The much-anticipated iPhone 15 was released on September 12th with the usual hype and build-up to the launch event. The launch included the iPhone 15, 15 Plus and 15 Pro along with the all-new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Today we’re taking a look at our favourite features of the iPhone 15 lineup, including the introduction of a USB-C charging port. A new feature that will no doubt make life a whole lot simpler for a lot of iPhone users.
USB-C Charging
It’s time to say goodbye to the Lightning chargers as Apple finally caves in to pressure and introduces a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 models. This means the iPhone 15 range can be charged with a standard USB-C cable. It will make finding a charger to borrow a whole lot easier! You’ll also be able to use the same cord to charge your iPhone, iPad, Mac and AirPods Pro 2nd gen or later.
The transfer speeds of the USB-C port are 480Mbps for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. While the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max support USB 3 transfer speeds.
Dynamic Island
This feature was previously limited to the iPhone 14 Pro. However it is now available for the whole iPhone 15 line up. The Dynamic Island houses the TrueDepth camera sensor and front facing camera. It is your go-to for notifications, popups, activities, and reminders. When a bubble pops up, simply touch and hold to expand the notification. If two activities are happening at the same time, two bubbles will pop up and you can tap and hold on one bubble to expand it.
The Dynamic Island displays notifications for Apple Pay Transactions, alarms and timers, travel and flight information. It also displays weather, music, Apple Maps directions and phone calls. Plus a range of other notifications and activities! When you press down on the Dynamic Island bubble it will expand or another window will pop up. This is a life saver if you’re constantly on the go. This is because you’ll be able to see updates without pulling down the notification centre or swiping up to the control centre.
Precision finding
If you and a friend both have an iPhone 15, you’ll be able to use the Precision Finding feature to locate each other. Precision finding can guide you to your friend or the person you’re trying to find using onscreen distances and directions. This handy feature is accessed through the Find My app. The onscreen directions can help you pinpoint people’s locations in a crowded place. For example a music festival or sporting event.
Unfortunately, this feature requires the U2 chip. This means it’s not an update that will be rolling out to other models in the future. So, you and your friend will both have to upgrade if you want to try it out.
Changes to Portrait Mode
For the iPhone 15 line up there has been an update to the portrait mode. Now you no longer need to select Portrait mode before taking a photo. The iPhone 15 recognises when there is a person or pet in the image and uses depth information to automatically apply Portrait mode.
This feature can be removed later in the Photos app. Basically, it means you don’t have to keep swiping between portrait mode and regular photo mode to create beautiful bokeh and blurred backgrounds.
80% Limit for charging
The iPhone 15 lineup also has a new feature to help improve battery health. This feature is called “80% Limit” and you guessed it, when enabled your iPhone will charge up to 80% and then stop charging. Charging will resume if the battery charge level gets down to 75%.
Having a limit of 80% helps to improve the iPhone battery’s lifespan by reducing the time that the battery is fully charged. There are three charging options to choose from for the iPhone 15 models. They include Optimised Battery Charging, 80% Limit, and None. These options make it easier than ever to look after your battery’s health.
Which of these features of the iPhone 15 lineup is your favourite? Are you convinced to make the upgrade? Upgrading your tech to the latest model can sometimes be costly so check out the ways you can maximise the lifespan of your computer. At Geeks on Wheels we offer tech servicing and upgrades. This means you can put off buying an expensive new model for just a little longer. If you have made the upgrade or switched over from Android, Book a Geek. We can help you navigate your new device with smartphone training and helpful advice!