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After the Wonderlust 2023 event on September 12, the four new models of the iPhone 15 series have now officially been revealed to the public. The iPhone 15 series was one of the most anticipated launches of this year. Today, we’ll be concentrating on the iPhone 15 Plus, which is the second version of the revived “Plus” series and Apple’s attempt to provide consumers with a big-screen iPhone that isn’t exorbitantly priced.
The iPhone 15 Plus unmistakably adheres to the principle of progression, and it incorporates new features and hardware in a variety of places across the device in order to further polish and improve the “Plus” concept. Even if the upgrades aren’t exactly ground-breaking, some of them are very fascinating, needed, and might make this model an even better deal for consumers who are looking for screen real estate in an iPhone for a relatively low price.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus Specifications
On the rear of the iPhone 15 Plus is a dual camera arrangement, consisting of one primary camera with a wide lens and a secondary camera with an ultrawide lens.
| Feature | Spec |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, 1290 x 2796 pixels, 460 ppi |
| Dimensions | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm |
| Processor | A16 Bionic chip |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear cameras | 48 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth camera |
| Battery | 4383 |
| Resolution | 1290 x 2796 pixels |
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Operating system | iOS 17 |
| Check Price |
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Display
As the idiomatic tale gets under way, there is both depressing news and uplifting news to report. The good news is that we are now in possession of the Dynamic Island cutout in all of its glorious fullness and usefulness. What’s the rotten news? The display panel that is used on the iPhone 15 Plus is virtually identical to the screen that was used on its predecessor. This means that neither ProMotion nor the always on mode will be available.
In terms of its dimensions, our Super Retina XDR OLED display is the same 6.7 inches in size. It has a refresh rate of 60 hertz, a resolution of 2796 by 1290 pixels, and a pixel density of 460 PPI (pixels per inch). The max HDR brightness has been increased to 1600 nits, and the highest outside brightness can reach up to 2000 nits. This is not all bad news, however, as the brightness has been increased. Because the display on the iPhone 14 Plus performed so well in our tests, we have high hopes for the display on the iPhone 15 Plus; however, before we can make that determination, we will need to do our display tests.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Cameras
On the rear of the iPhone 15 Plus is a dual camera arrangement, consisting of one primary camera with a wide lens and a secondary camera with an ultrawide lens. The new main camera, which comes from the Pro versions of the previous year, now has a resolution of 48 megapixels, and this is the major change that everyone is talking about.
The new primary camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and uses pixel binning to do this, which results in increased performance, particularly in low-light settings. Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 Plus cannot take photos in the 48MP ProRaw format because Apple reserves this capability only for its Pro models. The good news is that you can obtain a sensor crop zoom of 2x on the main camera, which Apple refers to as Optical-quality 2x telephoto.
This will allow you to take some fairly great portraits. There are no major revelations to be made regarding the ultrawide camera as it is identical to the one seen on the iPhone 14 Plus. The front-facing camera is once again the same as the one seen in the prior edition; it is a 12-megapixel snapper with capability for Portrait mode, Night mode, and capturing video in 4K at 60 frames per second.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Software
In comparison to the more substantial changes that the firm released in iOS 16, iOS 17 seems to be a rather minor upgrade; however, there are a few noteworthy additions (which are covered in our separate iOS 17 feature article) that contribute to an improved user experience on the iPhone 15 Plus. Contact Posters and NameDrop, real-time location sharing in Messages (called Check In), automated blurring of nudity in Messages and AirDrop, Live Voicemail (complete with transcription), Interactive Widgets, and a great deal more are some of the features that have been added.
The iPhone 15 Plus will seem totally natural to use for the vast majority of existing iPhone and iOS 16 customers. The majority of the significant alterations are implemented within a variety of features that do not necessarily affect the home screen in their default state. However, the addition of the Dynamic Island does give the impression that everything has been updated and redesigned from the ground up.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Performance and battery
With the iPhone 14 series, Apple created a bigger schism than its fans were used to by giving the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max exclusive access to the more powerful and power-efficient A16 Bionic chip, while the cheaper iPhone 14 and 14 Plus were stuck with the A15 Bionic chip that had been range-wide the year before. For 2023, Apple maintains its two-tier processor strategy by giving the iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) access to the A16 Bionic from the previous year, while giving the iPhone 15 Pro models the potentially more powerful A17 Pro.
Although I was only able to spend a limited amount of time with the iPhone 15 Plus, it performed admirably throughout the few tasks I threw at it. I have no doubt that the phone’s A16 Bionic can handle whatever you can throw at it, and if it acts similarly to how it did in last year’s Pros, it still has plenty of power to take on even new Android flagships in benchmark wars.
The base model has 128GB of storage, an optional 256GB, and a whopping 512GB at the top (the iPhone 15 Pro likewise has a base model with 128GB of storage, while the Pro Max has a base model with 256GB of storage). Apple has been mum on whether or not the battery has been increased in size, but previous tests showed no difference in runtime.
Your iPhone 15 Plus should still last all day even though Apple only promises a 50% charge in 30 minutes and the same 15W and 7.5W wireless charging speeds for MagSafe and the Qi-standard, respectively. Moreover, it has the potential to outlast Apple’s cheaper and more compact iPhone 15.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Price
As you can see, there is a $100 price difference between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus. The iPhone 15 Plus is more desirable because of its larger display, larger battery, and superior camera. The iPhone 15 is an excellent option for those who wish to maximize their purchasing power. It’s got an excellent camera setup, a gorgeous OLED display, and a robust A16 Bionic processor. However, the iPhone 15 Plus is the way to go if you want to get the most out of your iPhone. It’s identical to the iPhone 15, except that it has a larger screen, longer battery life, and a higher-quality camera.
Verdict
While we much welcome the price reduction, we have to wonder if £50 is enough of a difference to prevent the same issues we encountered before. It remains to be seen if the iPhone 15 Plus can hold its own among its siblings, but it certainly has a lot going for it. The inclusion of USB-C is, of course, a major highlight, and the fact that Dynamic Island is coming to the non-Pro phones is thrilling for those who balk at £1,000+ costs.
Apple iPhone 15 Plus review: The good and The bad
The water and dust resistance of the design of the iPhone 15 Plus extends to a depth of up to 6 meters and for up to 30 minutes.
The Good
- Capable new 48MP main camera
- USB-C (finally)
The Bad
- No Action button