by taking the picture, a user can still undo the blurring on this object afterwards.

A16 chip

Inside is the A16 chip developed by Apple itself. This generation of chips was introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It is the combination of a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU.

According to the manufacturer, the iPhone 15 Plus has a larger battery capacity that gives the device enough battery to last a full day. Details are not shared.

The iPhone will be offered in several summery pastel colours: pink, yellow, blue and green. Black will also be a possibility, but the familiar colours from the previous range of models will also remain available.