The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
Apple's 2023 iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the most feature-filled iPhones in the lineup yet. They swap stainless steel for aluminum, get faster USB-C data speeds, have buttery smooth displays, and have an improved triple-camera setup.
I spent some time with the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max right after Apple's "Wonderlust" special event wrapped. What I noticed first was just how much lighter these were over the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. The material swap to titanium significantly affects how you hold the device. And I, for one, am all for bigger smartphones getting lighter and more manageable. Apple offers the new iPhones in four finishes: Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, Silver Titanium, and Black Titanium.
Apple
Here's everything to know about Apple's new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models.
The Action Button replaces an original iPhone feature
Apple
The 2023 Apple Watch Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pros have much in common. They both have titanium builds, and they both get an Action Button. As you likely heard, Apple removed the silent or mute switch on the side of the iPhone, a staple since the original in 2007. Above the volume rocker on the left-hand side in its place, you'll find a small button that color-matches the rest of iPhone. Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra, you won't find that bright "International Orange" pop.
While you can long press the Action Button to silence or unsilence your iPhone 15 Pro quickly and tap it to trigger commands in the Dynamic Island up-top, what it does can also be customized, providing a degree of customization Apple hasn't offered before, giving the iPhone 15 a new superpower. By default, your phone will be set to "Silent Mode," but the button can do so much more, like:
- Enable a Focus mode like "Do Not Disturb"
- Open the Camera app to a specific shooting mode
- Turn on the Flashlight
- Start recording a Voice Memo
- Enable Magnifier, which lets you use the cameras on your iPhone to see objects up close
- Turn on a specific Accessibility feature
- Enable any Shortcut
The presets are good, and each has more levels of customization available. (Shortcut support is especially exciting.) You can automate tasks on your iPhone, too, like to send a message to your spouse when you're leaving the office every day. You can also run specific tasks in another app or control your smart home. I'm very eager to spend more time with the titanium Action Button on the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max; it could be a real game changer.
The bezels, or borders, around the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays on the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max have been thinned and given contoured edges, which gives both phones a more rounded look and feel. They're easier to grab, too.
Under the hood, Apple sped things up with the A17 Pro chip, the first 3-nanometer chip to hit the scene. It should ensure an incredibly smooth experience as well as heightened graphical performance, which is a win for gamers and creatives.
Like the standard 15s, the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max switch to USB-C with a bit more speed. The port is up to the USB-C 3 protocol, significantly speeding up data transfers. Both phones will still support wireless charging through MagSafe and the Qi standard, as well.
Apple's iPhone camera levels up, especially with the Pro Max
Above, I mentioned that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can both shoot up to seven ways. One thing to note: These phones are not equal regarding optical zoom. Like the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Pro maxes out at 3x optical zoom. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, however, stretches to a massive 5x optical zoom. That's big for iPhone, so know that you must go Pro Max if you want the best camera.
I demoed the cameras briefly, and here's the setup. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max both feature an enhanced 48-megapixel primary camera and an upgraded 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, both with a new coating that aims to solve for glare in pictures.
The 15 Pro sticks with that 12-megapixel telephoto that maxes out at 3x zoom, while the 15 Pro Max can do 5x at 120mm telephoto. This will let you zoom in way more, but the real story here is a big improvement in zoom quality with more vivid details.
Another exciting feature is that if the Camera app detects a person, dog, or cat in the frame, it will automatically capture a Portrait version of your photo at the same time using the right Depth setting. Once you go to edit the shot, you can enable the Portrait effect and adjust the area of focus. It's pretty cool.
All-in-all, Apple made several changes on this year's Pro iPhones, and I think the camera, the titanium finish, and the Action Button make the 15s a punch above the rest. I'm eager to see the new chip's longterm performance as I use it more.
Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max start at $999 and $1,199, respectively. The 6.7-inch iPhone is $100 more expensive, but it doubles the storage to 256GB. The 15 Pros will be up for preorder on Friday, Sept. 15 and will begin arriving to customers on Sept. 22.
Related: Apple’s AirPods Pro have a new case (and, yes, port), but they're also way more durable
If you're trading in a phone for the 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, you should be able to save quite a bit while Apple and other carriers are running promotions.
FAQs about Apple's 2023 iPhone 15
- How long does the iPhone 15 take to charge? With a 20-watt Apple USB-C charger, the 15 Pro takes 30 minutes for 50% and 15 Pro Max is 35 minutes for 50% battery. Of course, you can also pair it with a third-party charger like Anker's GaN Prime series.
- What is the max battery life of the iPhone 15? Battery is said to last all day for both models. Of course, true battery life remains to be seen and can vary based on usage. We'll report back after we've done more testing on the new iPhones, but we're expecting the 15 Pro Max to last up to a day and a half.
- How much do the iPhone 15 phones weigh? The iPhone 15 Pro is 6.6 ounces or 187 grams and iPhone 15 Pro Max is 7.81 ounces or 221 grams. For comparison, the 14 Pro is 7.2 ounces or 204 grams and the 14 Pro Max is 8.47 ounces or 250 grams.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
