Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro might be overshadowed by its larger maxed-out sibling this year, but the cheaper of the “pro” iPhones still has one big advantage: a more pocketable size.
The 15 Pro has had a £100 price cut over last year’s model starting at £999 (€1,199/$999/A$1,849), widening the gulf between it and the £1,199 Pro Max. It still isn’t cheap, but is roughly in line with competing high-end phones in 2023.
As with the Pro Max, the 15 Pro swaps its predecessor’s stainless steel sides for titanium, saving 19g and significantly changing the feel of it. It is light, easy to handle and pocket, which is immediately noticeable if you’re coming from any of Apple’s older Pro phones.
The 6.1in OLED screen is genuinely fantastic and better than you’d get on similarly sized devices, reaching a very bright 2,000nit peak when outdoors for easy viewing in bright sunlight. The Face ID system within the dynamic island at the top of the screen remains one of Apple’s killer features.
The new action button replaces the mute switch from previous iPhones. It can be set to launch various apps or tasks such as the torch or switching focus modes instead of muting the phone.
Another significant upgrade is the switch from Lightning to USB-C, which for most people coming from older iPhones will simply mean replacing the cable, one of which is included in the box. Those with accessories may need to buy adaptors, but the switch means the 15 Pro can charge from practically any charger and USB-C cable used by all Android devices, PCs and Macs, iPads and other tablets – you no longer need to buy special Apple cables.
It also opens up the possibility to connect myriad accessories, including display cables, SD card readers, audio adapters, game controllers such as the Backbone One and many other USB-C equipped products.
