Apple’s new iPhone 15 range will cost more or less the same as the iPhone 14 range a year ago. The ’15’ prices range as high as £1,599 for the top-spec Pro Max with 1TB storage down to £799 for the base 15 with 128BGB.
Apple is offering £600 trade-in for a 128GB iPhone Pro 14 Max against £1,200 for the new 15 equivalents. with double the storage.
As expected the Lightning port has been replaced by the more universal USBC connection standard in line with EU demands.
The 15 does not replace the 14 but adds to the 15, 14, 13, 12 and SE.
There were no attention-grabbing features apart from the expected camera software and lens improvements and titanium frame replacing stainless steel in the Pro range. The iPhone 15 gets the iPhone 14 Pro A16 chip while the iPhone 15 Pro receives the next A17 iteration with the expected speed and computational bumps.
“The lack of headline-grabbing updates will disappoint some but isn’t a surprise given the maturity of the iPhone and Watch. It reflects just how refined the iPhone and Watch devices are and how tough it has become to deliver truly disruptive updates every year”, said CCS insight chief analyst Ben Wood
““The move to a USB-C connector is a success story for EU regulators over big tech”
“The move to a USB-C connector is a success story for EU regulators over big tech despite efforts by Apple to resist it in 2020. It will irk some people but ultimately, it’s a victory for common sense becoming the standard connector for all consumer electronics devices.
“It’s good to see 5x optical zoom on the iPhone Pro Max. This definitely narrows the gap on Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra devices which have had 10x optical zoom for several years. The camera is one of the most important features for consumers on smartphones so this is a positive step. Replacing the ringer switch with an Action Button is a small but useful tweak to the iPhone design. I think I’ll configure it for quick access to the camera but sure there will be lots of interesting use cases for various apps”, said Wood.
PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said the new iPhone line-up will be a “crowd-pleaser among the millions who own older devices that can’t download the latest iOS and will be itching to upgrade”
“The new line-up will be a crowd-pleaser among the millions who own older devices that can’t download the latest iOS and will be itching to upgrade. There is an iPhone for everyone catering for different habits supported by numerous trade-in and recycling programs. Significant enhancements to the camera’s optical zoom will help Apple compete head-on with rivals like Samsung, thus enticing users to switch to iPhone”.
But Apple may have to deal with some supply chain issues according to Pescatore.
“Arguably, its biggest hurdle will be overcoming any supply chain disruption. Underlined by a separate deal that will see Qualcomm continuing to supply Apple with 5G modems for smartphones through 2026″.
“This is a major boost to Qualcomm and a sign that Apple is still working on its own 5G chipset and perhaps anticipating any future delays. Designing modems and RF systems for smartphones is no easy feat and should not be underestimated as underlined by this deal. This uncertainty, along with concerns for a slowdown in smartphone sales is causing unrest, making it harder than ever to predict the future.