What's next for the iPhone?

[exncite]

I currently have 2 iPhone 12 Max Pros in the house. They work just fine but I'm eligible to upgrade to the 15 series. You know how the story goes. Have to have the latest and greatest, but I really don't see the advantage at the moment to upgrade and lock in another plan (although the cost is minimal). The changes between the 12 up to the 15 seem rather small. I wonder what might Apple be working on to really get me to upgrade to a new generation iPhone. Any rumors out there?

PS. I really enjoy Mac Forums and appreciate the work that the admins do. Thank you!

 

[Raz0rEdge]

What's constant on the phone upgrades is faster processor, better camera. Beyond that you get a few new things like when we went from nothing -> Touch ID -> Face ID. Or Notch -> Island and so on.

One notable change with iPhone 15 is the loss of the lightening port and introduction of USB-C port. So any targeted accessories you have that used a lightening port (speakers and what not) will have to be replaced.

This happened when they went from the original flat connector to lightening as well.

Beyond that, it's a phone. It makes phones calls, plays games and so on.

If your current phone is old and dying, upgrade. If your current phone is working fine and paid off, keep it. If the battery is failing, replace that.

I upgrade every 4 or 5 generations just to get the performance boost and avoid dealing with the replacing the battery on an old device. Also, I feel like I've gotten my money's worth over those 4-5 years and whatever trade in I get is good enough.

The other mentality is to stay constantly up to date meaning that you purchase the new phone every year selling your current one at about 60-75% of the original cost. So you're "renting" the phone for a year before jumping.

Read more: iPhone 15 vs iPhone 12: Worth the upgrade?

 

[MacInWin]

One notable change with iPhone 15 is the loss of the lightening port and introduction of USB-C port. So any targeted accessories you have that used a lightening port (speakers and what not) will have to be replaced.

I got these. I found a three-pack on Amazon. Works well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYQ3KDC9/?tag=macforums0e4-20

I have no financial interest in either Amazon or xPOWR, I just like the product.

 

[IWT]

@exncite

A great deal depends on your personal preferences and how you use your iPhone and what you expect from it.

I have the iPhone 15 Pro. For me - I stress for me - the advantages, especially versus the 12 are:

Much faster responses A14 Bionic Chip v A16

Storage options extend up to 512 GB - if that matters to you.

Camera - important for me, maybe not for you. 12MP v 48 MP including higher resolution videos ( 17 hours v 23 hours on 15) and more functions, particularly in Cinematic mode.

Emergency functions greatly enhanced.

Cosmetically, that's personal and not of much interest to me.

Better battery life increased substantially.

For what it's worth - the outer case is Titanium and therefore more resilient to "trauma".

It's more future-proof obviously as any new iPhone would be.

All in all, there's a very significant improvement against the 12; but if none, or almost none of the things I've mentioned are of interest to you; stick with what you've got.

Ashwin linked you to a more exhaustive list of differences.

Good luck to you irrespective of what you choose.

Ian

 

[exncite]

Yes I see all those advantages/disadvantages. I use my iPhone exclusively for pictures now so a better camera would be nice. What I'm curious about is what might the future bring. Apple has to do something every year to keep sales of a new phone going, but how much more could they do to this model design. I'd like to see a foldable phone that is easier to carry. I believe Samsung has one and it is pretty nice. Like I said in my original post, i'm really OK with the 12 Pro Max but curious as what the future might hold.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Camera - important for me, maybe not for you. 12MP v 48 MP including higher resolution videos ( 17 hours v 23 hours on 15) and more functions, particularly in Cinematic mode.

You know, I've been taking photos since 1.2 MP days and the higher the MP, my photos don't get better?

 

[ferrarr]

I'd like to see a foldable phone that is easier to carry.

Two of my kids got those 2 years ago. One stopped working in about 8 months. It's a gimmick, that luckily Apple isn't going to use. Get the Samsung, if that is all you want.

 

[MacInWin]

I don't see the draw of the foldables. The screen technology doesn't seem to be sufficiently robust at this point. And the folded device ends up being twice as thick, which isn't all that handy, IMHO. But I also think that if/when Apple makes a foldable, they will have solved the screen robustness, and maybe the thickness, too. But that will take a significantly new battery tech, as the major thickness driver is the battery right now.

 

[MacInWin]

You know, I've been taking photos since 1.2 MP days and the higher the MP, my photos don't get better?

In addition, they haven't created a "fingerremover" to clean up the pictures I take with my fingers in the way, either!

 

[exncite]

Update. I went ahead and moved to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Figured cost wise it would only get more expensive to wait with likely only minor changes. Maybe in another 3 years there will be something new. After all, Apple still has to sell phones.
Incidentally, there is another site, MacRumors, that has a thread about the 16 model. One change is no Touch ID, only Face Recognition. No big deal to me as I like the Face recognition. Wish my iPad had it.

 

[ferrarr]

Wish my iPad had it.

The Pro version has that.

 

[Rod]

With the USB-C connection on the iPhone 15 there may be a some downsides as mentioned by Jake but ther are some upsides as well see here:

Best USB-C hubs for iPhone 15

Now that iPhone 15 comes with USB-C instead of Lightning, you can easily attach all kinds of things to it. But you'll need a USB-C hub. Here's our guide to the best ones currently available.

www.cultofmac.com

Imagine the possibilities like being able to read/write to an SD Card with your iPhone.

 

[IWT]

Gosh; what a selection of hubs. Never thought of an iPhone/Hub arrangement before.

Nice one, Rod.

Ian