One big step for the base iPhone… but overall it’s average, or even a step sideways. Because your neighbor with an older iPhone 14 Pro still has something to be envious of.
Difference between iPhone 15 and iPhone 14
For years, photos of the base iPhones could illustrate the definition of the phrase "the path of least resistance" in encyclopedias. They change slightly from year to year, new models usually lag behind older Pro versions in some aspects, and since the "fourteen", Apple has even packed processors into them that debuted in the Pro series twelve months earlier.
However, there are still plenty of people interested in the "non-Pro" iPhones – some like their vibrant colors, others the lower price, and still others simply aren't interested in the smartphone market and want to buy a new Apple phone every few years.
iPhone 15 Advantages
And I think all these people will be delighted with the new generation! Appearance? The iPhone 15 has a matte, smudge-resistant, and pleasant-to-touch back. The case colors on Apple's website look faded, like a Viking's underpants after a year of raids and conquests, but I assure you, they look much better in person. I know that almost everyone eventually hides their phone – just like underpants, by the way – under another layer for extra protection. But don't worry – from the front, you can also see that the new iPhone is new!
The smartphone's screen is adorned (though some might consider this phrase inaccurate) by the Dynamic Island, already known from the iPhone 14 Pro series. It's a "pill" on the display that hides the face recognition sensors and the front camera. It replaces the notch in the screen and offers much more fun, because the only fun from the notch used to be fantastic memes mocking Apple smartphones. However, the Dynamic Island has been designed to feel alive – it shows various clever animations, allows you to preview navigation directions at all times, or control music playback without opening the entire app. Great stuff!
iPhone 15 – Technical Specifications
The display itself is, of course, amazing, but… the manufacturer has again skimped on the 120 Hz refresh rate. And they've probably skimped on it by principle, just to keep something distinguishing the cheaper iPhones from the more expensive ones, because they haven't saved much money on it – phones with 120 Hz screens can be bought for just over 1000 PLN.
What's the difference, you ask? Well, all those cool animations just mentioned, or even just browsing the phone's menus, feel much smoother on the Pro iPhones. If you've been using an iPhone from a few years ago, do you have anything to regret? Not at all! My wife, my parents, friends who aren't interested in the market, only notice any difference when I point it out to them. Even though it's obvious to me. It's simply not fitting to put such a screen in a phone for almost 5000 PLN.
The iPhone 15 also missed out on the very good Always-on Display system, which shows the wallpaper and notifications on the screen at all times. Well, at least we still have exceptionally good stereo speakers. And if the display seems too small or too weak, you can always connect the smartphone to a TV.
iPhone finally with a USB C port
Yes, because the biggest change in the iPhone 15 series and something that distinguishes it from its predecessors is the use of the universal USB C port for charging. It replaces the outdated Lightning and, in addition to topping up power (now it's the same cable as in any other phone on the market), it allows you to connect the phone to a monitor, TV, external drives, pendrives, lots of game controllers, or even charge other phones, headphones, etc. Great thing, though for Android users as revealing as the comments that "Vikings didn't wear horned helmets." No, they didn't. But Vikings do wear them 😉
Great camera in the new iPhone
The iPhone 15 also got a new, 48-megapixel main camera. Photos now have higher resolution and are truly more detailed than on older models. Additionally, the new portrait mode, which can be activated at any time, not just when you're actually taking a photo, performs excellently. You can decide whether the background should be blurred or not, or even where to set the focus, at any moment – even years after the photo was actually taken. I have a feeling this will prevent a lot of arguments in relationships, because every vacation photo can be salvaged somehow! Plus, nearly lossless, twofold zoom (also good for portraits), as always phenomenal video, decent selfies, and we have one of the best cameras on the market, albeit without any fancy telephoto lenses or other gadgets.
Performance is top-notch – that's why you buy an iPhone, to have peace of mind. The battery lasts about a day, which for me is the same as my previous one. It's a shame they didn't use USB C to introduce faster charging, because compared to the Android competition, the iPhone is as slow as a drakkar sailing against the current in this regard. Charging to 100% takes almost two hours! And I recently checked the OPPO for 999 PLN, which takes 35 minutes. Well, inductive charging saves the situation a bit – I always place my phone on the charger when I'm at my desk. And I'm always at my desk because, unfortunately, I work at a computer, not an axe 🙁
iPhone 15 or iPhone 14 Pro?
So, iPhone 15 or iPhone 14 Pro? The latter will soon disappear from stores, as Apple is wisely phasing them out, so it's the last call! Well, the 14 Pro has a better display with Always-on Display, the same performance, and a comparable camera, but with an extra zoom lens. The "fifteen" wins with USB C, portrait mode, and of course, colors. Both will be great. Both are good iPhones. And I haven't liked the base version of Apple's phone this much in quite a few years.
