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Which features sold you on the iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max ? Select All That Apply


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MrENGLISH

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 18, 2009
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Whether you are a first time purchaser or upgrading from a different iPhone, I want to know...

What features sold you on the iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max ?

Select all that apply to you and leave a comment if there is something not listed.
 
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My biggest two features would be USB-C and all the new camera features. I was hoping for a more powerful telephoto lens BUT I'm happy that the Max at least gets a boost to 5x. Hopefully next year we'll see an even bigger zoom on both Pro models.
 
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Lighter weight + repairability for me.

Loved XS max weight, 13PM I have now is way too heavy. 15PM is closer to XS max weight.

Better repairability means I can use it without a case.
 
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I've been pretty happy with my iPhone Xr, having had it since first launched and coming from a 6s. I've been holding off on a replacement specifically for USB-C and would have settled on used/refurbed 13 or so if it didn't happen this year. I would have liked my replacement for the Xr to be a little lighter if anything, and maybe a smidge smaller. Going larger was a non-starter. The 15 Pro ticks all the marks here.
 
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Very much looking forward to Portrait Mode Live Photos to capture the kids growing up. That's my number 1 feature - feels like magic but wasn't available in Portrait Mode till now.
 
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I'm upgrading to a 15 because it's the wiser thing to do in my situation (phones get passed down and a family member needs a new phone) and I'm not much excited for anything this year, coming from an iPhone 13. The 13 and 14 won't be getting discounts anytime soon and the 14 is more expensive in Europe than the 15 right now, so that's a no-brainer.

I think the only more substantial change is the camera, kind of looking forward to that. I love portrait photos but hate how long they take + having to switch to the laggier portrait viewport, so the fact that you can turn portrait on later is major for me. The only reasons I ever thought about a Pro previously was the 2x for portraits but since we're getting 2x on the regular this year that's quite nice. Also dig dynamic island but it's nothing worth upgrading for alone.

I wonder if anyone else is upgrading from the 13 and why? Would love to have something to feel excited about 🤗
 
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New camera features. I have kids and I take a lot of videos for my skateboarder partner. I’m coming from a 14PM, so what it all boils down to is I want a great camera and I like new toys :)
 
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I'm upgrading to a 15 because it's the wiser thing to do in my situation (phones get passed down and a family member needs a new phone)
That's exactly what happens with my family.

I'll get the latest Pro Max model and then pass that down to one of the two kids who are basically on a 2yr rotation.

My fiancé prefers the smaller Pro size so right now she's holding onto her 13 Pro but wants to upgrade to the 15 Pro for its camera features, lighter weight, and USB-C.

The only real thing that is holding her back is that she absolutely loves the Sierra Blue color of her 13P and she's not really digging the color choices of the 15 lineup.
 
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That's exactly what happens with my family.

I'll get the latest Pro Max model and then pass that down to one of the two kids who are basically on a 2yr rotation.

My fiancé prefers the smaller Pro size so right now she's holding onto her 13 Pro but wants to upgrade to the 15 Pro for its camera features, lighter weight, and USB-C.

The only real thing that is holding her back is that she absolutely loves the Sierra Blue color of her 13P and she's not really digging the color choices of the 15 lineup.
Yup, the other option would be getting another 13 (as the 14 is not really an upgrade over it) but that would make two 13s that would get retired at the same time (We use them a couple of years after iOS support gets dropped)

And still the difference is not that much considering that my carrier contract is due for renewal and the discount from them makes the 15 the same price as a new 13 from stores where they're discounted. Only concern is when it will ship 😩 I had to wait until November for a 13 that I preordered on launch day so we'll see about that.

Sierra blue was gorgeous! I fully get her lol
 
15 Plus gives me the 2000 nits screen of my 14 Pro while being lighter than the 15 Pro Max. I'm excited to try a larger screen again mostly for the keyboard. If it also had an always on display I would be totally content with it.
 
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I downgrade from 14 Max (my first Max ever) to a 15 Plus. Im used to the size and weight of the Max, but I just want something lighter again. Something that dont ways my pocket down that much. 😅 I use my phone really casually only, so I dont really need all the Pro features. Plus here in EU the price difference between Plus and Max is huuuge.
 
I had kinda a rough upgrade year with the 14 Pro/Pro Max from the delivery process, to eSIM, to bad battery life, to bugs, to now abnormally bad battery degradation. I'm sick of the Deep Purple color too. It looks pretty blah more often than it looks good. I've appreciated the new features the 14 Pro brought (48MP, Dynamic Island, 2000 nits), but I just generally haven't had a great experience with this phone like I've had on the majority of my other iPhones. I think that's my main motivation for wanting to upgrade: I just haven't really liked my current phone and am ready to move on from it. Along with the fact that I've been fortunate enough to be in a financial position where I can afford to upgrade every year for the past couple years.

So here's what made me upgrade/what I'm hoping for from the 15 Pro Max:

  • Titanium/Rounded edges/Design: I'm hoping that the new material, lighter weight, rounded edges, and new color make for a noticeable improvement and new feel for the phone compared to my 14PM. I'm also hoping that a lighter color iPhone will prevent it from overheating and dimming in direct sunlight and warmer temperatures.
  • Better efficiency/battery life: Apple claims that battery life is the same as last year, but I'm hopeful that they are just being conservative and making up for the rough battery life on the 14 series. The batteries have higher capacities, the A17 chip should be more efficient (especially since it only has a 10% performance improvement), and the Qualcomm X70 modem is more efficient. Based on rumors, the LiDAR Scanner, ultra Wideband chip, and display driver are all supposed to be more efficient too. So I don't understand how battery life can be the same. I'm hoping for a noticeable improvement in real life usage despite Apple's claims.
  • Performance/Longevity:
    • A17 chip - 10% CPU improvement, 20% GPU improvement, 2x faster Neural Engine, Ray Tracing
    • 8GB of RAM - Better multitasking, first RAM upgrade in a few years
    • Qualcomm X70 - Better cellular connectivity, 4x carrier aggregation on 5G, use less battery while connected to 5G
    • WiFi 6E - Don't need it (have a WiFi 6 router and won't upgrade until WiFi 7), but nice to have
  • USB-C:
    • One charger for most of my devices
    • Being able to connect my audiophile headphones via an external DAC to my phone
    • I like the feel of USB-C plugs/ports better than lightning
  • Camera Improvements:
    • 5x telephoto lens
    • 24MP default - Ever since I got used to 48MP, 8MP just does not seem like high enough resolution
    • Other software/hardware improvements - Looking forward to seeing how these improve photos/videos in the real world. Cameras are a great way to capture memories forever, so it's nice to know I can have better quality captures of those memories.
The Action Button really isn't important to me. I often forget about it. But I think it has potential to be a nice improvement if I take the time to try to utilize it. Right now, I just use the Action Button on my Apple Watch to start a workout which I really wouldn't care if I didn't have that functionality. It might be more useful on my phone.
 
New gen cpu, USB-C, stronger, lighter. Some other things...probably.
 
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Coming from an iPhone 12 Pro, and wanting the same form factor, my reasons were, in order of importance:
  1. High: Significant (up to 35% potentially) battery life bump
  2. High: The performance improvement that comes with a 3-generation CPU bump
  3. High: USB-C
  4. Medium: Camera features
  5. Medium: Titanium shell (this would be high if I weren't going to use a case)
  6. Medium: Always-On for Standby mode at night
  7. Medium-Low: Action button - I don't need it, but the switch did attract dirt over time
  8. Low: Everything else (ProMotion, RAM, network spec bumps, etc.)
 
USB C... I've been waiting for this for many years. I travel a lot, and everything (2x headphones, nintendo, macbook, camera, etc) is on usb c.

2nd big thing was the gaming ability, not super hyped about RT but Death Stranding and Mirage coming to iPhone? that's a good start. (can't wait to pair it with a controller like razer kishi or PS backbone). I just hope we get more quality games and shift away from pay to win. I'd be happy to pay 20-50 for a game instead of having 5 types of coins and diamonds and loot boxes. At the moment I only play Oceanhorn 2 on phone, which is a decent game, no lootboxes (it's also on apple arcade)
 
Other
I use to be tech obsessed and love new gadgets and swap phones yearly sometimes. These days I’m just not bothered, phones add very little to the quality of my life and in some cases interrupt it. So whilst I don’t wish to sour anyone else’s excitement, what made me upgrade is I have an iPhone 11 that’s a bit worn now and I need to swap plus the camera looks quite nice.
 
I have the 12 still so the newer camera and Usbc is what is making me consider it. I held off the 14pro so might as well get the 15 pro.
 
Aside from it being about the right time (I’m on a 12 Pro), USB-C was the main thing. My iPhone is the only device I have now that requires a different cable to charge. Just so happens that everything else on offer also will be appealing given where I’m coming from.
 
Pro’s with the actual Pro feature, USB-C with full USB-C usage, fast data transfer in and out, display out, etc.
 
The 13 and 14 won't be getting discounts anytime soon and the 14 is more expensive in Europe than the 15 right now
Didn't really get this, how’s the 14 more expensive then the 15 in Europe right now?

In regards of passing down phones it’s kind of the same story in my family too. Already upgraded from 13 to 14 max around 6 month ago due to new need of bigger screen and battery life, haven’t regretted it since this works better with my user case and needs through work.
 
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