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iPhone 15 Pro: Another “S” year for Apple’s flagship means some people should wait for iPhone 16

Published: Aug 28, 2023, 6:34 AM

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This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

iPhone 15 Pro: Another “S” year for Apple’s flagship means some people should wait for iPhone

I know, I know… We’re having this same discussion every year but that’s because it’s a relevant topic basically… every year. Buy the new iPhone, or wait for the… newer new iPhone?

Honestly, the answer to this question is very easy if you need a new phone right now (or rather in September) - maybe you broke your existing phone; maybe the battery lasts significantly less; or maybe your phone is just old as a whole. iPhone X, XS, 11, and maybe even iPhone 12 users will find the iPhone 15 series to be a big upgrade in virtually all regards. You’d be getting noticeably better cameras, brighter and smoother displays, longer battery life, better build quality, and even more storage and USB-C.

But for those with iPhone 14 Pro and maybe even iPhone 13 Pro models? How do you justify upgrading to a phone that looks almost the same? Well that’s one of the questions I’ll try to answer in this story.

And while Apple isn’t the only phone-maker to blame for the series of iterative flagship phone upgrades in the industry, the iPhone might still be the hardest upgrade to justify if you already own a recent flagship.

Here’s why…

iPhone 14 Pro users (and even iPhone 13 Pro users) should probably skip iPhone 15 Pro and wait for iPhone 16 Pro unless…

Four years later, iPhone 15 Pro looks like a refined version of the iPhone 11 Pro. But is this a good thing?

Let’s take a very quick look at the expected upgrades on iPhone 15 Pro compared to the iPhone 14 Pro:

The two are expected to have a nearly identical design with thinner bezels and gentle curves on the new iPhone 15 Pro
Both will boast 6.1 and 6.7-inch Always-on display with 120Hz refresh rate on both
We expect to see a triple camera system on both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (just like on the iPhone 14 Pro series), except with a longer-range zoom camera that should be exclusive to the Pro Max
We have the A16 Bionic (4nm) vs A17 Bionic (3nm) processors with (reportedly) the same 6GB of RAM on lower storage variants
That being said, we expect 15-25% larger batteries on the iPhone 15 series with USB-C and slightly faster charging
iPhone 15 Pro should feature Apple’s new Action Button instead of the familiar Mute Switch button found on the iPhone 14 Pro (and expected on the vanilla iPhone 15)

The main highlight on the iPhone 15 Pro series appears to be the battery upgrade, together with the arrival of USB-C. In other words, if you find that your iPhone 14 model doesn’t last as long as you’d like it to, and you love the idea of using a single cable to charge all of your devices, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max might be the upgrade for you.

However, other than the nice upgrades to battery and charging, I don’t see why anyone with an iPhone 14 Pro (or even an iPhone 13 Pro) would be rushing to buy an iPhon 15 Pro.

Sure, the slimmer screen borders and gentle curves on iPhone 15 Pro would be nice, but they’d hardly give your iPhone this “brand new” look and feel you might be looking for, which (I believe) is one of the reasons people upgrade to a new phone. Correct me with a comment if you think I’m wrong.

Then, the faster and more efficient A17 Bionic chip sounds great but the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro hardly ever felt “slow”. In fact, quite the opposite! In my experience, the iPhone 14 Pro is still the fastest, smoothest phone to use day to day - even compared to the likes of the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra.

iPhone 15 Pro is a classic “good but lazy” Apple upgrade but is Tim Cook going a bit too far in making the iPhone design look a bit boring?

50 shades of gray.

I've already touched upon this but I feel like I have to repeat that one of the main reasons people go out to buy a new phone is because it looks and feels new. If it does.

See, the problem (or rather, my problem) with the iPhones released in the past few years is that they feel a bit too derivative even for Apple’s own “slow innovation” standards.

I know some will find this to be subjective but I don’t see how the iPhone 14 looks any different than the iPhone 12, and despite the expected addition of the Dynamic Island to the front of the vanilla iPhone 15, this one will have the same overall aesthetic of the much older iPhone 12 too (especially from the rear).

iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, is still expected to carry over the familiar rear design of the iPhone 11 Pro, with triple cameras arranged in a triangle, surrounded by a square. And I know part of the reason Apple picks a design and sticks with it is so the iPhone turns into the most recognizable phone in the world (which it undoubtedly is).

But what about distinguishing one iPhone from another? You can tell I have an iPhone, but can you tell which one?

And while I’m at it… what’s with the boring, muted colors Apple? Even now, rumor has it that the “new” iPhone 15 Pro color will be another shade of dark blue, another shade of silver, and another shade of dark gray/black. Doesn’t sound very… exciting, does it? How about something bolder that people actually want to use without a case on, Cupertino? Not that I recommend using your phone without a case but you get the point…

Why I’d wait for iPhone 16 if I have an iPhone 14 or an iPhone 13

iPhone 16 is rumored to bring some more signifincant changes to the design of Apple's premium flagships.

In all fairness, Apple isn’t the only “lazy” phone-maker anymore as Samsung and Google’s new flagship phones don’t try too hard either. Just look at the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Moreover, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to look nearly identical to its predecessors (although those are early leaks/reports, so take them with a grain of salt).

The way I see it, no Apple, Samsung, or Google flagship phone released in the past few years has been a no-brainer upgrade.

Nowadays, you need to wait about three years to get a considerable phone upgrade if you are an Apple, Samsung, or a Google user, and while you could argue that’s thanks to reaching “peak smartphone” stage, that’s not 100% true.

And sure, even certain Chinese phone-makers are starting to run out of ideas (folding phones aside), but they are still coming up with more creative features than brands that cater to the western market. Examples are Xiaomi’s push for 1-inch camera sensors; Huawei’s unique telephoto-macro camera in the P60 Pro, and charging tech that can charge your phone from 0-100% in less than 20 minutes.

Regardless, the point is that I’d probably put my money aside and wait the iPhone 15 Pro out (if I don’t need a new iPhone ASAP).

Compared to the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to:

Grow in size (for the first time since 2020), with the iPhone 16 Pro expected to have a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max/Ultra expected to boast a whopping 6.9-inch display
iPhone 16 Pro is also rumored to switch to a taller display aspect ratio to make holding the larger iPhones easier (which should also make sure the Dynamic Island doesn’t cut into your content when watching YouTube videos)
iPhone 16 Pro series are also expected to add a periscope zoom camera to the smaller iPhone 16 Pro and a new 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera to both Pro models
iPhone 16 series should also bring the innovative solid state/haptic touch buttons we were expecting to see on iPhone 15 Pro (that’s unless Apple fails to get the tech ready on time… again)

And those are the rumored upgrades to the iPhone 16 Pro series we know of as of now, over a year before the launch of Apple’s 2024 flagship. Who knows - perhaps some other overdue upgrades are coming to next year’s Pro iPhones like Reverse Wireless Charging and (finally) a complete redesign, which makes the iPhone look actually new?

Again, if you need a new iPhone this fall, then get an iPhone 15! But if you really don’t, then… just don’t. Unless your boss pays for it. For example, a boss of a tech website, which you work REALLY, REALLY hard for. But what do I know anyway!

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.