Investing.com - Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) revealed its latest iPhone 15 series, which for the first time includes a USB-C port. This change comes in response to pressure from the European Union and was officially announced on Monday, September 18, 2023.
The USB-C port in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models adheres to USB 2.0 standards, offering data transfer speeds of up to 480Mbps. The higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, however, come with a new USB controller in the A17 Pro processor, supporting USB 3.0 transfer speed of up to 10Gbps with a compatible USB-C cable.
Despite the transition to USB-C, charging speeds are unchanged from previous models. All four new iPhone models also feature a reverse charging capability, enabling them to serve as a power bank for devices supporting USB Power Delivery of up to 4.5W.
The new iPhone series presents a higher-resolution camera system for mainstream models for the first time in seven years. It includes a 48MP sensor and offers a telephoto feature with up to 2X zoom. The Dynamic Island feature, previously available only in the Pro model, is now also part of the iPhone 15 models.
For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple has opted for titanium as the construction material, making these models lighter than their predecessors. The company has also incorporated a new substructure made from 100% recycled aluminum into the Pro models for improved thermal dissipation and easier back glass replacement.
Another standout feature of the new Pro devices is the Action Button, a customizable button that replaces the iconic mute switch and can be set to activate various features and apps.
The iPhone 15 Pro models are powered by Apple's first-ever 3nm processor, the A17 Pro, which holds 19 billion transistors. This chip offers a 10% faster CPU performance and a two times faster Neural Engine. The A17 Pro also features a new six-core GPU design that delivers up to 20% better performance than its predecessor.
The new Pro models can record up to ProRes 4K at 60 fps directly into an external SSD via their USB-C port, making them an ideal tool for content creators and professionals.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera now boasts a new 5x telephoto camera, thanks to a tetraprism design implemented into the telephoto camera. This is an improvement from the 3x telephoto camera in the smaller iPhone 15 Pro.
However, these enhancements come with a price hike. The difference between 2023's iPhone offerings and their predecessors is RM200. Pre-orders for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro will open on Friday, September 22.
Apple confirmed on Tuesday, September 19, that the USB-C charge cable inside the pro model boxes is only USB 2. Users seeking faster speeds will need to purchase a higher-quality cable. The non-pro models come with the same USB 2 cables. All models can charge other accessories like an Apple Watch or AirPods charging case at speeds of up to 4.5W.