The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are smartphones developed and marketed by Apple. They are the seventeenth generation of iPhones, succeeding the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The devices were announced on September 12, 2023, during the Apple Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California alongside the higher-priced iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. Pre-orders began on September 15, 2023, and the devices were made available on September 22, 2023. Like the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the 15 and 15 Plus are the first iPhones to replace the proprietary Lightning connector with USB-C to comply with European Union mandates.

iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 in Blue
DeveloperApple
TypeSmartphone
SeriesiPhone
First releasedSeptember 22, 2023; 15 months ago (2023-09-22)
Availability by region
October 13, 2023
October 20, 2023
PredecessoriPhone 14 and 14 Plus
SuccessoriPhone 16 and 16 Plus
RelatediPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
Compatible networks2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5G NR
Form factorSlate
Colors
  • Blue
  • Pink
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Black
Dimensions
  • 15: H: 147.6 mm (5.81 in)
    W: 71.6 mm (2.82 in)
    D: 7.8 mm (0.31 in)
  • 15 Plus: H: 160.9 mm (6.33 in)
    W: 77.8 mm (3.06 in)
    D: 7.8 mm (0.31 in)[1]
Weight
  • 15: 171 g (6.0 oz)
  • 15 Plus: 201 g (7.1 oz)[1]
Operating systemOriginal: iOS 17
Current: iOS 18.2, released December 11, 2024[2]
System-on-chipApple A16 Bionic
ModemQualcomm Snapdragon X70 5G[3]
Memory6 GB LPDDR5[4]
Storage128, 256 or 512 GB NVMe
Battery
  • 15: 12.98 Wh (3349 mAh) Li-ion
  • 15 Plus: 16.95 Wh (4383 mAh) Li-ion[5]
Charging
  • MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging[6]
  • USB-C (fast-charge capable: up to 50% charge in 30–35 minutes with 20W adapter or higher)
Rear camera
  • 48 MP, f/1.6, 26 mm (wide)
  • 12 MP, f/2.4, 13 mm, (ultrawide)
Front camera
  • 12 MP, f/1.9, 23 mm (wide)
  • SL 3D (depth/biometrics)
Display15: 6.1 in (150 mm) 2556 × 1179 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio (~460 ppi density) Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, HDR10, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (peak) supplied by Samsung Display[7]
15 Plus: 6.7 in (170 mm) 2796 × 1290 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, (~460 ppi density) Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, HDR10, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (peak) supplied by Samsung Display
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.3 (A2DP, LE), Ultra-wideband (UWB), USB-C (with DisplayPort support[8]), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) dual-band, NFC (reader mode, Express Cards)
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou
Data inputs
Water resistanceIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 minutes)
Hearing aid compatibilityM3, T4
Websiteapple.com/iphone-15
References[9]

History

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In September 2021, the European Commission began considering a proposal to mandate USB-C on all devices in the European Union, including iPhones.[10] Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple would drop its proprietary Lightning connector by 2023. At the time of those claims, Apple was considering switching to USB-C due to the likelihood that the EU proposal would pass.[11] The proposal was passed into law in October 2022, becoming the Radio Equipment Directive. Apple confirmed it would comply with the regulations later that month.[12]

Two weeks prior to the formal introduction of the iPhone 15, it was announced that some of the devices which were made in India would for the first time be sold around the world on the launch day.[13]

Design

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Face and back of iPhone 15 series

The iPhone 15 is the first major redesign since the iPhone 12, featuring rounder edges and a slightly curved display, and back glass. Both models are available in five colors: blue, pink, yellow, green and black.[1] This makes it the first entry level iPhone since the iPhone XR to not ship with a Product Red variant at launch.

Color Name
Blue
Pink
Yellow
Green
Black

Hardware

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Display

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The iPhone 15 features a 6.1-inch (155 mm) display with Super Retina XDR OLED technology at a resolution of 2556×1179 pixels and a pixel density of about 460 PPI with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The iPhone 15 Plus features a 6.7-inch (170 mm) display with the same technology at a resolution of 2796×1290 pixels and a pixel density of about 460 PPI. Both models have an improved typical brightness of up to 1,000 nits, a peak HDR brightness of up to 1,600 nits, and a peak outdoor brightness of up to 2,000 nits.[9] The Dynamic Island feature, previously exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro, is now standard on iPhone 15, replacing the notch that was introduced in the iPhone X.[14]

Charging and transfer speeds

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The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus use USB-C with USB 2.0 transfer speeds (up to 480 Mb/s or 60 MB/s),[15] compared to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max which have faster USB 3.2 Gen 2 transfer speeds (up to 10 Gb/s or 1.25 GB/s).[16] The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are the first iPhone models to use USB-C, as well as the first iPhones since the iPhone 5 to switch to a new charging port.

Video output

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All iPhone 15 models have support for DisplayPort Alternate Mode over USB-C video output with HDR up to 4K resolution.[9]

Previous iPhone models (from iPhone 5 until iPhone 14) had a maximum supported resolution of 1600 x 900 (slightly less than 1080p FHD) with the Lightning Digital AV Adapter due to technical constraints of the Lightning connector.[17]

Battery

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The iPhone 15 Plus offers users up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 100 hours of audio playback, and the iPhone 15 offers significantly less, with up to 20 hours of video playback and up to 80 hours of audio playback.[18]

Software

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The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus launched with iOS 17 and is compatible with iOS 18.[19][20][21] Consistent with the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure regulation, it will continue to receive major software updates for a minimum of five years to at least 2028.[22]

Specifications

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Criticism

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Overheating

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Some owners claimed that their iPhone 15s were experiencing overheating issues,[26] reportedly reaching temperatures as high as 47 °C (117 °F).[27] Apple later stated that there were several reasons why the phones heat up, mainly hinting at a software issue.[28] It was stated that it would be fixed with an update to iOS 17.0.3.[29] The overheating issues were reported to persist after the update.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Casey, Henry (September 12, 2023). "The iPhone 15 is coming – here's who should (and shouldn't) upgrade". CNN. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "About iOS 18 Updates". Apple Support. iOS 18.2.
  3. ^ Miller, Chance (October 9, 2023). "iPhone 15 uses new Qualcomm modem for upgraded 5G performance". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Rossignol, Joe (September 12, 2023). "iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max Feature Increased 8GB of RAM". MacRumors. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  5. ^ Lovejoy, Ben (September 15, 2023). "iPhone 15 battery capacity slightly higher across all models, compared to iPhone 14". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Miller, Chance (September 13, 2023). "iPhone 15 supports Qi2 for wireless charging... but no one knows what that means". 9to5Mac. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "Samsung Fulfilling Nearly All of Apple's iPhone 15 OLED Display Orders". MacRumors. September 12, 2023. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "Charge and connect with the USB-C connector on your iPhone 15". Apple.
  9. ^ a b c "iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus – Technical Specifications". Apple. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  10. ^ Porter, Jon (September 23, 2021). "EU proposes mandatory USB-C on all devices, including iPhones". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Vincent, James (May 11, 2022). "Apple will drop iPhone Lightning port in favor of USB-C in 2023, claims analyst". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 11, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  12. ^ Clark, Mitchell (October 26, 2022). "Apple confirms the iPhone is getting USB-C". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  13. ^ Weatherbed, Jess (September 12, 2023). "Apple's India-made iPhones to be available at launch for the first time". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Perry, Alex (September 12, 2023). "Apple adds the Dynamic Island to every iPhone 15". Mashable. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  15. ^ Warren, Tom (September 12, 2023). "Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  16. ^ Chokkattu, Julian (September 13, 2023). "The iPhone 15 Is Finally Getting USB-C. Here's What That Means – WIRED". Wired. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  17. ^ "The Lightning Digital AV Adapter Surprise". Panic Blog. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  18. ^ Potuck, Michael (September 12, 2023). "iPhone 15 battery specs: Official ratings". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  19. ^ Porter, Jon (August 10, 2023). "Get ready for a repositioned end call button in iOS 17". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  20. ^ Warren, Tom (September 12, 2023). "Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  21. ^ "iOS 18 Preview". Apple. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  22. ^ Apple Inc. (April 29, 2024). "A3106 Connectable Devices Statement of Compliance" (PDF). Apple Regulatory Info. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  23. ^ "Charge and connect with the USB-C connector on your iPhone 15". Apple Support.
  24. ^ a b c "iPhone: Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)". Apple Support. Apple Inc. November 23, 2014. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  25. ^ a b c "About Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) requirements for iPhone". Apple Support. Apple Inc. April 15, 2020. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  26. ^ Phelan, David (September 28, 2023). "Apple iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Reports: Insider Addresses Issue". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  27. ^ Cuthbertson, Anthony (September 27, 2023). "iPhone 15 overheating issue makes it 'too hot to touch', owners say". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  28. ^ Kelly, Samantha Murphy (October 2, 2023). "Apple confirms that a bug and some apps are causing iPhone 15 models to overheat". CNN. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  29. ^ Leswing, Kif (October 4, 2023). "Apple releases fix for overheating iPhone 15 bug in iOS 17.0.3". CNBC. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  30. ^ Hiner, Jason (October 11, 2023). "New iPhone 15 Pro overheating reports: Still too hot after iOS 17.0.3 and fresh issues arise after the update". zdnet. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
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Preceded by
iPhone 14 / 14 Plus
iPhone
17th generation
alongside iPhone 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max
Succeeded by
iPhone 16 / 16 Plus