Should you buy the new iPhone 15?

I’ve been reviewing iPhones for years now and believe it or not, there’s a script all tech enthusiasts follow when it comes to Apple products.

Talk about the fanfare, talk about the features, talk about the lack of innovation, mention the hefty price tag and criticise Apple’s refusal to adapt to changing times. We go gaga over the camera and bemoan the lack of a USB-C port for charging. We wish the notch would vanish and ask Apple to make cheaper phones. 

This is a script which has been perfected by bloggers and journalists over the last decade.

When the videos of long queues outside Apple stores surface, we often attribute it to brand loyalty.

And then came the iPhone 15 Pro. 

The phone made headlines for overheating. In this review, we tell you why the new iPhone 15 Pro -- starting at Rs 1,34,900 -- is heating up.

ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL: HELLO USB-C

When you hold the new iPhone 15 Pro in your hand, you would say it looks exactly like its former iteration. Look at the bottom and you can gasp in pleasure because lo-and-behold, a USB-C port.

Yes, you can now charge your iPhone with a Type-C charger. With this Apple may be trying to lure in Android loyalists but what it may have achieved is what its critics have been asking for — ease of use.

Apple has shed its exclusive hardware tag to a certain extent. You can now charge your iPhone with just about any charger lying around the house as long as it supports Type-C. You get a cable in the box sans adapter which will continue to annoy first-time Apple buyers.

Here’s the flip side for Apple loyalists. I have a spaghetti of cables lying in my house. What happens to them? I won’t lie, I miss my Lightning port as will many Apple users. Here’s hoping your other Apple gadgets find use for them before the tech giant quietly transitions towards USB-C. 

If you have other gadgets -- yes, your wish has been granted. You can now connect your iPhone to a keyboard, try out reverse charging with other gadgets or shoot video directly onto an external drive, a big incentive for content creators.

(Image credit: Apple.com) 

TITANIUM BODY: IS THE NEW iPHONE DURABLE?

Once you’re done appreciating/cursing the USB-C, you’ll notice the titanium frame.

The new iPhone 15 Pro comes with a magnificent titanium body with slightly rounded edges. It’s not bulky or heavy and carries the familiarity of an Apple product. 

This is the first iPhone to feature an aerospace‑grade titanium design, using the same alloy that spacecraft use for missions to Mars, says Apple. This means your new iPhone is lighter. But does it mean your kids can throw it around without giving you a heart attack?

I wouldn’t recommend dropping this from a height but if you do have butter fingers, this iPhone is slightly more durable. But do not, I repeat, do not perform any drop tests.

Titanium is a super metal, is bio-compatible, and can make robots but it won’t make the iPhone invincible.

Titanium also means the new iPhone is lighter so the new phone may feel cheaper but it's not. The natural Titanium colour is your best bet if you hate fingerprints.

ALL ABOUT THE CHIPSET

The new lineup comes with the A17 Pro chipset. Apple calls this its best graphics performance chipset so far. 

A chipset like this one makes your smartphone a workhorse but only in very specific tasks. So this is a gamer's iPhone and that's where the chipset shows its might. If you're not an avid phone gamer, you probably won't notice the upgrade. 

(Image credit: Apple.com)

WHY IS THE iPHONE 15 PRO HEATING UP?

Right after the iPhones hit the shelves, news of new models overheating made headlines. Now the company has said that these overheating issues are not a safety risk and will not impact the iPhone's performance. Reportedly, some new apps and a "bug" are causing the overheating.

In my one week with the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone got hot a few times when I least expected it. My guess is the powerful chipset or the new iOS update could be the reasons behind this. The issue will get resolved as newer software updates roll out.

HOW IS THE BATTERY?

Well as always, battery life gets a marginal upgrade and once again, depends on your use. 
If you are watching content, scrolling through social media, messaging rapidly, using your phone as your best mate then you will have to charge your iPhone at the end of the day.

CAMERA GETS A MAJOR UPGRADE

The photos get better because the camera is better.

The 48MP main camera captures all the details and you will only notice the difference if your current iPhone is a few iterations older. The more expensive sibling, the Pro Max, gets a better Zoom camera so that may be something to keep in mind if you're planning to upgrade to the new line-up.

But before going crazy after the specs, ask yourself the following:

Do I need ProRes?

Do I need to shoot HDR at 4K 60FPS? 

Do I really need high-quality images captured through a 48MP camera?

If the answer is no, move on.

But if you're a content creator, a filmmaker or someone who finds professional cameras daunting for creating content, the camera system on the new line-up is spectacular.

Content creators will have a field day with this one. You can now shoot video in "log" format which is a curious way of recording footage making it look almost flat.

(Image credit: Apple.com)

ACTION BUTTON: LIKE OR HATE?

This is a customisable button. That's it.

You will either like it or hate it. 

If you love clicking photos, use it to launch your camera

It has replaced the rather useless Ring/Silent switch.

This is something which you will forget about and could just be a gimmick.

SHOULD YOU UPGRADE TO THE NEW iPhone?

Ask yourself the following before spending nearly 1.4 lakh rupees on a phone: 

Do you need USB-C? 

Do you need a better camera?

A gaming iPhone?

And you will have your answer.

You do not need to upgrade to a new iPhone every year. Apple refines its features, makes its camera better, its design sleeker. But will you get a new iPhone every year? 
Highly unlikely.

Will you still queue up? Highly likely.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.