iPhone 15s and New Apple Watches
The iPhone 15 lineup, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are now available for purchase! Here are the 10 biggest changes:
All iPhone 15 Models:
USB-C: With the introduction of the iPhone 15 models, Apple switched its charging port from Lightning to USB-C. Why did Apple do this? Well, they actually made this move for a few reasons: 1) They were forced to because of the new EU laws, 2) USB-C allows for faster charging and faster data transfers, and 3) Macs and iPads have already switched to USB-C, so it makes sense to switch the iPhone as well. This means you can charge all of your (new) Apple devices with the same cable. Android has had USB-C for years, so it is about time that Apple makes the change.
Color-Infused Glass: While most people probably won't notice a change, the back of the iPhone 15s are now made with a single sheet of color-infused glass. This allows it to be more durable and present better colors. It will also make it more easily removable for repairs.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max:
3. Titanium: Starting with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, certain iPhones will now be made using Titanium, which is both more durable and lighter.
4. Action Button: The action button is a new feature that is found exclusively on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This button will replace the mute switch and be able to be programmed to a variety of different actions, such as toggling mute, turning on a focus mode, opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, or running a shortcut (which I think will be the most useful). While it is sad to lose the mute switch, the action button provides more functionality and customization for the iPhone.
5. A17 Pro Chip: This is the first “pro” chip inside an iPhone, as Apple usually refers to them as "bionic." This chip (obviously) has better power and improvements to the CPU and especially to the GPU (which is going to allow for better gaming graphics).
6. Camera: Obviously the Pro phones got an update to the camera this year with Apple advertising that "it’s like having seven pro lenses in your pocket, everywhere you go.” The camera now features a periscope lens (inside one of the existing lenses), which allows for greater optical zoom.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:
7. Dynamic Island: The Dynamic Island made its first appearance on the iPhone 14 Pro models, but has trickled down to the base model iPhone 15s this year. The dynamic island allows you to view useful information right on the home screen (and cover up the camera).
8. Camera: While there wasn't a huge improvement from the iPhone 14 camera, Apple did make some changes such as changing the camera to 48MP instead of 12MP and allowing you to take a 2x Telephoto without a dedicated Telephoto lens.
Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2:
9. S9 Chip: This new chip is now featured in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. It will provide performance upgrades to both watches, allowing for more on-device processing, better battery life, and the new double tap feature (see below). Once again, not a reason to upgrade, but nice to have!
10. Double Tap: Double Tap is a “new” feature that will be available for both new Apple Watches. Technically this feature isn't new because you could already use it (in part) with a lesser known accessibility feature. Double Tap will allow you to perform certain actions (ending a call, stopping a timer, or check your smart stack) on your Apple Watch by just tapping your thumb and index finger together. While this isn't a reason to upgrade, it is still a pretty cool feature!
There are a lot of new changes, and I couldn't cover all of it, so if you would like to learn more, you can go to the Apple website.