Apple's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models use a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port for charging and data transfer purposes, and the new port allows the iPhones to charge a wide range of USB-C devices, including another iPhone.
As demonstrated by Marques Brownlee, plugging a Lightning based iPhone into a USB-C iPhone 15 with a USB-C to Lightning cable lets the iPhone 15 provide power to the older iPhone.
When you plug a Lightning iPhone into an iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 will always provide power to the Lightning iPhone, even if the iPhone 15's battery is lower.
Have you ever wondered what happened when you plugged random things into the iPhone 15's new USB port? Well wonder no more
Full iPhone 15/15 Pro Unboxing and first looks is now live: https://t.co/Q5loMQGoh1pic.twitter.com/TUGh7jlg08
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) September 19, 2023
If you plug an iPhone 15 into another iPhone 15, the two devices communicate with one another, determine which iPhone has the lower battery, and transfer power that way. So if you have a low battery and a friend with an iPhone 15 has a full battery, you can plug your iPhone into your friend's iPhone and get yours to charge.
With a USB-C Android phone, if the Android device has USB Power Delivery support and you connect to an iPhone with a lower battery level, the Android device will be able to provide battery power. If the Android phone does not have USB PD, the result is inconsistent and there's no way to predict which phone will be the charger and which will get the charge.
The iPhone 15's USB-C port can be used to charge an Apple Watch or the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C Charging Case using a USB-C to USB-C cord, and it should also be able to work with most other USB-C devices in some capacity.
Unfortunately, when charging another device with an iPhone 15, the charge is limited to 4.5W. That's appropriate for small devices like the Apple Watch, but it's not going to provide much power for an iPhone, so expect slow charging speeds when using iPhone to iPhone charging functionality.
In an interview with Numerama's Nicolas Lellouche, Apple's VP of camera software engineering Jon McCormack explained why the iPhone 15 Pro Max's tetraprism lens system is limited to 5x optical zoom, instead of 10x like on Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra. The interview is in French, so quotes below are computer translated.
Apple says the Telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max features the company's most advanced camera stabilization system yet, with a combination of optical image stabilization and an autofocus 3D sensor-shift module. McCormack said the iPhone's 5x zoom lens can be stabilized "incredibly well" compared to a 10x lens.
"The 5x zoom is something that we can stabilize incredibly well," McCormack said in the interview. "If you look at the 10x zoom, unless you have the steadiest hands in the world or a tripod, it's really difficult to use."
Apple's senior director of iPhone product marketing Maxime Veron, who was also interviewed, added that the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 5x lens opens at ƒ/2.8, allowing for "excellent light management." By comparison, the Galaxy S23 Ultra's 10x lens has a ƒ/4.9 aperture. A lower aperture allows for more light to be captured by the camera's sensor, which can be especially beneficial for Night mode photos.
5x optical zoom is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with the iPhone 15 Pro remaining limited to 3x optical zoom. It has been rumored that Apple plans to expand the tetraprism lens system to both iPhone 16 Pro models next year.
McCormack and Veron discuss the latest camera innovations on all iPhone 15 models in more detail in the Numerama interview. The devices launch Friday.
To celebrate the launch of the iPhone 15 models, we've teamed up with iMazing to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 15 Pro and a copy of the iMazing iPhone backup software.
iMazing is Mac and Windows software that provides tools for iOS device management, going above and beyond what's possible with Apple's Finder-based iPhone management system on the Mac and iTunes on Windows. With macOS Sonoma coming up, iMazing is testing iMazing 3, a revamped version of the software.
A beta version of iMazing 3 is available for testing right now, and the updated app has been rebuilt with a more intuitive and responsive interface that makes it easier for users to get to what they need on a connected iPhone or iPad.
While the Discover section gets users up and running with iMazing's most useful functions right away, there's also a Home screen with an overview of what you can do, and a Tools section that offers access to the entire iMazing catalog of options for doing everything from downloading your WhatsApp messages to saving copies of apps. When you connect an iPhone or an iPad to iMazing, you can also see additional information on storage and the health of the battery.
Convenience was the main focus of the iMazing 3 redesign, and creating and managing backups is more straightforward than before to make the app accessible to users of all skill levels. For more advanced users, iMazing 3 has a Devices screen that allows multiple connected devices to be managed at once through bulk actions, simplifying fleet management.
In the future, iMazing 3 is set to gain improved spyware detection, automatic photo transfers, enterprise improvements, and more. iMazing 3 is a native app on the Mac, and the iMazing team worked to ensure feature parity between Macs and PCs so the app is simple to use on all platforms. iMazing 3 is compatible with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and Apple's latest iPhones.
iMazing 3 is set to come out later this year, but available features can be tried in a beta capacity right now. iMazing is currently offering MacRumors readers a 30 percent discount on iMazing 2 and iMazing 3 for macOS and Windows through September 30, 2023 with the promo code MACRUMORS-iMAZING3. The discount is applicable to the current version of iMazing 2 and the upcoming final iMazing 3 release.
One lucky MacRumors reader will win an iPhone 15 Pro and a copy of iMazing to go with it. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (September 20) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 27. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after September 27 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Following the launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro pre-orders last week, we're now tracking one of the first notable discounts on accessories for the new iPhone generation. Verizon has savings on Apple's official iPhone 15 cases and USB-C chargers, as well as MagSafe accessories.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with cases, Verizon is offering a series of bundle deals that include an iPhone 15 Silicone Case or Clear Case ($49), a 35W charger ($59), and a USB-C cable ($19). That makes these bundles priced normally around $127, and Verizon is offering each for $99.97, which is about 23 percent in savings.
All of these bundles are only available to purchase online. If you're looking for discounts on third-party iPhone 15 cases, Verizon is also offering 20 percent off cases from ZAGG, Casetify, OtterBox, Case-Mate, and more.
Moving to the MagSafe products, you can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99 ($10 off), the MagSafe Duo Charger for $96.74 ($32 off), and the MagSafe Battery Pack for $74.24 ($24 off). These are some of the best prices we've tracked on these accessories.
The new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday. Ahead of time, select media outlets and YouTube channels have shared the first reviews of the watches.
Key new features for both Apple Watch models include brighter displays, up to a 30% faster S9 chip, a "Double Tap" gesture for interacting with the watches without touching the screen, an increased 64GB of internal storage, and more.
Many reviews agree that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are iterative upgrades that likely aren't worth upgrading to from a Series 8 or the original Ultra.
If you have a Series 7 or later, you don't really need to update. For owners with a Series 5 or earlier, it might be worth it since you'll get a bigger screen, several new sensors, and a processing bump. Series 6 owners are the ones I see being most on the fence — and to those folks, I mostly encourage upgrades if your battery life isn't cutting it anymore. For folks with an Ultra, seriously. Cool your jets. You're getting the Modular Ultra watchface with watchOS 10, and 3,000 nits vs. 2,000 nits doesn't make a huge difference.
In testing, I didn't find the double tap to be an indispensable daily gesture for me, although it was fun to play around with, and the haptic feedback when it works is satisfying.
Nor did I find the "smart stack" widget that the double tap brings up to be that useful — I generally don't like widgets, and the suggestions it made by default were not helpful, like a card with tips for my new Apple Watch. The individual widgets are selected through machine learning, so it could get better with use.
The gesture also requires the Apple Watch interface to be activated, with its backlight on. You can't just double tap when your arm is at your side. Instead, you have to raise your arm to wake the display first, then tap your fingers twice, which makes it feel like a much more exaggerated motion.
CNET's Lexy Savvides said the Apple Watch Ultra 2's brighter display with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness benefits the flashlight feature:
But it's the flashlight that gets a bigger boost. It's able to illuminate a small dark room, light your way if you drop your keys, and even cast a spooky glow if you're reading your kids a bedtime story. I took the Apple Watch Ultra 2 into a cave and it lit up the rockface much better than the first Ultra when I compared the two.
Next, there's the new S9 chip. Given Apple has stuck with the S8 chip since the Series 6, the smartwatch is long overdue for a processor bump. That said, I didn't run into slowdown issues with the S8, and while the S9 is clearly more powerful, I haven't noticed much of a performance boost in day-to-day use. On the other hand, Apple says the S9 chip powers the Series 9's on-device Siri processing, allowing the smartwatch to quickly respond to requests like starting a workout or setting a timer.
Apple and Goldman Sachs planned to launch a built-in stock trading feature for the iPhone last year, CNBC reports.
According to three individuals familiar with the matter talking to CNBC, the feature would have served as a rival to trading apps like Robinhood, allowing users to buy and sell stocks directly from their iPhone in a convenient way. One ability apparently pitched by executives was the ability to invest in Apple shares using spare cash. The feature would have bolstered the collaboration between Apple and Goldman Sachs, which now includes Apple Card, Apple Pay Later, and Daily Cash Savings.
Work on the project reportedly began in 2020, when interest rates were low and there was record interest in trading shares. Apple developed the feature and planned to roll it out at some point in 2022. When markets worsened last year, Apple and Goldman Sachs shelved the project due to fears over backlash if users lost money in the stock market, and refocused attention on a high-interest savings account for Apple Card users.
The infrastructure for the investing feature is apparently mostly built and ready to launch if Apple eventually decides to proceed with it, but there are no immediate signs that it has plans to do so.
iPhone 15 users will be able to check their battery's cycle count for the first time, according to information shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Previous methods to check an iPhone's battery cycle count were unofficial (via third-party apps) or complicated, such as copying and pasting analytics into Notes and searching for "last_value_CycleCount." According to a screenshot shared by @Tech_Reve, battery cycle information is visible on iPhone 15 models by navigating through Settings, General, and About. A new "Battery" section is present toward the bottom of the page. In addition to the number of battery cycles, it also lists production date and the date of its first use.
While battery health has been visible on the iPhone for several years in the form of "Maximum Capacity," the ability to see its specific number of cycles is a valuable additional metric to determine its condition. A charge cycle is registered every time you deplete all of the battery's capacity. Battery cycle information can easily be accessed on MacBooks by navigating to System Information. From Apple's battery information webpage:
Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles. You complete one charge cycle when you've used (discharged) an amount that equals 100% of your battery's capacity — but not necessarily all from one charge. For instance, you might use 75% of your battery's capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have discharged a total of 100%, and the two days will add up to one charge cycle. It could take several days to complete a cycle. The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging. With lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle.
Yesterday, it emerged that all of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled. Apple says all of the iPhone 15 models have the same battery life as their iPhone 14 predecessors. The devices launch this Friday.
Matter support is now being rolled out to Philips Hue Bridge owners via a software update, according to the company, enabling the smart home system's interoperability with third-party lights.
Matter is a connectivity standard that enables smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, Google's Home, and others. For households with multiple smart home platforms or different smartphone brands, it means the Matter lights can be controlled from any device.
For Hue Bridge owners who control only Philips Hue lights via Apple's Home app or the Hue app, nothing changes. For Android and iPhone users who own third-party lights with Matter support, they will now be able to set up and control these accessories via the Hue Bridge, provided they own a Matter border router, such as an Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD (fourth generation), Apple HomePod, or HomePod mini.
Pairing codes for Matter-compatible accessories can be requested in the Hue app by tapping the plus button in the Settings -> Smart Home screen.
When Matter was officially launched in November 2022, Philips Hue declared itself a supporter of the new smart home standard. At the time, parent company Signify said a software update that would bring compatibility to its Philips Hue lineup would be available to all users in the first quarter of 2023, but the update was delayed.
Apple added support for Matter on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV with iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16, and tvOS 16.1 last year, with a HomePod or Apple TV required to control Matter accessories in the Home app or with Siri.
WhatsApp for iPad finally appears to be nearing a release. In the latest version of WhatsApp Beta for TestFlight, Meta has introduced an option to use WhatsApp on an iPad independently of an iPhone, thanks to an update to its Link a Device feature.
WhatsApp currently allows users of the encrypted messaging platform to link up to four devices to their account even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet. Each linked device connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted. The feature also supports Macs, but not iPads – until now.
As spotted by code researcher WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has started testing a facility to use iPads as a linked device in the latest beta. The new companion mode also means that any messages sent or received on iPad are synced to the account's primary phone, regardless of whether it is an iPhone or an Android device.
In order to test the companion mode, WhatsApp previously released a native iPad app built with Catalyst so that users could start testing the feature and the app. A beta version compatible with iPad can now be installed via the TestFlight app by all testers with the iOS beta app.
Screenshot from WhatsApp for iPad (Image credit: WaBetaInfo)
WhatsApp parent company Meta has made Facebook available on iPad, but WhatsApp and Meta's Instagram app have never had native iPad availability, despite many users asking for the feature. It's not clear exactly when WhatsApp for iPad will be available to the general public, but its inclusion in the beta is a good indicator that it will arrive soon.
Satechi today announced the launch of a new Magnetic Wallet Stand that is designed as an accessory to be used with the new iPhone 15 models that are releasing this Friday.
The Magnetic Wallet Stand attaches to the back of any MagSafeiPhone, and Satechi says that it was created to have a "strong and reliable attachment" to keep the wallet from coming off of the iPhone. Up to four credit cards, debit cards, or ID cards can be stored in the wallet, and there is a cutout for quickly showing an ID.
NFC passthrough is available from the front pocket, enabling Tap to Pay functionality without the need to remove a card from the wallet.
In addition to serving as a wallet, the accessory can be unfolded and used as a secure stand to prop up the iPhone for FaceTime calls, watching videos, playing games with a Bluetooth controller, and more. It can attach to the iPhone in either horizontal or vertical orientation when used as a stand accessory.
Made from a leather alternative, the Magnetic Wallet Stand can be purchased in seven colors. Black, brown, navy blue, and orange are available from the Satechi website, and Apple is selling the Wallet Stand in black as well as three exclusive colors, including forest green, purple, and blue.
Satechi's new Magnetic Wallet Stand is available starting today and it is priced at $40.
All of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled, as confirmed by The Verge's Allison Johnson during a Q&A session today.
The new setting is separate from the pre-existing Optimized Battery Charging feature on iPhones, which intelligently delays charging past 80% until a more appropriate time by learning the device's daily charging routine. When the 80% hard limit is enabled, the iPhone will never charge past that point whatsoever.
On all iPhone 15 models, there are three options under Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging → Charging Optimization:
Optimized Battery Charging
80% Limit
None
As with Optimized Battery Charging, the 80% hard limit can improve an iPhone battery's lifespan by reducing the time that the battery is fully charged.
The new setting was previously discovered in iOS 17 code by software researcher Steve Moser.
Apple says all of the iPhone 15 models have the same battery life as iPhone 14 models. The devices launch this Friday.
As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024.
Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken chain.
There are four new family emoji combinations, along with updates to six people emoji that now have direction specifications such as facing right or facing left. The direction options can be used with person walking, person running, person kneeling, person with white cane, person in manual wheelchair, and person in motorized wheelchair.
Unicode updates often include quite a few emoji characters, so the 15.1 update is smaller in scale than a typical year. Unicode 15.1 does, however, add a number of new non-emoji characters for use in China.
Following the approval of new emoji characters, it takes smartphone makers like Apple several months to design artwork for the emoji and add them to iOS. We can expect to see the emoji updates in a future version of iOS 17.
Last year, Apple added new emoji to the iOS 16.4 update that was released in February 2023, so the company might follow a similar timeline in 2024. Last year's emoji additions included shaking face, pink heart, light blue heart, donkey, moose, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, flute, maracas, and black bird.
Apple today updated its Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and iMovie apps for the Mac with support for log-encoded video shot on iPhone 15 Pro models.
On the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can choose between HDR, SDR, or Log color encoding when recording ProRes video. Log footage typically has a higher dynamic range and more color grading flexibility than linear footage.
Apple also updated Final Cut Pro for the iPad with the same support.
Apple's 128GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2022 is available for $999.00 today at both Amazon and B&H Photo, down from $1,099.00. At $100 off, this is a match of the all-time low price on this version of the pro-level Apple tablet.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon has a delivery estimate ranging between September 27 and September 30. B&H Photo has faster options with free two-day shipping and availability for around September 21. Both retailers only have the Space Gray color at this price.
The iPad Pro deal today follows in the footsteps of a few other iPad deals we tracked yesterday. This includes the 10th generation iPad for $399.00 and the 9th generation iPad for $269.99, both of which are still available.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple today added the M2 Ultra Mac Pro models to its online store for refurbished products in the United States, offering the newest version of the desktop machine at a discounted price for the first time since its launch.
A refurbished version of the base M2 Ultra Mac Pro with 24-core CPU, 60-core GPU, 64GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is priced at $5,949, $1,050 off of the regular $6,999 price for a 16 percent discount.
Apple has multiple M2 Ultra Mac Pro configurations available for purchase at the current time, all with similar discounts and up to $1,500 off of the standard price. Supplies of the M2 Ultra Mac Pro models will shift over time as Apple adds new machines, so if you're after a specific configuration, you may need to check the refurbished site often.
Introduced in June 2023, the M2 Ultra Mac Pro models were the final Macs to transition to Apple silicon. Aside from the new Apple chip design, the Mac Pro models have the same design as the prior-generation Intel Mac Pro. Refurbished Mac Pro models ship with power cord, a mouse, and a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.
All of Apple's refurbished Macs are close to identical to new products. They are subject to a refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing, with any defective modules replaced, as well as a thorough cleaning and inspection. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.
Repair website iFixit today announced that it has retroactively lowered its iPhone 14 repairability score from 7/10 to 4/10 due to Apple's post-repair parts pairing requirement, just over a year after the device launched.
When purchasing parts from Apple's Self Service Repair Store, a customer must enter a device's serial number or IMEI, and any parts ordered need to be paired with the same device after installation in order to function correctly. iFixit said lots of independent repair shops have business models that are threatened by this requirement.
iFixit initially praised the iPhone 14's internal redesign with a more repair-friendly mid-frame, which has since extended to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but it decided to revise its score in light of feedback from the repair community.
"Although we enthusiastically awarded it a solid score at launch last year, thanks to its innovative repair-friendly architecture—of which we remain big fans—the reality for folks trying to fix these things has been very different," said iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens, in a blog post. "Most major repairs on modern iPhones require Apple approval. You have to buy parts through their system, then have the repair validated via a chat system. Otherwise, you'll run into limited or missing functionality, with a side of annoying warnings."
iFixit is referring to Apple's post-repair System Configuration software tool, which "authenticates genuine Apple parts, updates firmware, and calibrates parts to ensure maximum performance and quality," according to Apple. In June, Apple announced that customers completing their own repairs can now initiate System Configuration by placing their devices into Diagnostics mode and following the on-screen prompts.
iFixit's blog post provides an overview of the various functional issues and warnings that can arise when System Configuration is not completed.
All in all, while iFixit acknowledges that Apple has made some progress in the Right to Repair area, it has decided that it needs to hold the company to a higher standard, and it has adjusted its repairability scoring system accordingly.
Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max as the successors to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, featuring a new titanium design, an Action button, a USB-C port, the A17 Pro chip, and more. As Apple's premium flagship offerings, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the most fully-featured iPhones available.
The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199. For the Pro Max model, this is a $100 price increase over last year's model, but there is also no longer a 128GB storage configuration available for this device, meaning that it is effectively only a price hike if you normally buy this model.
Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR always-on display with ProMotion and the Dynamic Island, the A17 Pro chip, 5G connectivity, a "Pro" rear camera setup, and are available in the same color options. Although the two phones share the vast majority of features, there are ten important differences between the devices. Our guide highlights the crucial differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhone models is best for you.
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution
6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with 2778-by-1284-pixel resolution
12-megapixel Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.8 aperture
12-megapixel Telephoto camera with ƒ/2.8 aperture and larger sensor
Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization
Telephoto camera with folded tetraprism design and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x optical zoom
0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom
23-hour battery life (during video playback)
29-hour battery life (during video playback)
5.77-inch (146.6mm) height
6.29-inch (159.9mm) height
2.78-inch (70.6mm) width
3.02-inch (76.7mm) width
6.60-ounce (187 grams) weight
7.81-ounce (221 grams) weight
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
$999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), or $1,499 (1TB)
$1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), or $1,599 (1TB)
Just like some previous iPhone models offered in two sizes, such as the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, there is a major additional camera feature to be gained with the larger model. This year, that's 5x telephoto optical zoom, which is ideal for sports or wildlife photography since it can get even closer to a subject.
iPhone 15 Pro Max provides the longest optical zoom ever on iPhone: 5x at 120mm. Great for close-ups, wildlife photos, and catching the action from further distances, the new Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max has an innovative tetraprism design with a combined optical image stabilization and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module, Apple's most advanced stabilization system yet.
The iPhone 15 Pro has a maximum optical zoom of 3x and lacks the hardware enhancements of the iPhone 15 Pro Max's telephoto camera. The Main and Ultra Wide cameras, are, however, identical between the two devices.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max represents the most you can get out of an iPhone with the best possible battery life, but that does not necessarily translate into a worthwhile purchase for all users. Some users may prefer a 3x optical zoom over a 5x optical zoom, in which case the iPhone 15 Pro is a better choice. Ultimately, the alternative photography capabilities of the devices come down to this single difference. If you are more likely to use your new iPhone to take portrait photos, the 3x telephoto of the iPhone 15 Pro is a better choice, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is unrivalled for sports and wildlife photography where you are looking to shoot subjects that are much farther away.
Combined with longer battery life and a larger display, the iPhone 15 Pro Max differs from the iPhone 15 Pro relatively significantly. The added $200 in price for the iPhone 15 Pro Max seems fair for its additional display area, battery life, storage, and camera technology but it is important to weigh up these factors in your personal use case. This shrinks to a $100 price difference if you normally buy a 256GB model.
If you normally purchase a 128GB iPhone "Pro Max" model, it may be time to look at the smaller model this year, since getting the larger model will necessitate spending $100 more than usual and getting 256GB of storage, which you may not use up. On the other hand, if you always purchase an iPhone with 256GB of storage, you may be more inclined to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Likewise, a larger, heavier 6.7-inch iPhone is not for everyone. Some may find the iPhone 15 Pro Max's size excessive or uncomfortably large to hold, while others will love the larger display for consuming media. Screen size is ultimately a matter of personal preference, and since the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max share most of their other features, it comes down to individual taste.
The most important decision point when choosing between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly screen size, but comfort, pocketability, weight, battery life, and camera technology are also important considerations that will depend based on your personal needs and preferences. If you are hesitant about the size and weight of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it may be better to stick with the iPhone 15 Pro, but it otherwise unlikely to disappoint, especially if price is not an issue.
Starting on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, Apple encrypts the titles of Voice Memos stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves.
As a result of this change, Apple says the titles of existing Voice Memos might only show the date and time of the recording on devices running older software versions.
Because of this additional encryption, when you update one of your Apple devices to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, or macOS Sonoma, your devices that you haven't yet updated—with older versions of Voice Memos—may display the date and time of the recording (for example, "2023-08-11T07:53:31Z") as the title, rather than the previous title of the recording.
Apple already encrypted Voice Memos recordings in transit and stores them in an encrypted format, according to the support document.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
