With USB-C and at a price that drops for the first time in 15 years: Apple’s iPhone 15 is here

2023-09-12 19:16:00

Was it necessary to wait for the spark to awaken a smartphone market which is losing its feathers in 2023? From a business point of view, it’s definitely possible. But make no mistake: if the emphasis was, as always, in place at Apple Park, where Tim Cook presented this Tuesday evening the new iPhone 15 (or rather the iPhone 15 family), a few clouds are passing through well the sky of Cupertino. Even if the keynote, called “Wonderlust”, praised the wonders of the new terminal, the successor of the late Steve Jobs is facing some difficulties.

The biggest comes from Asia: Chinese protectionism, which increasingly wants to free itself from products from the West, risks hurting the margins of Apple, which makes a fifth of its turnover in the Middle Kingdom. business. We must also cite, among the hrizon of annoyances, the victory won by Europe, which finally manages, following twelve years of combat, to force Apple to put its lightning port aside to comply with USB- C, for the sake of simplicity but also ecology. So much the better for the consumer, too bad for the generous revenues that Apple earns from the sale of dedicated Lightning chargers and accessories…

This combination of factors has not, however, pushed Cupertino to include more disruptive new features in its iPhone 15 “all in all”. There is absolutely nothing on the “foldable” side, Apple not being convinced by folding smartphones at this stage. In terms of fast wireless charging, no major progress either even if there is an improvement, we remain very far from what the top of the range under Android allows in terms of fast wireless or wired charging.

The iPhone 15, a restyled 14 Pro

Apple unveiled its iPhone 15. Surprise: they are… cheaper than a year ago. ©APPLE

A basic trend: the “classic” model, the best-selling, inherits a lot of things that were reserved for the Pro version… from last year.

This is the case, first of all, with the Dynamic Island function, the famous “notch” reimagined last year. It also inherits, from the 14 Pro, its 6.1-inch Super Retina arrival of ProMotion, which remains a Pro exclusive. On the other hand, the A16 Bionic chip and the 48 megapixel photo sensor for the wide-angle camera make the jump from the 14 Pro to the 15.

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. ©APPLE

A 15 Pro in titanium

The iPhone 15 Pro gains a new “Action” button. ©APPLE

So what regarding the 15 Pro versions? Already, on the adornment side, they opt for a combination of titanium and glass with an industrial look and particularly crafted feel. This is the lightest “Pro” ever designed, and necessarily the most powerful: it features a new A17 chip, and new improvements to an already excellent photo sensor. The USB-C port, if it is satisfied with the minimum on the iPhone 15, here pushes the cursor further, with higher speeds on the 15 Pro. Also new: the arrival of an “Action” button, which we know on the Apple Watch, configurable according to the user’s wishes.

The titanium finish of the iPhone 15 Pro. ©APPLE

No break, but a surprise: lower prices!

Summary: here we are faced with new iPhones which evolve slightly, but without the slightest desire for disruption or sectoral innovation. An observation which is reflected in the prices offered, which are surprising since they are… decreasing, a first for Apple.

The most accessible iPhone 15 will be sold in Belgium at an official price of €969 (in 128 GB), or €50 less than the price at which the 128 GB iPhone 14 was sold when it was released a year ago . Ditto at the top of the price pyramid: last year, the iPhone 14 Pro Max 1 TB cost €2,129. The iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB remains below the €2,000 mark, at €1,979. That’s a substantial drop, even if we’re still talking regarding a phone costing almost €2,000.

Unless the fruity brand feels less sure of its products?

The iPhone 12 temporarily withdrawn from the French market due to too powerful waves
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