If you were among those who bought the iPhone 13 when it was released in 2021, then you might well be approaching the end of your contract and considering an upgrade.
Two years can be a long time in smartphone development, so is the iPhone 15 set to be a big improvement on the iPhone 13, or should you hold onto your current model a little longer? Here are the five biggest changes we’re expecting between the iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: Goodbye Lightning, Hello USB-C
This is the year that Apple will reportedly ditch the Lightning port once and for all. It’s all thanks to EU regulation that means portable devices have to support the universal standard of USB-C charging going forward.
While that’s generally welcome news in terms of possible charging and transfer speeds, you may be a bit irked if you’ve got dozens of Lightning cables and accessories lying around.
Also, while you’ll get a new cable in the box, don’t go expecting a charger. There are rumors that Apple may reserve faster charging and transfer speeds for the iPhone 15 Pro series, but we'll see what happens.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: The end of the notch
Ever since it arrived with the iPhone X, the notch has proved pretty divisive — even as dozens of Android manufacturers instantly mimicked it. Last year, Apple replaced the notch with something called Dynamic Island which made the unsightly cutout a neat feature. Thanks to neat visual trickery, the cutout appears to expand with notifications and data in a way that’s undeniably cool.
Unfortunately, it was just for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, but all signs point to it arriving on the basic iPhone 15 this time around. In truth, it’s not that much less distracting than the notch, but the added functionality is neat, and it has lots of potential.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: A faster processor
The fact that you can expect faster performance with every phone upgrade is a given, but last year Apple broke one unwritten rule. It shipped the regular iPhone 14 with an older A15 chipset found in the iPhone 13 Pro, reserving the A16 Bionic for the iPhone 14 Pro models.
This year, while the iPhone 15 Pro speeds onto the A17, the iPhone 15 is expected to belatedly inherit the A16. Because that chip is already available, we have a pretty good idea of how much faster the iPhone 15 will be over the iPhone 13, and it’s a decent, if not mindblowing, upgrade.
Obviously that means those upgrading from the iPhone 13 will only feel the benefit of one generational chip shift, rather than the expected two, but it’s still welcome.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: An upgraded camera array
Last year, both the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro models received the first bump to camera-megapixel count since the iPhone 6S introduced a 12-megapixel sensor in 2015. And based on our testing the iPhone 14 Pro series 48MP camera performed very well.
It looks like the 48-megapixel camera sensor won’t be a Pro exclusive this year, which means a main 48MP camera should be coming to the regular iPhone 15 as well. In addition, analyst Jeff Pu says that the iPhone 15 will have “three stacked sensors” with improved light-capturing abilities for brighter and generally better photography.
Just don't expect a ProRAW camera mode for the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: A bigger screen (if you want it)
Bad news if the handset you’re looking to upgrade is an iPhone 13 mini. Last year, Apple ditched the line replacing the compact 5.4-inch mini with the massive 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus.
The company is set to continue with that strategy this year, with both a 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and a 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus.
If Apple mimics it exactly, this and battery capacity will be the only differences between the phones, so those who want more screen to play with can have it without having to spend big on an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13: A possible alternative
All of these rumored improvements add up to a substantial upgrade, should they come to pass. But as the majority of the upgrades (USB-C aside) are hand-me-downs from the iPhone 14 Pro, you may want to consider that upgrade path.
True, the iPhone 14 Pro won’t be Apple’s latest and greatest come September, but it will boast the same chipset, and on top of that you’ll get a telephoto zoom, an always-on display and a 120Hz refresh rate.
Coincidently, this mirrors the advice I gave to buyers tempted by the basic iPhone 14 when it arrived last September: 'buy the iPhone 13 Pro instead'.
Apple then went and discontinued it, so they’ll likely do the same with the iPhone 14 Pro this year. But if you’re not averse to souring carrier deals and maybe the pre-owned market, you’ll probably get significant bang for your buck come September.
