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iPhone 15 event: all the news on Apple’s new phones

By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

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While the iPhone 15 was undoubtedly the focus of Apple’s September 12th event, we also saw new AirPods Pro (second-generation) earbuds with a USB-C case plus two new updates to its watch line with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 with new processors inside.

The iPhone 15 lineup’s most significant addition is a new USB-C port, while each model also comes with the Dynamic Island . The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max added an Action Button that replaces the mute toggle to go with new titanium bodies, ultra-thin bezels, and a higher starting price.

Apple also announced the new iOS 17 software update will be released on Monday, September 18th, and macOS Sonoma is coming on September 26th. New “FineWoven” accessories replaced the old leather cases, and its Emergency SOS via satellite feature can now cover car problems, too, thanks to a new partnership with AAA.

You can catch up on all the latest news from Apple’s September event in the stream below.

• How the new iPhone 15 models differ from one another (and the iPhone 14)
• iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max hands-on
• A first look at the new iPhone 15 with USB-C and a big camera upgrade
• Hands-on with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple is releasing iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 on September 18th
• Apple is switching the AirPods Pro charging case to USB-C
• Apple announces Apple Watch Series 9, and it has a handy double-tap feature

iOS 17.3 is out, adding Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone

iOS 17.3 is out, and it comes with a new security feature that’s supposed to prevent thieves from taking your iPhone and quickly taking over access to anything stored in iCloud as well as other important accounts like your bank or email. Instead of relying on your lock screen passcode for security (as thieves have learned to trick people into entering it in front of them before they take off with the phone), Stolen Device Protection requires you to scan your fingerprint or use Face ID when performing certain actions, such as viewing saved passwords or applying for a new Apple Card.

The feature also introduces a waiting period when performing more sensitive actions, such as changing your Apple ID password or your iPhone passcode. In the iOS 17.3 update note, Apple says, “Security Delay requires Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, and then an additional successful biometric authentication” before you can complete the process, ensuring the person who’s performing this action is actually you. Your iPhone will only require this extra layer of authentication when you’re away from “familiar locations such as home or work,” according to Apple.

Oct 6, 2023

Richard Lawler

Having already applied their screwdrivers and other tools to the iPhone 15 Pro , the folks at iFixit have now turned to the base iPhone 15 model , even looking at its internals under a microscope.

They also point out that these models lack the Pro version’s A17 chipset with an integrated USB controller that enables higher USB-C transfer speeds but still ding the phones for Apple’s software locks that hamper repairability outside of authorized shops with access to the company’s pairing tools.

And, of course, you can watch our storystream to follow all of the updates about the iPhone 15 lineup.

Sep 26, 2023

Apple releases macOS Sonoma, with iOS-like widgets and Game Mode

Apple injects a little more iOS into the Mac today as it releases macOS Sonoma , aka macOS 14.0. Sonoma brings with it features like persistent desktop widgets, a new iOS-style lock screen, and a game mode that promises better gaming on your Mac. The file clocks in at 7.7GB for us, so you’ll want to make sure you have a little space to get it in.

In a refreshing change, the Sonoma update is out just over a week after Apple dropped iOS 17 . The new version of the iPhone operating system hit, as always, very soon after its iPhone 15 event earlier this month , but the company usually takes about a month longer to get its next macOS version out the door. That can make for a sometimes frustrating dissonance given Apple’s ecosystem interplay, for those of us who tend to update our devices as soon as we can. (I need the ability to send The Verge ’s Alex Cranz annoying custom stickers in iMessage from my Mac, y’all.)

Sep 25, 2023

Resident Evil Village’s iPhone port will launch a day before Halloween

Capcom announced at Tokyo Game Show 2023 that Resident Evil Village for the iPhone 15 Pro phones and M1-and-up iPads will debut on October 30th. The game will cost $39.99 — $10 more than the macOS version — with the Winters’ Expansion DLC pack also available for another $19.99. The Resident Evil 4 remake for iPhones, iPads, and Macs is listed on Capcom’s site as “available 2023.”

Capcom says preorders for both games will hit the Apple App Store “soon.” The company adds that if you order Village and Winters’ Expansion during a launch window that the company will announce later, you’ll get an extra costume for Rosemary Winters in the Shadows of Rose DLC.

Sep 24, 2023

Don’t bother trying to open up your brand-new Apple Watch S9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 — iFixit has done it for you .

The quick jaunt through the watches’ guts will look familiar if you’ve ever seen one of iFixit’s Apple Watch teardowns, but there are some small differences to be found inside, like a higher-capacity, hard-shell battery in both.

Sep 22, 2023

Allison Johnson

You asked, and we answered your burning iPhone 15 questions

Ever since our reviews for the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro went up on Tuesday morning, you’ve had a ton of questions to ask about the phones — in comments , on The Vergecast , on Threads, an Instagram App , and in a live Q&A .

So we thought we’d put all that information together in a nice little smorgasbord of nerdy tidbits and philosophical pondering and pick out a few favorites in the process.

Sep 21, 2023

How to customize the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button

If you pick up an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you’ll notice one thing missing: the mute switch. It’s been a fixture on iPhones since the very beginning, but the 15 Pro models have swapped it out for a new button that’s dubbed the Action Button . 

Like the Action Button on the Apple Watch Ultra series, you can customize it to do almost anything you want. It can open up a specific mode on your camera, turn on your flashlight, and, if you’re crafty, even order your favorite seasonal beverage from your neighborhood Starbucks. 

Sep 20, 2023

The iPhone 15 will now tell you how many charge cycles are on its battery

The iPhone 15 and 15 Pro have several features that aren’t on past iPhones, and now we can add new battery information and control features to the list. As pointed out in this post by @Tech_Reve , a new section in the iOS 17 “About” screen shows how many charge cycles your battery has been through as well as its manufacturing date and when it was first used ( via MacRumors ).

Those on older phones still have third-party options like CoconutBattery for the Mac to get more information about the battery, but it would be nice to just, you know, have it already there. iOS Shortcuts are also an option for accessing this information, though Verge editor Dan Seifert says the one he’s been using for years no longer works after updating his phone to iOS 17.

Sep 19, 2023

Resident Evil Village on the iPhone 15 Pro actually looks pretty good

In a recent interview with IGN , an Apple executive claimed that the iPhone 15 Pro was “ going to be the best game console .” I was skeptical; although Apple boasted about the capabilities of its new GPU in its A17 Pro chip and said high-fidelity games like Resident Evil Village , the Resident Evil 4 remake, and Death Stranding would all be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro, I didn’t believe they would run very well in practice.

But after actually seeing footage of Resident Evil Village in action on an iPhone 15 Pro, I’m coming around to the idea that Apple’s vision isn’t as far out as I thought.

Sep 18, 2023

The smaller iPhone 16 Pro might get Apple’s new ‘tetraprism’ zoom lens

Next year’s Pro iPhones are both “expected” to have the “tetraprism” zoom lens Apple is using for the 5x telephoto camera in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, according to a new post from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo . That tetraprism optical system, which is intended to replicate a 120mm lens of a full-frame camera, is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max , so if it comes to the smaller iPhone Pro next year (which I’m guessing will be called the iPhone 16 Pro), both the Pro and Pro Max might be on closer footing.

Here’s how the tetraprism system works, as described by Apple’s Misha Scepanovic during Tuesday’s “Wonderlust” event :

Apple’s bigger iCloud Plus plans are now available

Apple’s new iCloud Plus plans offer more storage at a higher price — and they’re available to purchase now. Starting today, you can sign up for the 6TB plan at $29.99 / month or the 12TB plan for $59.99 / month.

Apple first revealed the new storage options during its iPhone 15 event last week , which it will offer alongside the existing 50GB plan for $0.99 / month, the 200GB plan for $2.99 / month, and the 2TB plan for $9.99 / month. While 6TB and 12TB may seem like a lot of storage space, the new plans could come in handy for professional photographers or hobbyists who want to take full advantage of the iPhone 15’s upgraded 48MP main camera or store hefty ProRes files.

Apple’s widget-heavy watchOS 10 is available to download

Along with iOS 17 , Apple has just released watchOS 10 , the newest version of its smartwatch operating system that fundamentally changes the way you interact with the Apple Watch by reincorporating widgets. This update, available on the Apple Watch Series 4 and up, comes just a few days ahead of the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra, both of which Apple will release on Friday along with the four new iPhone 15 models .

The new widgets include the Smart Stack that Apple added to iOS 14, which is a sort of customizable widget bundle that uses machine learning to surface the widgets it predicts you’ll want to see and use. Swiping up from the bottom brings up those widgets, and that has a big cascading effect on the OS. Control Center, where you go to toggle certain system settings like Wi-Fi, has been bumped over to the side button, which bumps the app switcher to a double-press on the digital crown.

iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are now available

iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Apple’s next major updates for the iPhone and iPad, are now available to download.

With iOS 17 , some of the biggest new features come to phone calls. Apple’s new Contact Posters let you pick a photo (or Memoji) and font that fill up the screen when you give someone a call. Live Voicemail will show you a real-time transcript as someone is leaving you a message. The end call button is also in a slightly new spot . Messages gets some improvements, too, including a new way to access iMessage apps, and thanks to iOS 17’s upgraded autocorrect, hopefully your texts will have fewer typos.

The 128GB iPhone 13, Pro 14, and 15 Pro are limited to 1080p / 30fps ProRes on their own, but with the iPhone 15 Pro you can record at 4K / 60fps if it’s connected to an external drive, as reported by MacRumors . I’m glad a workaround is available for people that might want to be able to record the higher-fidelity footage.

[ MacRumors ]

Sep 17, 2023

Apple’s USB-C shift could bring back the MagSafe Duo and Battery Pack

Mark Gurman writes in the subscriber edition of his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg from this morning that he expects Apple to finish its transition to USB-C by 2025. Gurman says that, in addition to other products, he expects the company will release USB-C versions of the now-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack and the MagSafe Duo “eventually. But don’t hold your breath.”

By comparison, Apple took either a little over a month or about two years to totally move over to Lightning, depending on how you look at it.

Apple continues to use our own mortality as marketing

In recent years, Apple’s presentations have started to feature a new type of messaging: without an Apple Watch, you might be mauled by a bear , drown inside a sinking car, get stuck in a trash compactor, or even succumb to hypothermia after falling through an icy lake.

These disasters have always been averted by the presence of an Apple Watch. But this year, Apple’s messaging has started to change again: it’s not just the Apple Watch that can save you from possible death — but the iPhone, too.

Sep 16, 2023

If you’ve been dying for 4K wired video output on the iPhone, the iPhone 15 , just like other USB-C phones, has you covered (via 9to5Mac , @aaronp613 ).

Apple already has solutions for older iPhones among the few Lightning products the company still sells , but the most they offer is crummy 1080p video output. Terrible!

Now, through the magic of USB-C, the iPhone 15 supports pushing Dolby Vision and HDR10 video in 4K at 60Hz to your TV, if you insist .

Lightning was great, actually

The world is rightfully celebrating the iPhone’s switch from Lightning to USB-C this week. People love to hate on Lightning — and they have good reasons to. Many of the world’s most popular devices now use USB-C ports, including Apple’s own iPads, meaning iPhone owners have been stuck toting around an extra cable just for their phone and its accessories.

But if you’ve been living in the Lightning world for the past decade like I have, things have been great anyway. I’m not ashamed to say it: I’m sad that Lightning is finally going away.

Apple executives spoke with IGN’s Taylor Lyles ( a Verge alum! ) this week about the iPhone 15 Pro’s gaming capabilities . Apple is predictably on-message, with one exec claiming the phone is going to be “the best game console.”

But the company does seem to be more interested in gaming than it has been in the past. In addition to marketing the iPhone 15 Pro as a great place to play games, it’s working on some cool stuff for Mac gaming, too .

I’m skeptical that the iPhone 15 Pro will actually be “the best game console,” but I’m all for Apple doing more to encourage developers make great games for its platforms.

Sep 15, 2023

Apple is now charging more for most Apple Watch battery swaps

Apple has increased the price of most Apple Watch battery replacements, as reported by 9to5Mac . The swaps used to cost $79, but now, for Apple Watch Series 4 devices and newer, you’ll have to cough up $99. You can see the prices for yourself on the company’s Apple Watch Service and Repair website by sifting through different versions and models.

It’s unfortunate that some of the battery replacement fees are going up, but I’m also not surprised to see it. Apple bumped up the prices of battery replacements in some iPhones, iPads, and Macs by $20 to $50 earlier this year .

Preorders for the iPhone 15 just opened this morning, and delivery estimates for some models, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max, are getting pushed back well into October. You can still pick up the models in-store on September 22nd at some locations, however.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Preorders for the new iPhone 15 are now live — here’s where to get yours

Apple officially announced the new iPhone 15 at its Wonderlust event earlier this week, which is now up for preorder and expected to ship on September 22nd. Much like last year, there’s a baseline iPhone 15 , a larger iPhone 15 Plus, and a pair of Pro models known as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max . But while the expected processor bump to a new A17 Pro chip is here for the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (the standard 15 and 15 Plus get last year’s A16 Bionic), what’s vastly different this time around is the presence of a USB-C charging / data port and the inclusion of Dynamic Island on all new models.

While we still have to see how all these new iPhones shape up in our upcoming reviews, early adopters now have a chance to put in their preorders. Below is a breakdown of the various iPhone 15 models and links to Apple’s pricing and configuration details as well as other retailers taking preorders.

Sep 14, 2023

That means that if you have a Backbone One controller for Android , it’ll work with any iPhone 15 devices, which have USB-C ports.

According to Backbone :

For new customers, all Backbone USB-C products now feature universal compatibility with all USB-C phones, including both Android and iPhone 15 devices. For existing customers, your Backbone USB-C product will automatically receive an update via the Backbone app that enables patent-pending universal compatibility. To update, connect your Backbone controller and launch the  Backbone App  on Android.

The Backbone One is a great controller, so I’m happy to see that the ones made for Android will work with iPhones, too.

[ playbackbone.com ]

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Here’s why Apple put a Thread radio in the iPhone 15 Pro

Following Apple’s iPhone 15 announcement and the news that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will come with a Thread radio , I did some more digging into how Apple might deploy this wireless connectivity protocol in its ecosystem.

The smart home is the obvious answer and the one Apple halfheartedly offered ( Thread is a main protocol for Matter ). But adding the low-power, low-bandwidth, mesh-based Thread protocol could also signal the company is moving away from relying solely on Bluetooth for connecting to peripherals like the Apple Watch. Here’s a look at some of the ways that new wireless connectivity could be put to use.

Rumors of Lightning’s death are just slightly exaggerated

This week, Apple confirmed longstanding rumors that it was finally abandoning the Lightning connector for USB-C with the debut of its iPhone 15 and 15 Pro phones. The connector’s  decade-long run  might be over, but that doesn’t mean you need to toss out all your Lightning cables — not yet, anyway.

There are still a number of products in Apple’s vast catalog that haven’t made the switch, and it’s a safe bet that many of them are due for USB-C refreshes in the near future. Here’s a list of everything still using Lightning that we could find new on the company’s online store.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

Get credit toward iPhone 15 when you trade in iPhone 11 or higher. Get credit toward iPhone 15 when you trade in iPhone 11 or higher. * Buy iPhone 15

• iPhone 15

Get the highlights.

• Watch the iPhone 15 film
• Watch the iPhone 15 event

Dynamic Island stays on top of it all.

New 48MP camera. Super-high-resolution photos. 2x Telephoto.

Durable color-infused glass and aluminum design.

Charging as easy as USB-C.

Take a closer look.

Click and turn to explore iPhone. Tap and turn to explore iPhone.

Explore the full story.

Dynamic island, dynamic island. for when things just pop up..

Dynamic Island bubbles up alerts and Live Activities  — so you don’t miss them while you’re doing something else. You can track your next ride, see who’s calling, check your flight status, and so much more.

Dynamic Island. For when things just pop up.

When something bubbles up, just touch and hold to act on it. Dynamic Island expands so you can find out when your dinner will arrive, rewind your podcast, or see if your AirPods have connected and their battery level.

Double bubble.

If two activities are happening at once, Dynamic Island splits in two . So now you can chat with a friend and keep an eye on your timer. Or follow your team’s score while you check your running pace. Just touch and hold to expand one of the activities, or tap to open the app.

All kinds of activities. And expanding.

Dynamic Island can let you know if your flight is delayed, track your hike, and tell you when your workout will end. And new apps are added all the time, so it keeps getting more and more helpful .

A display that shines in bright sunlight.

The Super Retina XDR display is up to twice as bright in the sun compared to iPhone 14, so you’ll really notice the difference. And a big boost in peak HDR brightness makes movies — and even the videos you take — more brilliant.

StandBy for more information.

StandBy 3 turns your iPhone into a new full-screen experience with glanceable information you can see from a distance. Just set it on its side while charging to display the time, showcase your favorite photos, or keep an eye on your widgets.

Color through and through. Tough all around.

The innovative new design features back glass that has color infused throughout the material . A custom dual ion-exchange process for the glass, and an aerospace-grade aluminum enclosure, help make iPhone 15 incredibly durable.

Dependably durable. The Ceramic Shield front is tougher than any smartphone glass.

Remarkably resistant. iPhone is splash, water, and dust resistant. 4 What a relief.

Truly tough. The aerospace-grade aluminum enclosure is super strong and light.

Color through and through. Tough all around.

Creating color through chemistry.

Superfine metallic ions embed color into the glass — with a unique formulation for each color. Then the glass is polished with nanocrystalline particles and etched to create a textured matte finish.

A design that feels just right.

The aerospace‑grade aluminum frame is highly durable, and the new contoured edges feel even better in your hand .

75% recycled aluminum in the enclosure

All-new 48MP Main camera. For breathtaking, smile- making picture taking.

Now the Main camera shoots in super-high resolution. So it’s easier than ever to take standout photos with amazing detail — from snapshots to stunning landscapes.

All‑new 48MP Main camera. For breathtaking, smile-making picture taking.

More room to zoom.

Three optical-quality zoom levels let you effortlessly frame the perfect shot from right where you are.

Choose 2x Telephoto to zoom in for that perfect close‑up.

Choose 1x for detailed middle‑distance shots.

Choose 0.5x to capture way more of the scene with the Ultra Wide camera.

Night mode automatically activates in especially dark scenes and now captures even richer color and sharper detail .

When lighting is bright or uneven, the latest Smart HDR intelligently optimizes for both your subject and the background. So you get gorgeous color and even more true-to-life skin tones .

A front camera auto​ focused on you.

The TrueDepth camera automatically focuses on you and your friends, for spectacular selfies and supersharp FaceTime calls .

Videos that deserve the most views.

Take 4K HDR videos with amazing detail, color, and contrast . Use Action mode to steady a really shaky handheld shot. Or try 4K Cinematic mode to automatically shift the focus to the most important subject in a scene.

Use Action mode for smooth handheld videos

Focus‑pocus, magical new portraits.

More detail and richer color make a dramatic difference in your portraits. And now you can tap to shift the focus between subjects — even after you take the shot . Presto chango.

Want to quickly capture the moment before it’s gone? You no longer have to switch to Portrait mode. If your subject is a person, dog, or cat, iPhone 15 automatically captures depth information. So you can choose to instantly see your photo as a portrait, with an artful blur effect. Or later in the Photos app.

Focus-pocus, magical new portraits.

Keep on zooming.

Use the optical-quality 2x Telephoto to zoom in and frame the perfect portrait from right where you are . Need to go closer still? Use continuous zoom to move in even more.

Phantastic Photonic photos.

The new Photonic Engine supercharges your portraits. It combines the best pixels from a super‑high‑resolution image with another that’s optimized for light capture. So you get a 24MP image with twice the resolution. It’s perfect for everyday photos — at a file size small enough for storing and sharing.

All-day battery life. For all the things you want to keep doing.

Up to 3 additional hours of video playback compared to iPhone 12

A16 Bionic chip

A16 bionic chip. a pro-proven powerhouse..

A16 Bionic powers all kinds of advanced features. Like computational photography used for 24MP photos and next-generation portraits. Voice Isolation for phone calls. And smooth performance for graphics-intensive games. All with incredible efficiency for great battery life. No wonder it started as a Pro chip.

The A16 Bionic GPU is up to 40% faster than the GPU in iPhone 12

Connectivity

Usb-c ompatible..

The new USB-C connector lets you charge your Mac or iPad with the same cable you use to charge iPhone 15. You can even use iPhone 15 to charge Apple Watch or AirPods. 6 Bye-bye, cable clutter.

Turbocharge.

Charge up to 50% in around 30 minutes 7 with the 20W USB-C Power Adapter. Or add a MagSafe Charger for fast, efficient wireless charging. (Both sold separately.)

Ah, there you are.

Want to find a friend in a crowded train station or busy park? Look no further than Precision Finding for Find My friends. It’s powered by the second‑generation Ultra Wideband chip, 8 now with three times greater range, so it can lead you right to them .

To enable Precision Finding, friends with iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 can share their location only with you using Find My. It’s simple — and private.

Connect here, there, and everywhere.

eSIM simplifies traveling. Just activate an eSIM for the country you’re visiting before you go. Or when you arrive. 9

More on eSIM

More on traveling with eSIM

5G provides a superfast experience so you can make high-quality FaceTime calls, quickly download files, and play real-time multiplayer games on the go. 10

Wi-Fi 6 is speedy. So you can stream movies at the highest resolutions. And make Wi-Fi calls without a hitch.

In an emergency, iPhone has your back.

New Roadside Assistance via satellite 11 can get you help for things like a flat tire or dead battery, even when you’re off the grid.

iPhone also has Emergency SOS via satellite 11 and Crash Detection 12 , two vital safety features that have helped save lives.

In an emergency, iPhone has your back.

Introducing roadside assistance via satellite..

If your car breaks down and you’re off the beaten path without cell service or Wi-Fi, you can still use iPhone to get help . 11

First, start a new text to Roadside Assistance and follow the easy onscreen steps to see how to connect — and stay connected — to a satellite . Then tap to answer a few key questions, like what model of car you have and what kind of help you need.

Once you reply, you’ll be connected with a AAA roadside assistance provider, who can send someone with the right equipment to help get you moving again. Don’t have a membership? No worries. It all works, even if you’re not a member. 13

Roadside Assistance via satellite is included for free for two years with iPhone 15

Emergency SOS via satellite.

If you’ve tried calling 911 but don’t have cell service or Wi-Fi, you can use iPhone to text emergency services over satellite . 11

To save time, iPhone front-loads important questions to assess your situation . Just tap to respond. Then iPhone will show you where to point your phone to stay connected and avoid obstructions like mountains.

Remember, it can take from 15 seconds to more than a minute to get through depending on conditions.

Crash Detection.

iPhone can detect a severe car crash and call for help if you can’t. 12

Hardware sensors and advanced motion algorithms identify signs of a crash , like sudden shifts in speed and direction, or changes in cabin pressure caused by deploying airbags.

Then iPhone can call 911 and notify your emergency contacts.

Over 1 million hours of real-world driving and crash data helps iPhone recognize accidents.

Designed to make a difference.

What matters to you matters to Apple, too. From privacy protections that give you more control over your data. To using more recycled materials that minimize environmental impact. To creating built-in features that make iPhone accessible to all.

Privacy. That’s iPhone.

The Health app makes it easy for you to access your health and fitness information — and securely share access with apps, relatives, and doctors.

Passkeys eliminate the need for passwords on apps and websites by using unique digital keys. Just use Touch ID or Face ID to authenticate. Simple and secure.

Safari Enhanced Private Browsing locks browsing windows when they’re not being used, blocks known trackers from loading, and removes tracking URLs.

More on Apple and Privacy

Big steps toward a smaller footprint.

iPhone 15 contains more recycled materials than ever :

100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery 14

100 percent recycled copper foil in the MagSafe inductive charger

Now 99 percent of iPhone packaging is fiber based, 15 with 100 percent recycled or responsibly sourced wood fibers . 16 And there’s still no plastic wrap around the box.

Our stores, offices, and data centers are already carbon neutral . By 2030, our products — and your carbon footprint from using them — will be, too.

More on Apple and the Environment

iPhone for all.

If you’re at risk of losing your ability to speak, Personal Voice lets you create a voice that sounds like you, so you can communicate with it using Live Speech for calls and conversations.

Assistive Access helps users with cognitive disabilities tailor apps and experiences. For example, Messages can offer visual communication tools, like video messages, and the Home Screen can emphasize large text and icons.

VoiceOver is a screen reader that tells people who are blind or have low vision exactly what’s happening on iPhone. It can describe friends, objects, text, photos, and even graphs in great detail.

More on built-in Accessibility features

iOS 17.

Style it out. swap it over. sticker it up..

Contact Poster. Create your own poster that contacts will see when you call. Pick a favorite pic or Memoji, pair it with a favorite font, and there you have it — your very own calling card.

NameDrop. Want to swap contact info with someone? Just bring your iPhone close to theirs. You can both choose what you want to share, and the information transfers instantly.

Live Stickers. Touch and hold an object in a photo to lift it from the background and create a sticker. Add effects like Puffy and Shiny. Or create animated stickers from Live Photos.

Significant others.

Iphone and apple watch.

Misplaced your iPhone? The latest Apple Watch models can show you its approximate distance and direction. 17 To set up a group photo on your iPhone, join the group and use Apple Watch as a viewfinder to snap the shot. And, when you take a call on your Apple Watch, just tap your iPhone to continue the conversation there.

iPhone and Mac

You can answer calls or messages from your iPhone directly on your Mac. Copy images, video, or text from your iPhone, then paste into another app on your nearby Mac. And with iCloud, you can access your favorite files from either your iPhone or Mac.

iPhone and AirPods

Set up AirPods on iPhone with just a tap. You’ll love Adaptive Audio, which automatically tailors the noise control to provide the best listening experience across different environments and interactions throughout the day.

Ways to shop and save at Apple.

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Save with Apple Trade In.

Get credit toward iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro when you trade in iPhone 11 or higher. *

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Trade in your eligible device for credit.

Select a new product and add a trade‑in. Once it’s received and verified, we’ll credit your payment method. Or, choose Apple Card Monthly Installments and we’ll apply the credit instantly. Terms apply.

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Pay over time, interest‑free.

When you choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments. 18

Apple Card Monthly Installments

Pay monthly and enjoy 3% Daily Cash back.

Pay for your new iPhone over time, interest‑free when you choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments. 18 And get 3% Daily Cash back up front. Terms apply.

Learn more about Apple Card Monthly Installments

iPhone carrier deals. Right here at Apple. For as low as $0.

Includes trade‑in and carrier credits. AT&T: up to $700 on iPhone 15 only. T‑Mobile: up to $800. Verizon: up to $830. 19

Get flexible delivery and easy pickup.

Choose two‑hour delivery from an Apple Store, free delivery, or easy pickup options.

Delivery & Pickup

Flexible delivery and pickup options.

Get your new Apple products quickly and easily with 2‑hour delivery from an Apple Store, free next‑day delivery, or convenient Apple pickup options.

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Shop live with a Specialist.

Let us guide you live over video and answer all of your questions.

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We can help you choose the product you need while guiding you through the online Apple Store. Available 7 a.m.—7 p.m. PT

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Get to know your new iPhone.

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Apple event 2023 recap: iPhone 15 price, colors announced; Apple Watch Series 9 unveiled

Apple unveiled its latest products, including the new iPhone 15 models and Series 9 Apple Watch , during its annual September event in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday.

The standard iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the larger 15 Plus starts at $899. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, and the larger iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199.

All four iPhone models will be available for preorder Sept. 15 and available in stores Sept. 22.

The Series 9 watch will also go on sale Sept. 22 and be priced at $399.

The keynote presentation, which was called "Wonderlust," was held on Apple’s campus at the Steve Jobs Theater. The event has become an annual staple on the tech calendar, dating back to the debut of the original iPhone in 2007.

Here's what was announced at Apple's 2023 event:

iPhone 15 price, features

Apple debuted the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max Tuesday.

The standard iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the 15 Plus will start at $899. The iPhone 15 will have a 6.1-inch display, and the 15 Plus will have a 6.7-inch display. 

The phones will have Dynamic Island, a redesigned notch at the top of the screen that takes up less visual space. The feature was first added to the iPhone 14 Pro models last year as a tool to track ongoing activity, like directions or the music you're listening to. 

The iPhone 15 base models will get the A16 chip used in the iPhone 14 Pro models.

What does the iPhone 15 look like?

Iphone 15 release date.

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will be available for preorder on Sept. 15, and they will be available online and in stores on Sept. 22.

iPhone 15 camera

The standard iPhone 15 models will have an improved camera system that will allow for greater optical zoom, switching from a 12-megapixel main camera sensor to a 48-megapixel version. 

The new camera has the same resolution as the camera on the iPhone 14 Pro.

iPhone 15 colors

The iPhone 15 will debut in five colors – black, blue, pink, white and yellow.

iPhone 15 Pro price, features

The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, while the iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199.

The iPhone 15 Pro will have titanium sides, which replaces the stainless steel used since the iPhone X. The iPhone 15 Pro models will also have the faster A17 chip that the company claims will improve the mobile gaming experience.

iPhone 15 Pro camera

The iPhone 15 Pro models will have three cameras, similar to previous models, and a 48-megapixel main camera sensor.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera will have several new and updated features, including 5X optical zoom.

iPhone 15 Pro colors

The iPhone 15 Pro models will come in black, dark blue, dark gray and light grey.

Apple Watch Series 9 price, 'double-tap'

Apple also announced the newest model for the Apple Watch: the Series 9.

The primary upgrade comes from a new processing chip, called the S9 SiP, which the company claims will be faster than the one introduced in 2020.

The Series 9 will look similar to previous models, but it will have updated colors including pink, starlight and silver.

The Series 9 will also have a new feature called "double tap." The feature allows users to answer a call or control any number of actions in an app by tapping their index finger and thumb together, twice.

The watch will go on sale Sept. 22 and be priced at $399.

More about Apple Watch: How to get it

Apple Watch Ultra 2 price

Similar to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will also have the "double tap” feature and have the S9 SiP processor.

The Ultra 2 will have on-device Siri, enabling faster, more accurate responses thanks to the S9 SiP.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be $799.

APPLE WATCH ULTRA SERIES 2: OUTDOOR SMARTWATCH BUGALOO

Apple USB-C charger

Apple confirmed that its phones will move away from the company's Lightning charging system to a USB-C port . The changes will begin with the iPhone 15 line and AirPod charging case.

The change comes on the heels of regulations passed by the European Union to standardize the charging ports for electronic devices sold on the continent.

New iPhone 15 will use USB-C chargers: What to know about Apple's charging cord switch

Apple events through the years

More than 30 million people watched Apple’s 2022 event on YouTube.

Apple  unveiled the iPad in 2010 , the  Apple Watch in 2014  and the  AirPods in 2016 .

With more than 1.2 billion iPhones sold, Apple has “become a core part of people's lives around the world," Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told USA TODAY. 

Apple generated more than $394 billion in net sales last year, and since its January 2007 unveiling of the first iPhone, the company's share price has risen more than 5,000%.

Apple: 16 years after the iPhone's launch, why Apple continues to play a huge role in our lives

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Apple event reveals new iPhone 15. Here are the biggest changes — and its surprising new price.

By Aimee Picchi

Updated on: September 12, 2023 / 4:33 PM EDT / MoneyWatch

Apple unveiled its latest iPhone lineup today at the company's annual launch in Cupertino, California, where the tech giant also introduced a new Apple watch.

The event is an important showcase for Apple, which wants to spur consumers to upgrade their older iPhones in favor of its latest devices. This year is especially important given that the company is struggling to break out of a slump that's led to a sales drop in three consecutive quarters. 

"These are the best and most capable iPhones we've ever made," Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the Tuesday event.

Here's what to know about today's event. 

What is new about the iPhone 15? 

Here are some of the changes announced by Apple on Tuesday:

• The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will come in five colors: Pink, yellow, green, blue and black 
• The iPhone 15 Pro models will come in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium or a natural titanium finish
• The Pro includes an A17 bionic chip that will improve speed and performance, according to Apple
• All models iPhone 15 models have the "Dynamic Island" for app notifications — a look that was introduced with last year's Pro and Pro Max devices
• The phone comes in two sizes: Either a 6.1-inch base model or 6.7-inch screen Plus model
• The iPhone 15 has an improved, 48 megapixel camera

When will the iPhone 15 be available for purchase?

The Apple iPhone 15 will be available for preorder on Friday, September 15, and will be on sale in stores on September 22.

What will the iPhone 15 cost?

Apple is keeping the price of many iPhone 15 models the same as the 14. 

• The iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the 15 Plus will start at $899, with 128GB of internal storage. That's the same price as for current iPhone 14 models
• The iPhone 15 Pro will start at $999, which is the same price as the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple said
• The Phone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199, up $100 from the 14 Pro Max

Apple also said it will have "excellent offers" for consumers who want to upgrade, including up to $800 off when you trade in an iPhone 11 or newer.

Is the iPhone charger moving from Lightning? 

Apple is phasing out its Lightning port cables, which were rolled out in 2012 with the iPhone 5, because of a mandate from European regulators that all phones use the USB-C charging port starting in late 2024. 

Apple said its iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will have USB-C ports, but can also be charged with MagSafe, which is a magnetically attached power connector. 

The transition may not be too inconvenient for most consumers. That's because USB-C cables already are so widely used on a range of computers, smartphones and other devices that many people may already own them. 

The shift to USB-C cables may even prove popular since that standard typically charges devices more quickly and also offers faster speeds for data transfers.

What is new with the Apple Watch?

Besides its new iPhones, Apple introduced the new Apple Watch — a product that made its debut nearly a decade ago. 

The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399, while the Apple Watch SE starts at $249, Apple said on Tuesday.

One new Apple Watch feature is something called "double tap," a command users can deploy to answer calls or play or pause music with one hand. By tapping your index finger and thumb twice on your watch hand, the watch will respond to the gesture, Apple said.

The double tap gesture could be useful for someone walking their dog or carrying items, allowing them to send commands to their Apple Watch with one hand, the company said.

Should I upgrade my iPhone?

About 25% of Apple's 1.2 billion iPhone users haven't upgraded their phones in four years, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives. Some of those 300 million people with older iPhones may be wondering if it's time to open their wallets and get a new device this year. 

Still, it can be tough to determine when it's time to retire your old phone and switch to the latest iPhone. Much of that decision could depend on what type of handset you currently use, with owners of newer models having less of a reason to upgrade, Olivier Blanchard, a research director at tech research firm The Futurum Group, told CBS MoneyWatch

"The company's products remain amazing, but with the innovation curve of the whole smartphone category flattening there just isn't much the company can do to distinguish each generation of iPhone from its predecessors when it comes to technical features, making price the critical variable in driving sales," Wall Street analyst Adam Crisafullo of Vital Knowledge told investors in a report.

But if you have a smartphone that's older than the iPhone 12, the iPhone 15's new chip, improved camera features and USB-C port could be a big step up. 

—With reporting by the Associated Press.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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The 6 biggest announcements from Apple’s iPhone 15 event

Every year brings something new, and that’s doubly true for smartphones. Summer is on the way out, and while the retreat of the sun is bad news for many, there’s a bright silver lining on this cloud: The release of the Apple iPhone 15 . Apple has brought the basic iPhones into line with the Pro models, giving even the cheapest flagship models access to the Dynamic Island and the design refresh that we loved in last year’s Pro iPhones. But that isn’t all, as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max were also revealed, with improvements of their own.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

Iphone 15 pro and pro max, apple watch series 9, apple watch ultra 2, sustainability updates.

But the iPhone 15 wasn’t the only announcement we heard about today. While the new phones were the centerpiece of Apple’s announcements, we were also treated to the new Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatch and the upgraded Apple Watch Ultra 2 .

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You’ve unfortunately missed the chance to watch the announcements as they unfolded, but don’t worry, because we saw it all. Here’s the list of everything Apple announced at the iPhone 15 event.

But before we dive into the Apple iPhone 15, let’s touch on the change we all knew was coming: USB-C.

There’s a new port in town as Apple is getting ahead of the curve where EU legislation is concerned, and so it’s replacing the Lightning port with the standardized USB-C port. That’s the same port you’ll find on most modern iPads, laptops, and Android smartphones, and it will be a relief for anyone who travels with a number of devices. Unfortunately, it does mean the end of Apple’s Lightning port, but with USB-C being capable of much faster charging and data transfer speeds, it’s a change worth getting used to.

Apple is also releasing new USB-C versions of the AirPods  ( they support wireless lossless audio now, too! ), Earpods, and other accessories that previously used a Lightning port. Apple also took a moment to remind everyone that MagSafe exists, so you don’t need to worry about USB-C if you really don’t want to.

The release of a new iPhone every year has long stopped being a surprise, but the Apple iPhone 15 took our breath away anyway. The Apple iPhone 15 comes in a series of stunning pastel colors, including black, blue, green, yellow, and pink. The color has been infused into the iPhone 15’s rear glass, giving it the diffuse look of frosted glass. It’s a striking look and is probably the most visually colorful iPhone since the iPhone XR .

But while the new colors are impressive, the biggest changes can be found around the front of the phone. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus now have the redesign that debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro, and that means they also have access to the Dynamic Island. While the Dynamic Island still has a lot to prove , this change now gives the flagship iPhone range a unified look, even if the Pro models are clearly going their own way with color — more on that later.

The OLED Super Retina XDR display has smaller bezels than before and reaches 1600 nits (with a peak brightness of 2000 nits), making it brighter and easier to see in sunlight. The iPhone 15 has a 6.1-inch display, while the 15 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, unchanged from last year. Android fans should note that, unlike the Pro models, the new iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are still limited to a 60Hz refresh rate .

The iPhone 15 sports a dual-lens rear camera setup, and it’s seen some major tweaks. The main camera lens packs 48 megapixels, which offers some additional flexibility. If you want incredible high fidelity, then shoot in 48MP mode. Or, if you’re a bit worried about lighting, the iPhone 15 can instead combine four pixels together with pixel binning to maximize light. This results in combined 12MP images, which also helps to keep file sizes down. The high megapixel count also means the 48MP lens can use its inner 12MP as a 2x optical zoom, bringing you closer to the action without sacrificing quality. Portrait mode is getting better too, and the iPhone 15’s camera app will use machine learning to predict if a shot should be in portrait mode or not. You can even change the point of focus and bokeh blur in postprocessing.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 will stay a step behind the Pro model where performance is concerned. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus use last year’s A16 Bionic processor, and while this is still an incredibly powerful chip, it’s slightly disappointing to see Apple keep the basic iPhone model a year behind. However, the battery is bigger than ever, which is always a bonus. The iPhone 15 also has a new Ultra Wideband chip, so you can use it to find your friends — as long as they have a compatible iPhone, too, of course.

Apple loves machine learning, so it’s no surprise it’s been improved again. Voice Isolation is a new feature for phone calls that identifies your voice and removes all other background noise. So if you’re constantly making calls in a noisy environment, this feature is for you. Remember the satellite support from last year ? The iPhone 15 range gets further satellite support, including Roadside Assistance, which will use satellites to get you help while you’re on (or unfortunately off) the road, so you don’t need to worry about being stuck in the sticks without a signal. You’ll get access to these satellites for free for two years with the iPhone 15.

Preorders open on September 15, and the phones release on September 22. The Apple iPhone 15 starts from $799, while the iPhone 15 Plus starts from $899. You’ll be able to trade in an iPhone from the iPhone 11 and newer to get up to $800 off your purchase when purchased through specific carrier deals on monthly payment plans.

Read more about the Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus

Is the Apple iPhone 15 Pro an afterthought after the huge upgrades to the iPhone 15? You can bet your bottom dollar it isn’t. Where the iPhone 15’s new pastel colors bring whimsy and light, the new Pro is serious and strong. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are both made from titanium, a material that’s lighter and stronger than standard steel. But this isn’t just any titanium. It’s grade 5 titanium, an alloy which is even stronger than pure titanium — a truly premium material for a premium phone. The brushed finish adds a darker tone to each of its colors, marking a stark contrast with the iPhone 15.

Slimmer bezels also mean the Pro models are slightly smaller in footprint while retaining their 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays. Those displays are Super Retina XDR OLED panels, and these continue to be the only iPhones offered with the ProMotion technology that allows for a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

There’s big news for longtime Apple fans, too: the mute switch is gone. This beloved feature has been replaced by the Action button. But don’t worry, Apple was quick to point out that it still fulfills the same function. Push and hold the button to mute your phone and you’ll feel a distinct haptic vibration, so you can do it in a pocket. The Action button offers more, though, as you can choose from a different number of shortcuts to trigger with a press. This can include opening the camera, starting a timer, turning on the flashlight, and more.

We always expect new silicone, and Apple hasn’t let us down this year. The iPhone 15 Pro is powered by the Apple A17 Pro, the industry’s first 3-nanometer chip. It has two high-performance cores, four high-efficiency cores, and a six-core GPU. The neural engine has 16 cores, making machine learning even faster and more powerful. It’s a stupendously powerful processor, and incredibly, it can handle console-level games like Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village , with Assassin’s Creed Mirage coming to the iPhone 15 Pro as well. It can even handle ray tracing , a jaw-dropping feat for a smartphone.

The iPhone 15 Pro’s 48MP main lens is similar to the one you’ll find in the iPhone 15, but with a few additional tweaks. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the model that’s getting the most love, though, with the introduction of a periscope zoom lens with a 5x optical zoom. While not as long as the periscope zooms offered by Samsung , it will offer a lot of extra variety for photography lovers. It’s a shame it’s only coming to the Pro Max model, though. The iPhone 15 Pro gets the same 3x optical zoom as last year, which, while a strong lens, is still a disappointment for those who might have wanted a long zoom in a more compact phone.

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro starts from $999, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts from $1,199. You’ll be able to trade in an iPhone from the iPhone 11 and newer for up to $1,000 off your new iPhone Pro when purchased through a carrier contract. Preorders launch on September 15, and phones will ship on September 22.

Read more about the Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max

As everyone expected, there’s a new top smartwatch in town, and it’s called the Apple Watch Series 9 . In the last few years, Apple’s smartwatch has gone from a notable notification slinger to a vital health monitor for millions. Apple hasn’t massively expanded on health and safety this year, but it has added some features worth paying attention to.

The biggest new addition is, er, one that technically already existed. Formerly buried in the accessibility settings, Double Tap has been brought to the forefront and expanded in utility. It’s an easy concept to grasp: tap your index finger and thumb together twice to control your Apple Watch. Double Tap interacts with the primary button on any app, so it can be used to pick up or hang up calls, scroll through widgets on your watch face, or even stop and start exercises. You can even use it to snooze an alarm, a worrying development for those of us with overactive muscle memory and a propensity to oversleep.

The Apple Watch Series 9 also includes the improved Ultra Wideband chip and can now be used to find your iPhone or display Now Playing controls for nearby HomePods. The display brightens to 2000 nits, making it easier to see in bright sunlight, and it drops all the way down to 1 nit for dark rooms.

All those new features need some extra power, so it’s good it came prepared. The new Apple Watch Series 9 is powered by the S9 processor, which Apple claims is 30% faster than the S8 in the Apple Watch Series 8 . While your Apple Watch isn’t likely to need to run anything demanding, it makes sure requests through Siri and other everyday tasks are able to be completed faster. Speaking of Siri, Apple’s digital assistant can now interact with your health data. As such, you can ask Siri how long you slept or vocally log your weight to your assistant.

The new Apple Watch Series 9 was also key to Apple’s presentation on sustainability. The new Apple Watch uses as many recycled materials as possible, including recycled cobalt for the first time ever. The Sport Loop band is made from recycled material, and all Apple Watch manufacturing will be powered by renewable electricity. Apple’s not stopping there: user charging represents a big pull on sustainability, so Apple is investing in green electricity across the world to offset those expected emissions.

The new Apple Watch even comes in a smaller box, allowing Apple to ship more watches per shipment. All of this has made the Apple Watch Series 9 Apple’s first fully carbon-neutral product.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available for preorder from today and will be released on September 22. Prices start from $399.

Read more about the Apple Watch Series 9

The Apple Watch Series 9 isn’t your only choice in smartwatch, and if you’re really into outdoor pursuits, especially diving and climbing, you should check out the Apple Watch Ultra 2 . While it’s still clear that the Ultra 2’s design is primarily meant for divers and explorers, Apple took a moment to highlight that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 works equally well with the new features for jogging and cycling. You certainly won’t struggle to see the screen during any outdoor activity, thanks to a display that can reach 3,000 nits in brightness.

Thanks to also including the same S9 system in a package (SiP) as the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 also has access to the new Double Tap feature and improved Siri features. The battery life will really appeal to those who spend hours outdoors, thanks to the 36 hours of battery life and 72 hours in low-power mode. The case is made from 95% recycled material, and if paired with a recycled Sport Loop, it’s also carbon neutral.

Like the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 releases on September 22, with preorders opening today. It will cost $799.

Read more about the Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple is serious about sustainability, and it took a moment to update us on its vision for carbon neutrality, Apple 2030 . All plastic will be eliminated from packaging by the end of 2024, with recycled plastics playing a big part in Apple’s watch straps going forward. Apple is making big use of recycled materials as a whole, using 100% recycled aluminum in MacBooks, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches. The Apple Watch Series 9 makes significant use of recycled materials, such as copper, gold, and even cobalt.

Incredibly, Apple also made a big announcement on leather. Namely, Apple won’t be using leather in any new products. It’s being replaced by FineWoven, a 68% recycled material that feels like suede and should help to cushion the blow for fans of leather. Hermes and Nike’s bands will also include a large amount of recycled materials, removing yet more plastic from the ecosystem.

Apple also runs off 100% clean electricity, including its offices, stores, and data centers, and over 300 suppliers have also agreed to only use renewable electricity. Apple is also serious about reforestation and has planted several new forests in Paraguay and Brazil, as well as grasslands in Kenya, and helped to restore mangroves in Colombia. It has also reduced its water usage by 63 billion gallons.

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The iPhone 15 Pro was released on September 22, 2023. When Apple announced it, I was excited about changes like the Action button and the titanium frame.

Now, as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2024, the iPhone 15 line is six months old. We’ve already had a slew of flagship Android phones, with the OnePlus 12 and the Samsung Galaxy S24 being particular standouts.

The iPhone 15 lineup — which includes the standard iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro — is the iPhone at its best. It's the latest series of iPhones available today and the default choice if you're buying a new iPhone in 2024.

But it’s not the only choice of iPhones you can purchase. In fact, Apple still sells the iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and the iPhone SE on its website. You could also find other iPhone models available – refurbished or new — from other retailers or carrier stores.

Last November, Apple made a surprise announcement when it confirmed that RCS was coming to the iPhone in 2024. It's something iPhone and Android phone users alike have been waiting years for, but there was just one small problem: Apple never said when in 2024 RCS was coming. Thanks to Google, of all companies, we now have a better idea of when RCS is heading to the iPhone.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the Android website was recently updated with a new page dedicated to Google Messages. If you click on the "See more features" button for the section talking about RCS, there's a section titled "Better messaging for all" with the following text: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone."

Here’s everything Apple unveiled at its product launch event, from the new iPhone 15 to new Watch models

Apple unveiled its new product lineup ahead of the holiday season, introducing four versions of the new iPhone 15 and two updates to its Apple Watch on Tuesday.

In a prerecorded presentation streamed on the Apple website Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook and a team of executives showed off the latest updates to some of the company’s most important products.

After three consecutive quarters of declining iPhone sales , Apple is betting that new improvements to existing iPhone features, from cameras and chips to sleek new titanium material, will entice consumers to upgrade. But while rivals like Google and Samsung are experimenting with phones featuring foldable screens , Apple is keeping the basic design and capabilities of the iPhone—which accounts for roughly half of its revenue—relatively unchanged.

Wall Street’s initial reaction to the new products was not encouraging, with shares of Apple down 2.3% in midday trading, following the event.

Apple is saving its vision of a more radical product shift for the $3,500 mixed reality Vision Pro headset . Cook said Tuesday that the headset was “on track to ship early next year,” and teased that developers are “creating truly amazing experiences that wouldn’t be possible on any other platform.”

Still, the latest phones and watches in Apple’s product catalog bring a variety of new features and improvements. Here’s everything Apple unveiled on Tuesday.

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max:

Apple’s new iPhone Pro models have a new look (titanium), a new customizable “Action” button, a more powerful optical camera zoom, and the company’s most advanced chip ever.

The new Pro models come in two flavors:

The 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, which starts at $999

The 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199

The phones will be available to pre-order on Friday, and in stores on September 22.

While some analysts speculated that Apple would bump up the price for the Pro models, Apple kept the iPhone 15 Pro at $999 for the base model. For the Pro Max however, Apple eliminated the version of the phone with 128 GB, effectively raising the base price for the iPhone 15 Pro Max by $100.

Instead of stainless steel, the iPhone 15 Pro is made of titanium (the same material used on the Mars Rover, Apple says), making it the lightest Pro model. It also has the thinnest borders and toughest ceramic glass yet.

The iPhone Pros pack a 3-nanometer chip, the A17 Pro, which Apple says is the industry’s first processor at that level of advancement. The mobile CPU can process 35 trillion operations per second, while the GPU is 20% faster and supports ray tracing, which more accurately represents light in graphics on video game and AR applications.

Apple is also replacing the ring/mute switch, and giving the Pro models a new “Action Button.” The button can still turn the phone on silent, but it can also launch other actions, like starting a voice recording or opening the camera.

The Pro Max camera boasts a 5x optical zoom, and allows for 120mm focal length.

Apple is launching the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Both phones have the so-called Dynamic Island, a screen design previously available only on Pro models. The screen extends further to the edges and gets twice as bright as the iPhone 14 in the sunlight.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 15 starts at $799

The 6.7-inch iPhone Plus starts at $899

Both versions of the iPhone 15 pack a 48 megapixel camera, and allow for continuous zoom during a video to look professional. The camera has 2X telephoto capabilities.

The phone detects when a user is trying to take a portrait and captures the image in portrait mode without the user having to select it. Users can now change the focus and apply portrait mode to a photo they’ve already taken.

The iPhone 15 chip is A16 Bionic, which first appeared on iPhone 14 Pro.

And say goodbye to the Lighting Port— the iPhone will switch to USB-C for charging.

Colors include pink, yellow, green, blue and black. The ceramic shield is reportedly tougher than any other smartphone screen. The enclosure is made up of 75% recycled aluminum, and it has a 100% recycled cobalt battery.

Apple Watch:

Apple unveiled two new versions of its Apple Watch on Tuesday: The Series 9 Watch for everyday users and the Ultra 2, aimed at outdoor enthusiasts and athletes.

Besides the hardware updates, the most important new feature is the “double tap” function, which allows you to control certain phone features by tapping your fingers together (more on that later).

The Series 9 Apple Watch starts at $399

The Ultra 2 Apple Watch starts at $799

The watches are available for pre-order today, and will be in stores on September 22.

Both smartwatches pack a new S9 processor on the inside, the most powerful chip yet for the watch. It can process machine learning tasks twice as fast and allows for 18-hour battery life.

Siri can now access health data using OS10. You can also log health data by telling Siri (i.e., log how much you slept at night).

The Series 9 Watch display goes to double the brightness of Series 8, and Apple is adding a new color to its watch palette, with the Series 9 available in Pink aluminum.

Double Tap : Apple introduced a cool new feature called Double Tap, which basically allows you to do control certain watch features without actually touching the watch. Simply tap your index finger and thumb together twice and it’s as if you pressed the main button the watch screen.

That means you can do things like answer a call, play music or silence an alarm with just one hand, by tapping your fingers together. Apple says the watch can detect these finger gestures through machine learning and accelerometers that detects change in blood flow and hand movement.

The watch is made up of a series of recycled materials, including recycled gold and aluminum and a new, 100% recycled cobalt battery. Apple has a goal of reaching carbon neutrality across all its businesses, with all its products having a net zero climate impact, by 2030.

To that end, Apple says it will no longer use leather for the bands in the Watch. Instead, Apple says it created a new “FineWoven” textile, made up of 68% recycled material and which it says feels like suede.

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iPhone 15 —

Invitation sent: apple will debut the iphone 15 in september livestream, apple's new flagship phones will make their debut on september 12..

Samuel Axon - Aug 29, 2023 5:47 pm UTC

As previously rumored, Apple plans to reveal the next iteration of the iPhone and the Apple Watch on September 12 in a livestream. The company confirmed the date with invitations sent out to members of the press this morning.

The invitation named the date, included (as usual) a cryptic image, specified that the event would be broadcast from Apple Park, and included the word "Wonderlust" as a teaser.

Further Reading

The invitation doesn't specifically say that the event will focus on the iPhone and Apple Watch. That said, Apple has announced its iPhone and Apple Watch lineup at events in the first week or two of September for years, and leaks and insider reports have made clear that we can expect that again.

Some of those same leaks and reports have given us a sense of what to expect from the new iPhone lineup, too: a move from Lightning to USB-C, chip upgrades, the Dynamic Island on the non-Pro models, and a switch from stainless steel to titanium for the Pro models.

Less is known about new Apple Watch updates; other than that, we can probably expect relatively minor changes.

Ars Technica will again be liveblogging the event when it happens, so check back on September 12 for all the updates.

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Review: Six Months With the iPhone 15 Pro

It's been a bit over six months since the iPhone 15 lineup came out in September, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using an iPhone 15 Pro Max sans case since launch. Over on our YouTube channel, Dan did a long term review to demo how his phone has held up and his thoughts on the Action button, battery life, and camera features.

Battery health is at 98 percent and 174 cycles, and there have been some fluctuations in battery life with software updates. It's a little hard to get a solid read on battery because of day-to-day differences in usage.

Some people have had trouble finding a use for the Action button, but assigning it to the camera is one way to ensure that it gets used. With the camera setting, a quick press on the button launches the camera so there's no need to press on the Home Screen or open up the Camera app. Apple is rumored to be adding a dedicated Capture button for the camera with the iPhone 16 models, so the Action button might get less useful at that point for those who use it for the camera.

For ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ owners, how's your battery life, and do you use the Action button? Let us know in the comments below.

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Got an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max? You'll Want to Explore These 3 New Features

Take advantage of all that your iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max has to offer.

A new 5x telephoto lens is one standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

If you've been lucky enough to snag one of Apple's top-of-the-line iPhones -- the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max  -- you might know about features like  NameDrop , which lets you share contact info by moving your phones close together, and  StandBy Mode , which turns your phone into a smart display. 

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have a few special new hardware features that you should know about to make the most of your new phone, including five amazing cameras, a new action button and charging at USB 3.0 speeds.

Read more : Best iPhone 15 Deals

If you haven't had time to explore the features that are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, there's no time like the present. We've highlighted three Pro and Pro Max exclusive features that you'll definitely want to set up, configure and put to use. If you're looking to get the most out of your new iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, here's what you need to know.

1. Set up the new action button

The action button is one of the biggest changes to the iPhone hardware in a long time, replacing the ring/silent switch that's been around since the very first iPhone model. Instead of just toggling between ring and switch modes the action can be customized to do things like turn on your flashlight, record a voice memo and run a shortcut.

Read more :  Use Your iPhone 15 Pro's New Action Button for More Than One Thing

In Settings > Action Button, swipe through the various actions you want the action button to perform when pressed. These are the actions you have available:

• Silent Mode (default) : Switch between silent and ring mode.
• Focus : Turn on your main Focus mode, like Do Not Disturb.
• Flashlight : Turn on your rear flashlight.
• Voice Memo : Record an audio note.
• Magnifier : Use your camera as a magnifying glass.
• Shortcut : Trigger a shortcut you've downloaded or created.
• Accessibility : Use an accessibility feature of your choosing.

Scroll to view all the actions available.

If you see arrows below an action, that means there are additional options. To assign an action to the button, simply swipe and stay on the action in your settings. When you're finished, exit the settings page.

2. Change the default camera lens when you open your camera

The default main camera on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max is the 24mm lens, which is equivalent to 1x zoom. It's your standard lens, but if you always find yourself zooming in a tiny bit when you're snapping a photograph, you can change over to a different default lens for the main camera.

In Settings > Camera > Main Camera,  choose between the three main lenses:

• 24mm - 1x (default)
• 28mm - 1.2x
• 35mm - 1.5x

The next time you open your main camera, your camera will start at whatever new focal length you choose, whether it's 1.2x or 1.5x. If you want to swap between lenses, tap the main camera zoom control to manually switch between 24mm, 28mm and 35mm. You can also press and hold down on the control and drag the slider for more precise control.

On the far right, you can see that 1.2x appears as the default focal length.

3. Take advantage of the iPhone 15 Pro's USB-C 3.0 speeds

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus both have a USB-C port, but the two models support the same USB 2.0 speeds as prior iPhone models with a Lightning port, which is 480 megabits per second. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max on the other hand also have USB-C ports , but they support USB 3.0 speeds, which is 10 gigabits per second -- making it 20 times faster.

What does this all mean for you? First, you'll need a USB-C cable that supports 3.0 speeds. The USB-C cable that comes with your iPhone only supports 2.0 speeds, so you'll need to buy an additional cable ( like this one on Amazon ).

You can't use the braided USB-C cable that comes inside the iPhone 15 Pro packaging if you want 3.0 speeds.

Now that you have the correct cable, you can quickly transfer data between your iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. If you're transferring data from iTunes to your iPhone, and vice versa, that should be quicker. It works for really any files being transferred out of your iPhone, especially to a flash drive; that'll also be faster.

Apple also has a  page highlighting  that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can support recording ProRes video (high-quality lossy video compression format) directly to an external storage device, at up to 4K at 60 frames per second. It's a niche feature, but if you're a cinematographer or a video editor, shooting in ProRes gives you better detail and color depth that you can color grade later on without losing quality. Having it directly recorded to an external storage device saves space and time, allowing you to connect the SD directly to your computer without having to transfer it from your iPhone first.

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

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iPhone 15 Pro Max review: the best just got better

A big screen, fantastic cameras, and a winning look and feel.

TechRadar Verdict

In virtually every respect, the iPhone 15 Pro Max raises the bar not only for the iPhone family but for smartphones in general. From the new materials to some of the best smartphone cameras we've ever used, Apple's big flagship ticks box after box. It falls marginally short of perfection thanks to a slightly higher price tag than the last model, the lack of true fast charging, and Apple's frustrating insistence on presenting 5x optical zoom as the apex of smartphone telephoto technology. Still, these end up being minor quibbles that don't detract meaningfully from what is a broadly exceptional iPhone experience.

Gorgeous albeit subtle redesign

Excellent photography

Fantastic performance & gaming

Pricier baseline (but more storage)

If you want big zoom capabilities, look elsewhere

Charging should be faster

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Editor's Note

• Price & availability
• Performance
• Battery life
• Should I buy?
• Also consider
• How I tested

• Original review date: September, 2023 • Apple keeps improving iOS 17 • Spacial video is now possible with Apple Vision Pro

Update: April 2024. Apple continues to show the rest of the smartphone world how to update phones, and iOS 17 has added new features to the iPhone 15 Pro Max as well as every iPhone released in the last five years. With new discovery features, Apple's new Journal app, and plenty more, iOS 17 is the gift that keeps on giving. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also now has the capability to record videos with an added depth component. These videos take advantage of Apple's spatial computing platform, Apple Vision Pro, and give you a more realistic, 3D look at whatever you record, as long as you watch the videos while wearing Apple's new headset. 

iPhone 15 Pro Max: Two-minute review

Leave it to Apple to make titanium sound sexy, while also putting me in mind of my somewhat aging joints. 

I know, Apple enthusiastically told us how the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and Pro) uses the same titanium as was used by NASA on the Mars rover. I buy that, and it sounds impressive; but when I think of titanium, I usually think of hip or knee replacements. The low-corrosion, lightweight, and high-strength material is favored by surgeons for those properties, and it's for those same reasons that it makes perfect sense as the new frame material for the iPhone.

Patients sporting new titanium knees and hips will likely never get to touch the metal, but if you buy an iPhone 15 Pro Max or – as I did – test it, you'll find that it's smooth yet solid, with a brushed surface that feels cool but not cold. Holding the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max is a distinctly different experience compared to handling the iPhone 14 Pro Max ; it's lighter, and the titanium feels a little warmer than the polished steel of its predecessor.

It's not just the titanium, though; Apple has made a small yet subtle change to the frame, removing just enough metal to add contoured edges all around. It's one of the smallest yet most impactful changes I've seen a smartphone manufacturer make to a design, and it truly changes how the phone feels in the hand.

Staying with the frame, Apple's retirement of the silence / ring button is one of the most welcome and useful changes. It takes a dull, one-trick-pony analog feature and transforms it into a sleek, customizable button that can be almost anything you want it to be.

The biggest change for some iPhone fans, though, will be the introduction of the USB-C port in place of Lightning. I know there's a fair amount of frustration over the change (all those now-useless cords in your home, office, and car) but it doesn't change the operation of the phone, and at least Apple supplies you with a woven USB-C-to-USB-C cable. I will miss the old port, but believe we'll all soon forget it.

Naturally, if those external changes were the only differences between this phone and its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max might be a disappointment. However, this is a significantly more powerful phone than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with Apple's all-new A17 Pro silicon that, for the first time ever, brings console-quality gaming to the iPhone line. Granted, console games like Resident Evil: Village were not designed for a 6.7-inch display, even Apple's high-definition Super Retina XDR OLED panel, although at least that display now benefits from the smallest iPhone bezels I've seen.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max's triple-camera array looks unchanged from the iPhone 14 Pro Max's, but looks can be deceiving – there are upgrades both inside and out that help to deliver one of the best photography experiences you'll find on any phone.

While Apple appears to have used the same 48MP primary camera sensor as in last year's Pro Max, it's basically rebuilt its image processing pipeline.

There's a new 24MP default image size that cannily combines 12MP of pixel-binned image data with full-sensor 48MP information for images that are, in almost all instances, true-to-life (Apple may be over-blueing the sky a little).

The new setup is more versatile too. I never had to decide if I wanted to shoot portrait mode now or later – in most instances, if the iPhone 15 Pro Max could read depth information, it stored all the detail I'd need to change a photo to portrait mode and choose the focus subject post-shoot.

If you were hoping for 10x optical zoom on an iPhone, though, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will disappoint you (though not as much as the 3x optical iPhone 15 Pro). I was frustrated when Apple announced that it had only raised the maximum optical zoom on its largest smartphone to 5x; after all, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an excellent 10x optical zoom, plus the wild, AI-assisted 100x Space Zoom (which may add too much 'artificial' information for my taste, but it's an option if you need it).  Apple does do a remarkably good job of competing with just half that zoom range, largely because the image quality at that extended focal length is simply excellent, rivaling and sometimes beating Samsung 's best camera.

The combination of its new 3nm chipset, a display that can stop down to a power-sipping 1Hz, and smart power management may account for excellent full-day-plus battery life; though your experience will depend on how you use the iPhone.

In short (this is my two-minute review, after all), this is my favorite iPhone ever. I usually don't like Apple's largest iPhone, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is lighter (and a tiny bit smaller) than the iPhone 14 Pro Max which – along with the new contoured edges – makes it feel comfortable in my hand. Add to all that excellent photography, fast performance, and seemingly unlimited potential and you've got a lock for a place at or near the top of our best phone list.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Specs

Iphone 15 pro max review: price and availability.

• Starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,199
• You now pay more for Apple's best iPhone
• There's more starting storage (and memory)

Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 Pro Max alongside the iPhone 15 , iPhone 15 Plus , and  iPhone 15 Pro at its 'Wonderlust' event on September 12. Since then I've been putting all the new handsets through their paces, so when you're done here be sure to check out my iPhone 15 review ,  iPhone 15 Plus review , and iPhone 15 Pro review .  

The iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,199 , which is a price hike over its predecessor – the iPhone 14 Pro Max – but you do get twice the storage in the base model: 256GB. This also puts the iPhone 15 Pro Max in line with the starting price of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (both now start at 256GB). 

The iPhone 15 Pro Max became available to buy in-store and online on September 22, 2023, and if you're interesting in picking one up, head over to our  iPhone 15 Pro Max deals  page for a roundup of all the best offers available now.

It's not entirely accurate to say Apple raised the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (from the iPhone 14 Pro Max base price) because what it actually did was remove a tier and settle on the 256GB storage and $1,119 as the new base model. This makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max a little less affordable (no less so than the similarly configured Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra) but, as I see it, 256GB should really be the base storage on all smartphones nowadays, especially as we continue to shoot higher resolution photos and videos (and manage our lives on them).

If storage is your jam, you can pack the iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Pro) with up to 1TB of storage and pay $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,899 for the privilege. What you won't get for that price, though, is more memory. While the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra raises the RAM level to 12GB – starting with its 512GB model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max seemingly sticks with 8GB through all tiers.

There's no getting around that this is Apple's most expensive iPhone, but at least there are numerous payment options, including those from Apple which can start as low as $33 a month in the US. As for whether or not the iPhone 15 Pro Max is worth the money, its design, build, quality, and exceptional capabilities convince me it is. Even at this price, I suspect it will be Apple's best-seller.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Design

• Contoured edges make it a pleasure to hold
• It's lighter and slightly smaller
• Exquisite build

In case you haven't heard, Apple's 2023 Pro-level iPhone has traded in its shiny stainless steel frame for a brushed titanium one. It's tough (though not necessarily harder than steel), corrosion-resistant, and – perhaps most importantly for your hands, pockets, and bags – a lighter material.

Apple made a handful of other changes that give the phone a new look and feel beyond changing up the outer metalwork, however. First are the new contoured edges. It's true that this iPhone can, at a glance, look almost exactly the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but close inspection reveals rounding along the sides that give the phone a softer look and make it – especially at this size – much more comfortable to hold. Additionally, the Super Retina XDR display looks larger (and the Dynamic Island looks smaller), thanks to a noticeably thinner bezel.

The phone feels different because the dimensions and weight are different. Where the iPhone 14 Pro Max was 77.6 x 160.7 x 7.85mm, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is 76.7 x 159.9 x 8.25mm. That means it's just a hair smaller than the last model, a fact I confirmed when I tried slipping the iPhone 15 Pro Max into an iPhone 14 Pro Max leather case (Apple is no longer selling leather accessories) and it was loose inside it. It is worth noting that the new phone is almost a millimeter thicker than the last model.

However, thanks to the titanium body and new recycled aluminum frame, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is 19 grams lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (221g vs. 240g). That's a noticeable difference.

Another major design change is actually a functional one: the new USB-C port. It's a little bit larger than the departed Lighting port but will – if you have the right cable – bring some 10Gbps high-speed data transfer capabilities (the cable Apple ships with the iPhone is not a high-speed one).

The body is covered on the front and back with what Apple calls "tough glass-based materials", and on the front is also their Ceramic Shield, designed to protect the glass from damage. I'm not in the business of dropping my phones, so I could not tell you much about the strength of these glass materials. I did, though subject the phone to a dunk in a water fountain. The IP68-rated phone handled it just fine. That was just for a moment, but the phone is rated to handle swimming in up to six feet of fresh water for 30 minutes. If you dunk your phone, just remember that you can't plug it into a charger again until it's completely dry.

Apple didn't mess with the power/sleep/Siri button or the pair of volume buttons but right above that is Apple's other big design/functionality change: the new Action button, which is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro.

This tiny little button replaces the long-surviving silence/ring switch (still available on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus ). Instead of a single-function switch, the Action button is programmable via one of Apple's most high-designed utility interfaces ever.

The Action button defaults to ring/silence control but instead of a switch, it takes a press to check the status of your phone (ring or silent) and a long press to change it. Many people may leave well enough alone here, but then they'd be missing out on all the hidden utility. Action button can enable a preferred Focus Mode (with detailed controls inside the Action button settings page), turn the flashlight on and off, launch voice memos, turn your phone into a digital magnifying glass, run your favorite Shortcut, offer instant access to accessibility features, launch the camera, or even turn off all Action button features (a waste, really). If you miss the ring/silent control you can still find it under the updated Control Center too.

After trying out the Action button in default mode, I quickly switched it to control the camera. From there, I could use a long-press to instantly open the camera and then use a quick press to take a picture.

The only downside to this new button is that if you are in the habit of taking a lot of screenshots by simultaneously pressing the power and volume up buttons, you may accidentally press the new Action button instead because, well, it's now the top button on the left side of the phone. I expect this to become an iPhone 15 Pro Max meme ("When you press Action instead of Volume Up").

In total, I think the iPhone 15 Pro Max design retains what was good about the last model while making ergonomic and functionality tweaks that move the familiar into the future, with a lighter chassis, smoother lines, a bigger screen, and more functional buttons and ports.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Sustainability

Over the years, Apple has been rethinking its packaging and, increasingly its products, with an eye toward sustainability. I can still remember when Apple started using biodegradable packaging on its EarPods. The corn-based material would dissolve in water. Now, Apple's efforts extend to its Apple Watch Series 9 (Apple claims the product is now carbon neutral) and iPhones.

This iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 100% recycled aluminum interior and uses recycled cobalt in its battery. Beyond the phone, Apple is whittling away at its carbon footprint by using more earth-friendly materials. In past years, I would usually get leather cases to protect my iPhone test unit but leather is not exactly carbon-friendly. This year, Apple is using a new material, FineWoven, on cases and MagSafe Apple Wallets.

Those cases, by the way, still feel luxurious. My wife thought they were faux suede, but I pointed out the ultra-fine weave.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Display

• 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
• Surrounded by ultra-thin bezels
• Unchanged resolution. Still supports ProMotion adaptive refresh rate
• Always-on display

If you liked the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you'll probably like the iPhone 15 Pro Max's screen just that little bit more.

Apple shaved millimeters off the black bezel surrounding the Super Retina XDR OLED screen to make it seem larger (this also makes the Dynamic Island look smaller). Between that and the newly-curved edges, it really looks as if the screen extends all the way to the outer edge of the phone.

To be clear, the screen is slightly larger but the resolution, 2796 x 1290 and 460ppi is unchanged from the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Essentially, this iPhone is just giving those pixels a little more breathing room.

It remains a beautiful and bright screen, with a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, which means I had no trouble using it outdoors in bright sunlight. Its wide color gamut means visuals are rich and the 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio endows it with support for the inkiest of blacks. Looking at everything from photos to games, apps, websites, and videos on this display is a pleasure.

ProMotion support means the iPhone 15 Pro Max is as adept at handling web page scrolling as it is at videos and gaming. All motion looks smooth. Plus, the phone's ability to stop down to 1Hz means that, when it needs to, it sips power while still providing you information; ideal for always-on functionality.

I put the iPhone 15 Pro Max on a Belkin Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless charge stand with MagSafe, which automatically puts the phone in iOS 17's new Standby mode , and then set it up on my nightstand. Overnight, the Always-On display was just bright enough that I could glance at it in the middle of the night and see the time.

This is still an excellent smartphone display, though I wonder why, now that Samsung's flagship has an integrated pen and supports not only touch but stylus input, Apple can't finally add Apple Pencil support to its biggest and best smartphone. Even so, I understand that not everyone needs or wants pen input and that may be something Apple intuits as well.

Basically, what you have is Apple's top-notch screen technology, slightly embiggened and now supported by some excellent new iOS 17 functionality.

• Display score: 4.5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Cameras

• Dedicated 5x optical zoom camera
• New 48MP primary sensor
• Impressive new portrait photography capabilities

If you read the iPhone 15 Pro Max's specs, see 48MP, and think little has changed since the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you would be mistaken.

Before I dig in, take a look at those specs:

• Main: 48MP f/1.78 w/ OIS
• Ultra-wide: 12MP f/2.2 w/ 120º FoV
• Telephoto: 12MP, f/2.8 w/ 5x optical zoom & 3D sensor shift OIS
• Front-facing TrueDepth: 12MP f/1.9

Leaving aside the obviously-different 5x optical zoom camera (even the iPhone 15 Pro doesn't get that new snapper), let's look at the leading 48MP sensor. It's not the same one as was introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro Max (or the new iPhone 15). It's larger and, reportedly a Sony -made IMX903. And Apple is using this sensor in ways it has never done before.

Every default image I shot with the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes rendered at 24MP resolution. Yes, that's a new resolution for iPhones and Apple manages it by first pixel binning 48 megapixels-worth of data into the best possible 12 megapixel still and then combining that with the full detail of the 48MP sensor. The only downside is that 24MP images will be larger than 12MP stills (by about a megabyte). Apple mitigates the storage cost a bit by automatically storing photos in HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) format. You can also shoot in 48MP RAW format for uncompressed imagery, ready for editing.

The result is some truly eye-popping images. The colors are brighter and, with the exception of maybe a just too-blue sky (possibly a result of more aggressive use of smart HDR ), the most accurate I have ever seen from a smartphone. Even in direct comparison with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro Max won. The colors in flowers are perfect and the sharpness is startling. My macros are levels above what I gathered with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. The skin tones are exact. It didn't matter the skin tone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max understood it and reproduced it. I, for instance, look just as pale and freckled as I do in real life. 

Apple has stuffed this iPhone full of more pro-level photography tools than ever before. In particular, you can now choose physical camera-like digital lenses, from 13mm to 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 48mm, and 120mm for the 5x zoom.  You can see these measurements in the camera app by holding down on one of the main magnification levels. You can also go into settings and set one of the lenses as a default.

For most consumers, though, this might be more control than they want or need. It might help to understand what millimeters (mm) in lenses actually mean. The mm defines the degree of magnification and field of view. Lower mm means a wider field of view and lower magnification. Obviously, you can ignore this or act like a pro photographer and start switching up digital lenses during a shoot.

Apple's decision to use just a 5x optical zoom is a source of frustration but I can't really argue with the result. The lens, which uses an unusual tetraprism (four turns of the light between the lens and the image sensor), captures some lovely images. So while this is a long way from 10x optical zoom, I think Apple fans will still be pleased with this result. You can zoom quite a bit further with digital zoom but these images never hold up upon close examination.

Working in conjunction with that zoom is the new 3D sensor shift optical image stabilization which does a much better job of keeping shots stable, especially on digitally zoomed videos. I was impressed with the stabilization when I was capturing a video of a robin who was perched up in swaying branches at least five yards away from me.

The entire iPhone 15 line essentially refines portrait photography. There's still a specific mode, but you no longer need to use it to get the same result. As long as the iPhone 15 Pro Max's cameras can capture depth information, you can turn almost any photo into a portrait shot after the fact, even if it was shot with only the main camera.

You can tell if the camera is seeing any depth while you shoot because a little "Portrait f" will appear in the upper righthand corner. You can tap on it and then select Portrait (On or Off) to see what the photo would look like in portrait mode. it doesn't always work because, if the camera does not 'see', say, a person, or pet or fails to capture any useful depth information, then you can't change a photo to portrait mode; in my experience, most photos were convertible, however. As with traditional Portrait Mode shots, you can set the depth of field but additionally, you can now also tap on different subjects to change the focus point. This works just as advertised and makes you feel like a god of portrait photography.

Portrait photography – including that taken with the front-facing TrueDepth camera – got a huge upgrade with access to Apple's Photonic Engine (I know, Apple, loves it's tech labels) that just makes portrait photography look more authentic and less computational than ever.

Apple has made some leaps in low-light and night photography. The iPhone 15 Pro Max's ISPs (image signal processors) collect more light and make better use of it in even the most challenging situations. It's not vastly better than what you get with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but I think Apple achieves parity.

Night photography is better, too. I noticed less green in the star photography and more stars. The one thing I still can't do as easily as I can with the Galaxy S23 Ultra is take star trail photography (without a third-party app).

The iPhone remains a great video capture tool, with a wide variety of lens options, Action mode for shooting your child's soccer game without nausea-inducing judder, and Cinematic mode for when you want to shoot auteur-quality video. The last, by the way, works just like portrait mode photography in that you can, while capturing video, shift focus from one subject to another with just a tap (in filmmaking, this is the job of the focus puller). What the iPhone 15 Pro Max can do that you can't with the traditional film is change the focus point of the video after shooting. It's more than a neat trick and could be useful if you happen to forget to focus on the right subject during the initial shoot.

iPhone 15 Pro Max: Camera samples

The phone now maxes out at shooting 4K 60fps ProRes, while I'd say leaving out 8K video shooting capabilities (which some rivals support) could only be a problem if I thought anyone actually had an 8K TV in their home.

Even as Apple dips its toes further into the pro-level smartphone photography waters, its camera app does not yet feel as deep and versatile as Samsung's, which may go a bit too far and accidentally bury some really useful features.

Again, I think Apple knows its consumers better than most and is being careful about what it presents to iPhone users; not wanting to confuse them while also not holding them back, either. It's a delicate balance. In the end, Apple mostly pulls it off and the real proof is in the fantastic image quality, which should make any smartphone owner envious.

• Camera score: 5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Performance

• Hello new A17 Pro
• More base storage (for a price)

Ever since Apple launched Apple silicon, it's been pushing the boundaries of what's possible, with system-on-chips (SoCs) in laptops, desktops, and mobile that rival and often beat the competition, and sometimes they even take generational leaps.

I think it's fair to call the A17 Pro a leap forward from the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Pro Max (the chip now also powering the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus). As compared to the A16 Bionic, the A17 Pro is built on an even-smaller 3nm process, which should improve efficiency (think battery life), with a CPU that is 10% faster and a six-core GPU that's not only 20% faster but supports on-hardware Ray Tracing.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max Geekbench 6 results support Apple's performance claims. It shows that the A17 Pro is running at a 3.78GHz clockspeed, as compared to 3.46GHz for the A16 Bionic and 3.36GHz for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Numbers, naturally, only tell part of the performance story. For me, it's what I can do with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. One of the promised experiences is playing console-quality games natively. Not gonna lie, I was skeptical. Console gaming is not mobile gaming and never the twain shall meet – until they do on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Capcom gave me test flight access to the ported version of Resident Evil: Village. It was a large file that I needed to download at home on WiFi. Once it loaded up I immediately saw a problem. The game is designed for consoles and their controllers. Without one, Resident Evil put the controls on-screen – all the buttons you would usually find on a console controller were crowding the 6.7-inch display. I realized I needed a physical controller, so I borrowed one of my son's extra Xbox controllers and connected it to the phone via Bluetooth.

I'm not much of a gamer, but the visuals, especially on the cut scenes, look quite good on the 6.7-inch display. Still, on such a small console gaming screen, losing even a little bit of space to the Dynamic Island is frustrating.

The graphics never stuttered or tore. I only noticed one spot of pixelation early in the game, where a shadow didn't quite hold together on the snow. This was a repeatable experience which makes me wonder if it's less about the A17 Pro and more about the game port from console to mobile.

The game was otherwise responsive and the sound was excellent. When I put in my AirPods Pro, I was presented with a really captivating and immersive experience; an experience good enough for me to proclaim that console-quality gaming has finally arrived on the mobile phone.

Outside of gaming, every action on the iPhone 15 Pro Max was as responsive as I expected and wanted it to be. I tried editing multiple 4K 60fps clips in iMovie and found no issues with it or the output. The speed of the latter was no faster on the A17 Pro than it was on the A16 Bionic on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

As with last year's iPhone 14 Pro Max (pictured above) in the US, my test unit was eSIM-only. It's incredibly easy to transfer your phone number from an existing phone to these new eSIM variants, but it also means you can no longer easily swap in and out SIM cards without carrier assistance and support.

This is also a 5G phone, though your 5G experience will depend largely on the proximity of cell towers and how many people are sharing them. Lately, 5G speeds are making me pine for still-under-development 6G .

Call quality is good. My wife remarked I sounded good, clear, and "younger". I don't know if that's a product of the connection or if the iPhone 15 Pro Max includes a time machine for free; if it's the latter, Apple should adjust its marketing to place a little more emphasis on that particular upgrade.

This is also Apple's first Wi-Fi 6E iPhone, which is good news if you have a Wi-Fi 6E router in your home or office. In my anecdotal tests, the iPhone 15 Pro Max had consistently faster download and upload speeds (as measured by Google's online Speet Test ) than the WiFi 6-supporting iPhone 15 and my iPhone 14 Pro (also WiFi 6).

There's also a new Ultra Wide-band chip (across all iPhone 15 models) that should help with precision finding of not only your Apple stuff but other friends carrying iPhones too.

Apple is also expanding its integrated Satellite services support beyond Emergency SOS to free (for two years) roadside assistance. The idea is that in areas where cell service is poor or non-existent, the system can guide you to connect with an orbiting satellite and then message nearby road services.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Software

• iOS 17 out the box
• Nice quality-of-life improvements
• No major changes otherwise

iOS 17, which will come pre-installed on your new iPhone 15 Pro Max is, in total, a relatively lightweight update to what is already a very rich and deep platform, of which I suspect most iPhone owners barely scratch the surface.

The StandBy feature turns the iPhone 15 Pro Max into one of the best bedside clocks and at-a-glance-info hubs around. New Contact Posters are a nice extension of some of the features first found in the impressive Lock Screen update. I also like the new Name Drop feature, which utilizes AirDrop to instantly share contact information with another iPhone placed next to it. Just know that this feature is on by default and if you have two phones near each other with this enabled it might automatically connect. If and when you get your iPhone 15 (of any model), I'd suggest you go into settings and turn this off until you learn how and when to use it.

When I made a FaceTime call – which looked fantastic, by the way – I used iOS 17's new gestures to send thumbs ups and balloons, some of which appeared behind me; it was a neat effect.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Battery life

• Same quoted battery life as iPhone 14 Pro Max
• Marginally larger capacity YoY
• USB-C charging (and data speeds up to 10Gbps)
• Power adapter not included
• MagSafe for iPhone

Apple never shares the battery capacity and one can only assume that the iPhone 15 Pro Max battery is at least as big as the one in the iPhone 14 Pro Max ( independent sources suggest it's fractionally larger ). Battery size, though, is only part of the story. Managing battery life is a product of mAhs (milliampere-hours), processor efficiency, and onboard intelligence (often AI-based), to manage battery consumption.

All of this, I would say, is done well on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which managed 28 hours of mixed-use. This is an anecdotal measure and your results will vary depending on what you do with the phone. Remember that part of my time with the phone was not using it while I slept for five hours (I did not charge it).

Apple says the iPhone 15 Pro Max can recharge to 50% in 30 minutes with an optional 20W USB-C adapter. Mine charged 47% in that time. It took another hour and a half for it to fully charge. I'm not sure why Apple can't get fully on board with faster wired charging.

As for how you charge the iPhone 15 Pro Max, now you'll use the new USB-C port and the included USB-C cable. I was surprised to see that the cable is now woven – as opposed to the classic plastic/rubber protective jacket. This is similar to MacBook and HomePod cables and may prove more durable than the old cables.

The phone also supports Qi and, obviously MagSafe charging (and accessories).

• Battery score: 4 / 5

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Verdict

The iPhone 15 Pro Max raises the bar, not only for the iPhone family but for smartphones in general. From the new materials to some of the best smartphone cameras we have ever used; Apple's big flagship satisfies your smartphone needs in virtually every aspect. It falls just short of perfection thanks to a slightly higher price tag than the last model, the lack of true fast charging, and Apple's frustrating insistence in presenting 5x optical zoom as the apex of smartphone telephoto technology.  Still, these end up being minor quibbles for a broadly exceptional iPhone experience. 

Should I buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

Buy it if....

You want the best iPhone ever

There's now a difference between the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max that goes beyond size and battery life. The best possible collection of cameras is on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

You like your phones big Apple's 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display is one of the best in the smartphone business. It's fast, flexible (thanks to the 1Hz-to-120Hz ProMotion display) and works as a great canvas for productivity, entertainment and gaming.

You want excellent photos The quality of photos the phone's 48MP main sensor produces is a new benchmark for smartphone photography.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget Apple didn't so much raise the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max as it took away a slightly more affordable option. If money is an object, look at the iPhone 15 or last year's iPhone 14 Pro.

You want more zoom If 10x optical zoom is a must-have for your smartphone needs, then look to the still-excellent <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, instead.

You want faster charging The iPhone 15 Pro Max offers reassuringly-solid battery life and functionally-fine charging, but rivals from every angle offer much faster speeds. Apple still hasn't caught on, though.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: also consider

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra   If the myriad of mentions didn't give it away, the most like-minded rival to the 15 Pro Max right now remains Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra. It can zoom further, boasts a larger battery and stylus support too.

Google Pixel 7 Pro* Google's current flagship boasts and excellent similar-sized display, a clean take on Android, designed by Google itself and a camera experience that stands ahead of its competitive price tag. *The caveat is that the Pixel 8 Pro is set to arrive on October 4.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Some phones don't hold up the further from launch you get, but Apple's previous flagship will not only cost you less but still deliver a great all-round experience.

How I tested the iPhone 15 Pro Max

I tested the iPhone 15 Pro Max for four days, using it to take pictures, play games, watch videos, listen to music, and do a variety of other mobile tasks. I ran anecdotal battery tests and various benchmarks, but I have also included benchmark and battery results from Future Labs.

I bring almost 20 years of phone testing experience and 32 years of technology media experience to my review work and have tried or reviewed almost every iPhone since Apple first released them in 2007.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2023

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist , Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Ryan, the Today Show , Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. 

The real total eclipse was better than the pics I shot with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and DSLR, and believe me I tried

The most underrated phone this year is the iPhone 15 Pro Max... seriously

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Thanks to recent changes in the Apple App Store, a new kind of app, previously unseen on the iPhone, has arrived: the gaming emulator. On April 5 Apple made changes to the App Store guidelines. Though some of these changes only concerned users in the EU ( full details here ), the update to allow game emulator apps applies worldwide.

The new app iGBA.

Well, just a few days later, emulator apps are appearing in the App Store. Onse such app is iGBA, which allows users to play Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color games on the iPhone or iPad. That was quick.

April 15 update below. This post was first published on April 14, 2024.

There will doubtless be more emulator apps in quick succession—this is a very big change for the iPhone.

Two weeks ago, this app would not have been admitted to the App Store.

This emulator is aimed at simulating Nintendo devices, and mean that if you have a ROM file for a Game Boy Advance or Game Boy Color game, you can open it in iGBA and start playing it.

Let’s be clear, to avoid legal issues, you should own a copy of the game in question, and not just download a ROM from the internet, though these are widely available. Local laws differ, so check before you risk breaking the law. As Tech Radar points out: “A word of warning though: in most parts of the world, the only way to use these emulators legally is by ripping the code from the original disks or cartridges that you've already paid for – otherwise you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

In practice, the app works well. I played Super Mario World, a game I have owned for decades, on the iPhone and iPad. It plays in the top half of the iPhone screen. You can also turn the iPhone to landscape orientation for a larger-screen experience (though the overlaid joypad and buttons do get in the way a bit), and playing it on an iPad is easier, though it certainly reveals the limitations of the retro graphics.

Since iGBA has arrived just a matter of days after the rules changed, it’s possible we will see a glut of emulator apps descend in the near future.

However, the situation gets more complex, and here’s the catch. According to The Verge , “it doesn’t look like iGBA is developer Mattia La Spina’s own work. In an email to The Verge , developer Riley Testut said the app is an unauthorized clone of GBA4iOS, the open-source emulator he created for iOS over a decade ago… He said his app uses the GNU GPLv2 license. A Mastodon user found that iGBA does not reference the license, which may violate its terms. Despite that, he says it’s Apple he’s frustrated with, not La Spina.”

Testut says that he is planning to launch his own app, Delta, soon. The Verge goes on: “When reached for comment, La Spina did not explicitly confirm using Testut’s code, but told The Verge they “did not think the app would have so much repercussion, I am really sorry,” and added that they have reached out to Testut via email.” It’s worth noting that iGBA collects data such as location data and identifiers. As such, it may be worth waiting for Delta to arrive on the App Store.

April 15 update. The arrival of emulator apps may have been quick, but there’s now been a development that’s been even quicker. The iGBA app above has been pulled from the App Store. According to Joe Rossignol at MacRumors , the app was removed last night (Sunday, April 14) because of the app violating App Review Guidelines. Rossignol was told what was happening by Apple.

Rossignol said, “Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam ( section 4.3 ) and copyright ( section 5.2 ), but it did not provide any specific details.”

Well, as you’ve seen above, there was already concern that the app was a copycat of another app called GBA4iOS, from developer Riley Testut. Testut said in a Threads post, on Saturday, April 13, “So apparently Apple approved a knock-off of GBA4iOS—the predecessor to Delta I made in high school—in the App Store. I did not give anyone permission to do this, yet it’s now sitting at the top of the charts (despite being filled with ads + tracking)I’ve bit my tongue a bunch in the past month…but this really frustrates me. So glad App Review exists to protect consumers from scams and rip-offs like this.”

It's not yet clear what the exact reason for the removal was: is it because it looked like a copycat of Testut’s app or if, perhaps, Nintendo complained to Apple. After all, the games are Nintendo’s property and not everybody is conscientious about only downloading ROMs of games they already own.

Perhaps the interest will encourage Testut to release Delta in the App Store as well—it’s already been confirmed it will come to the AltStore alternative marketplace in the EU.

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