iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: 20+ Upgrades and Changes to Expect

[Pinkyyy 💜🍎]

How was you're experience moving to Android from iOS?
i was so happy with my iphone 12PM, i upgraded to the 14PM and what apiece of garbage with he camera.
i want to try something new and that something new is the Samsung Galaxy S24U when it comes out.

Well, for me I had the opposite experience as I just switched from Android to iOS this year 😅 so I’m not really sure if I can help you make up your decision, but I’ll try since I do have more experience with Android. I was also mostly familiar only with Samsung’s phones more than phones from the other Android manufacturers.

Basically, what you need to keep in mind is that Android and iOS are completely different operating systems and they both work in totally different ways. I was told I’d find lots of things I used to do in Android being done in completely different ways on iOS (and vice versa, of course) and this has been true for the most part. For example, on iOS you get the swipe gestures as the main way to navigate across your apps, while on Android you get the navigation bar as the main option. It’s a small bar on the bottom that includes the Back, Home, and App Overview buttons. They work the same way as the swipe gestures, but they’re just buttons instead of gestures. Though you can actually change this option to the swipe gestures from the settings on Android and it’ll work just like the iPhone gestures.
Another thing is that on iOS, you swipe from the top right to see the control center and swipe from the top left to see your notifications, while on Android there’s no swiping from right or left, you just swipe from the top and you’ll get both the control center and the notifications in one place.
And there are other things like that across the whole UI. It can be a little confusing and tricky at first, but once you get used to how things work, you’ll be fine.

Though I think Android might seem more complex for you if you’re coming from iOS, because Android has lots of customization options and stuff unlike iOS, which is more simple and has more limited options. I’m pretty sure you’re aware that you can change almost everything on an Android phone. From the looks and colors of icons, the whole theme of the phone, you can organize your apps in any way you like, you can change the animations, the notifications, etc. I myself wasn’t really a big fan of customization so I didn’t really benefit so much from those stuff. But I know that some people may like those options.
And another thing is that if you mainly use apps like iMessage and FaceTime, you’ll be missing those on Android, so just keep that in mind. For me, iMessage and FaceTime aren’t so common in my country and no one really uses them (even those who own iPhones) so it’s not a really big deal for me either way.

But if you wanna try an Android phone for the first time, I’d personally recommend a cheaper Android phone instead of a Flagship (like the S23/24 Ultra) just in case you didn’t like it. You could try buying a mid-range Samsung phone or something and use it as a second-hand beside your iPhone. I think this shall help you make the decision of whether or not you should get a Flagship. Good luck !

 

[Pinkyyy 💜🍎]

I'm tempted to get the S23 next month but I haven't used a Galaxy phone since 2013. Is One UI not overly complex compared to iOS? I don't really want a phone with endless menus of customisation options getting in the way of the basic settings that are actually important to me.

I’ve been a lifetime Samsung user until I just recently switched to iPhone this year. In my opinion, I think One UI is a lot more improved than Samsung’s old TouchWiz (which has been very buggy for me). One UI has been a lot more stable for the most part.
It is indeed very feature-rich though and has almost endless options of customization. Android in general is a lot more customizable than iOS of course, but I feel like Samsung’s One UI has even more customization options than Google’s Stock Android. You can basically change almost everything in your phone.
Though I wouldn’t really say they “get in the way”. You’re free to use them or not, it’s up to you. I myself wasn’t a really big fan of customization, so I was not using like 90% of them and I never had any issues.

 

[darkpaw]

I have a 14PM because I've always liked the larger screen, but I want a smaller screen this year so I think I'll go for the 15 Pro. For anyone asking why I'm upgrading after a year, the battery on this 14PM has dropped from 100% to 88% in the last few months (91% to 88% over just three days), and it isn't going to last.

The rumours suggest the 15PM will have the better camera. The 14P and PM both have the same camera. Why the separation now? If I want the better camera I have to get the larger phone?

Maybe I'll just have the battery changed on the 14PM and wait another year?

 

[JimmyG]

6X Optical Periscope Telephoto Lens? ✅
Physical Action Button? ✅
Deep Purple?❓

One more check mark and my girlfriend is ready to trade-in her deep purple 14 Pro!😅

 

[imtoretto]

Well, for me I had the opposite experience as I just switched from Android to iOS this year 😅 so I’m not really sure if I can help you make up your decision, but I’ll try since I do have more experience with Android. I was also mostly familiar only with Samsung’s phones more than phones from the other Android manufacturers.

Basically, what you need to keep in mind is that Android and iOS are completely different operating systems and they both work in totally different ways. I was told I’d find lots of things I used to do in Android being done in completely different ways on iOS (and vice versa, of course) and this has been true for the most part. For example, on iOS you get the swipe gestures as the main way to navigate across your apps, while on Android you get the navigation bar as the main option. It’s a small bar on the bottom that includes the Back, Home, and App Overview buttons. They work the same way as the swipe gestures, but they’re just buttons instead of gestures. Though you can actually change this option to the swipe gestures from the settings on Android and it’ll work just like the iPhone gestures.
Another thing is that on iOS, you swipe from the top right to see the control center and swipe from the top left to see your notifications, while on Android there’s no swiping from right or left, you just swipe from the top and you’ll get both the control center and the notifications in one place.
And there are other things like that across the whole UI. It can be a little confusing and tricky at first, but once you get used to how things work, you’ll be fine.

Though I think Android might seem more complex for you if you’re coming from iOS, because Android has lots of customization options and stuff unlike iOS, which is more simple and has more limited options. I’m pretty sure you’re aware that you can change almost everything on an Android phone. From the looks and colors of icons, the whole theme of the phone, you can organize your apps in any way you like, you can change the animations, the notifications, etc. I myself wasn’t really a big fan of customization so I didn’t really benefit so much from those stuff. But I know that some people may like those options.
And another thing is that if you mainly use apps like iMessage and FaceTime, you’ll be missing those on Android, so just keep that in mind. For me, iMessage and FaceTime aren’t so common in my country and no one really uses them (even those who own iPhones) so it’s not a really big deal for me either way.

But if you wanna try an Android phone for the first time, I’d personally recommend a cheaper Android phone instead of a Flagship (like the S23/24 Ultra) just in case you didn’t like it. You could try buying a mid-range Samsung phone or something and use it as a second-hand beside your iPhone. I think this shall help you make the decision of whether or not you should get a Flagship. Good luck !

i mate i really appreciate you taking your time and share this...
i'll definitely will take every point you highlight for me when im ready to try android, i can definitely tell you that i am not a heavy user of imessage and facetime, i believe that if i go android i will use facebook messenger and/or whatsapp; is just i have been a apple loyal consumer since the beginning of iphone and now that put hands on my 14 PM and see how dissapointed i currently am with this product, i dont see my money worth anymore....

once again, thank you so very much for all the points you highlight for me, ill keep you posted in the future lol

 

[Pinkyyy 💜🍎]

i mate i really appreciate you taking your time and share this...
i'll definitely will take every point you highlight for me when im ready to try android, i can definitely tell you that i am not a heavy user of imessage and facetime, i believe that if i go android i will use facebook messenger and/or whatsapp; is just i have been a apple loyal consumer since the beginning of iphone and now that put hands on my 14 PM and see how dissapointed i currently am with this product, i dont see my money worth anymore....

once again, thank you so very much for all the points you highlight for me, ill keep you posted in the future lol

You’re very welcome !
I was a little confused by some stuff when I tried iOS for the first time, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I’m guessing you will also have a similar experience when you switch to Android 😅
And sure, feel free to update me whenever you make the switch, if you want of course !

Also, speaking of the 14 Pro Max, I just got it a few months ago as my first iPhone, but I’ve been honestly really happy with it so far. Though I do have to say I’ve been quite underwhelmed by the cameras and the battery life. They are okay for my usage, but aren’t really the best. Battery life used to be really solid for me until I started installing software updates, so I think this could be part of the issue. Cameras are okay in most conditions, but there’s some sort of an over-sharpening process that is making the pictures look somewhat unnatural, which I don’t like.
The phone also always overheats when it’s on charger, and I’m not really sure why. I use Apple’s original 20W adapter (wired charging only).
But despite those issues, I’m still very happy with the phone, and I’m planning to keep it for a few years before I upgrade. I don’t really see myself going back to Android any sooner though

 

[wegster]

I’ve been saying this for years now. The Pro iPhones need split screen multitasking and Apple Pencil support to really be pro phones. Making them bigger and adding a camera isn’t pro.

And add Pencil 2 support to MBP trackpads at the same time.

 

[wegster]

Apple could make something similar to Samsung DEX, a desktop mode for the iPhone. With 8GB of RAM and 2TB of "disk" space, it would probably be more powerful than most laptop computers...

We can’t get pencil support on Macbook ‘pros’ (think trackpad) let alone touch. They didn’t want Pencil 2 support on ‘non-pro iPads’, and they have ads pretending the iPad ‘is a computer.’ I don’t see this one happening, although with the chip commonality, there’s no real technical reason they couldn’t other than would need external/perpetual power for a display.

 

[wegster]

still not for me unless camera is better than this 6X I want more like rumors for 16 ProMax and then apple has me once again LOL

I’ve yet to see someone claiming higher optical zoom on the 16 pro. It’s pretty challenging overall, as both sensor sizes and optical zoom all take something at a premium on phones - space. It’s easy to say ‘I want 1-10x optical zoom’ but go take a look at typical (DSLR) camera zoom levels vs a fixed lens for an idea of the size disparity. Likewise, ‘12MP’ is not the same for every camera that may be 12MP - sensor size itself plays a huge role even across like-MP sensors/cameras.

 

[wegster]

IMHO 6x zoom is too little. I use a Samsung S22U and 1. its zoom is variable: you can use 7x, 8x... 10x... and 2. the image quality in daylight conditions is OK with 10x zoom, but in other situations it's a horrible quality, the difference for an example from the fixed 3x lens is noticeable. I don't know if Samsung fixed this on the S23U, and I hope Apple does a better implementation of this feature.

If you compare a picture taken with the S22U at 10x and an image made with my Canon SX240HS (smaller sensor, and 2012 tech), the difference is huge (in Canon's favour...)

I’m quite sure that 10x is digital zoom vs your Canon’s optical zoom…you’re calling out the problem here. Optical zoom takes space which is at a premium on phones. Digital zoom is easier, but gets pixellated/blurry at higher levels. You can kind of offset this with a higher MP sensor, but then you’re still at <relatively tiny sensor sizes> on most/all phones.

 

[wegster]

Well I like to have them handy on my ipad or macbook also even though 80 percent were taken by iPhone over years. I never planned it that way. I prefer to see the full image most of time on ipad 12.9 screen or my 15 and 16 inch MacBook screens but yes I supposed I can In fact I have that set on iphone so those are optimized photos download when I need to see one. I have my ipad set to download all the photos though

You can set both devices that way - as long as you’re syncing photos to cloud, all devices can access..up to you if you want to keep them ALSO stored locally, which you seem to have the space for easily on your current phone.

I use probably 1.5TB of 2TB on my iCloud plan. Maybe half are photos, and other half are specific backups of other things from various systems. Especially once you (or my wife, etc..) start saving off movies, well - storage needs explode further pretty quickly.

 

[wegster]

ACTION BUTTON? --I will bet against that.

Steve Jobs introduction of the iPhone was to lambaste such physical buttons. He touted changing the buttons based on needs and new ideas via GUI. And now analysts think Apple wants to ADD a physical button?

Come on...

And if you can attach any action at all, including scripted actions or sequences of actions, to that button, and assign it via the phone UI - is that not exactly what you’re quoting above?

I’m pretty indifferent on it personally - I’m expecting to only have a few options of what you can set it to, but we’ll see.

 

[wegster]

Yeah even going from the 11 pro to 14 pro didn’t have much of a wow factor for me. Better camera and crisper screen. Whoopi. The only reason I did the upgrade was that Verizon made trade-in values irresistible.

I’m probably going to still sit this one out and keep my 11 pro max for another cycle. Might buy a refurbed 15 pro max once the 16s are here. Maybe - like you said, there’s not that much ‘wow’ for majority of my real-world usage.

 

[wegster]

Really tiring seeing people with current phones saying that the next one isn’t worth an upgrade. The new models aren’t for you and technology doesn’t move that quick to where every year is a major upgrade. Just hold onto your one-year-old phone and wait 2 to 3 more years.

But then they couldn’t waste cash but claim to be cool for a passing few months.
Can totally afford to upgrade all apple devices yearly, but it’s a huge waste of $. For some I can see the camera being a worthwhile upgrade. I’ll wait another season unless my 11 PM gives it up before then.

 

[JapanApple]

Starts at $999 and $1,099 Pro

Starts at $1,099 and $1,199 ProMax

When I see these US prices I laugh. Japan, we pay ******* more than this.

 

[JapanApple]

Really tiring seeing people with current phones saying that the next one isn’t worth an upgrade. The new models aren’t for you and technology doesn’t move that quick to where every year is a major upgrade. Just hold onto your one-year-old phone and wait 2 to 3 more years.

When people say it's a game-change upgrade makes me laugh. At times I highly doubt those who say upgrading from last year's version. Percentage that are, but still lower than thinks

 

[ric22]

Starts at $999 and $1,099 Pro

Starts at $1,099 and $1,199 ProMax

When I see these US prices I laugh. Japan, we pay ******* more than this.

And Japan is one of the cheaper countries to buy an iPhone, in the grand scheme of things.

 

[webkit]

Starts at $999 and $1,099 Pro

Starts at $1,099 and $1,199 ProMax

When I see these US prices I laugh. Japan, we pay ******* more than this.

Actually, those Apple prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max in the U.S. are HIGHER than the prices (when converted to USD) for same phones in Japan.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro in Japan is around 136,182 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $930 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $999.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro Max in Japan is around 149,818 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $1,023 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $1,099.

 

[JapanApple]

Actually, those Apple prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max in the U.S. are HIGHER than the prices (when converted to USD) for same phones in Japan.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro in Japan is around 136,182 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $930 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $999.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro Max in Japan is around 149,818 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $1,023 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $1,099.

well, that's what it assumed yes. But really when you pay with local monies (Japanese) paying in Yen pays more. Of course, factoring in exchange rates when using US monies and buying yen course it is lower. Japanese pay sales taxes tourists don't pay resulting in lower prices.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

Selling or trading my purple 14 pro for $600-$800 and then going 15 pro solely for the battery life enhancements. But I’ll enjoy the minor screen enhancements and finally having usb-c access on an iPhone will feel interesting. Also, I always enjoy the improved cellular modem between years. Oh, also finally the jump to 8GB ram, can’t wait for that too.

3nm soc also will feel great, I’m sure.

Actually, if the action button rumor is true, that alone will be huge as well.
Action Button on the watch Ultra is a killer feature that they need to bring down to the lower watches now.

I suspect 15 Pro to 16 Pro will not be a big jump besides the camera. What else could they do that the 15 Pro would miss out on reasonably besides the major camera upgrade?
Answer: Potentially even crazier battery life in 2024 on the 16 Pro, better colors, even bigger and brighter screen without increasing phone size that may even shift away from oled?, reverse charging since it seems iPhone 15 Pro line wont have this yet , better face scanning + Touch ID built into screen or action button?, to name a few enticing things.

My launch date iPhone 14 Pro has a battery health of 87% as of this post, and the battery life of this sucker already started off bad.

I have a feeling titanium blue will be stunning. Or the space black if it’s actually dark black.

Have also found that selling or trading in my iPhone yearly is cheaper and I enjoy each year with my phone more than if I wait too long and try to sell a 2 year old iphone versus a barely 1 year old one.

 

[JapanApple]

And Japan is one of the cheaper countries to buy an iPhone, in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah of course, but not the way it is when we Japanese pay yen and do not use currencies like what you applying. We pay more using the yen, we do use other countries' monies like visitors that buy with NO tax and with exchange rates favorable to other monies than the yen.

 

[webkit]

well, that's what it assumed yes. But really when you pay with local monies (Japanese) paying in Yen pays more. Of course, factoring in exchange rates when using US monies and buying yen course it is lower. Japanese pay sales taxes tourists don't pay resulting in lower prices.

We typically pay state and/or local sales tax in the U.S. too. The $999 (Pro) and $1,099 (Pro Max) prices are before sales tax.

As far as Apple prices (in USD) are concerned, it looks like Japan is one of the cheapest places to buy new iPhones right now.

 

[JapanApple]

We typically pay state and/or local sales tax in the U.S. too. The $999 (Pro) and $1,099 (Pro Max) prices are before sales tax.

As far as Apple prices are concerned, it looks like Japan is one of the cheapest places to buy new iPhones right now.

based on using non yen monies yes. Visitors come to Japan knowing this. Good for you people bad for us living in Japan.

 

[ric22]

Yeah of course, but not the way it is when we Japanese pay yen and do not use currencies like what you applying. We pay more using the yen, we do use other countries' monies like visitors that buy with NO tax and with exchange rates favorable to other monies than the yen.

My point being that it costs more to buy an iPhone elsewhere, regardless of average income or relative strength of currency. For example the entire continent of Europe.

Edit: If you're buying a MacBook and an iPhone you could justify a holiday to Hong Kong... I did when I lived in Asia! Cheapest electronics outside of the USA. Plus, no annoying artificial shutter sound, unlike in Japan.

 

[wegster]

Actually, those Apple prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max in the U.S. are HIGHER than the prices (when converted to USD) for same phones in Japan.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro in Japan is around 136,182 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $930 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $999.

The pre-tax starting price of the 14 Pro Max in Japan is around 149,818 yen which at the current exchange rate is around $1,023 USD. That's LOWER than the pre-tax price of the same phone in the U.S. which is $1,099.

Without accounting for typical local salaries and taxes, raw $ conversion is pretty meaningless.