The iPhone 15 is the latest smartphone from Apple. It was announced on September 12, 2023, and pre-orders began on September 15. The iPhone 15 will be released on September 22, 2023.
The iPhone 15 features a number of new and improved features, including:
- A new design with a titanium frame and a flat-edge display.
A new A17 Bionic chip that is faster and more efficient than the previous A16 Bionic chip.
A new 48-megapixel main camera sensor that can take sharper and more detailed photos.
A new 12-megapixel ultrawide camera sensor with a wider field of view.
A new 12-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with autofocus.
A new 120Hz ProMotion display that is smoother and more responsive than the previous 60Hz display.
A new larger battery that provides longer battery life.
A new USB-C charging port.
The iPhone 15 is available in four colors: pink, yellow, green, and blue. It is available in four storage capacities: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
The iPhone 15 is a significant upgrade over the previous iPhone 14. It has a new design, a faster chip, a better camera system, a smoother display, a larger battery, and a new USB-C charging port. If you are looking for the best possible iPhone experience, the iPhone 15 is the phone for you.
Here are the specifications of the iPhone 15:
Display
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display
120Hz refresh rate
460ppi pixel density
Processor
A17 Bionic chip
Camera
Rear camera system:
48MP main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture
12MP ultrawide camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120° field of view
Front camera:
12MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture and autofocus
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
Battery
Lithium-ion battery
Fast charging: up to 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher
Wireless charging: supports Qi wireless chargers
Operating system
iOS 17
Other features
Face ID
5G connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC
GPS
USB-C charging port
The iPhone 15 from Apple is here, and for die-hard Apple enthusiasts, the choice between a new iPhone and one of the top-tier Android phones may be a no-brainer – but the rest of us may want to take a closer to look at how Apple’s latest compares to Android’s best.
Among the changes to the iPhone blueprint in this update is a shift to USB-C connectivity for the iPhone 15, rather than the Lightning port in the base of iPhones since 2012. However, even with this change to more industry-standard charging, a wide gulf remains between the user experience and features offered by the new iPhone and the preeminent Android device that it will stack up against, the Samsung Galaxy S23.
Samsung has nearly perfected the Android model with its One UI skin, years of tweaks and modernizations, and powerful charging and battery performance that has continued to improve throughout many Galaxy S devices. The head-to-head is fearsome if you’re unsure which way to lean while searching for your next smartphone. Fortunately, we’ve rounded up all the technical details and performance data for each phone to make your decision a little easier.
Price, availability, and specs
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is already available after hitting the market in February 2023. It starts at $800 for the 128GB build and rises to $860 for a storage capacity of 256GB. From Samsung’s own storefront, you can order six colors, including two Samsung exclusives — Lime and Graphite. The remaining color options are Lavender, Green, Cream, and as always, Samsung’s Phantom Black. At present, Samsung offers up to $725 in trade-in credit, but you’ll have to cough up a pretty new device that’s still in good condition to take advantage of the highest dollar amount on offer.
Apple’s iPhone 15 is available to order now, with prices starting at $799. This places it directly on par with the Samsung Galaxy S23. The iPhone 15 is available in three storage size models: 128GB ($799), 256GB ($899), and 512GB ($1,099). This makes the iPhone a better choice for those with larger storage needs, though you’ll have to pay for it.
The newest iPhone comes in five color options, so far without the Product(Red) variety that has been a part of the mix for several generations. The iPhone features a frosted glass panel along the back and comes in a subtle, light pale shade of pink, yellow, green, and blue, as well as a deep black shade.
The iPhone 15’s biggest change is the charging port. After battles with EU regulators — who were against Apple’s efforts to maintain its Lightning Port — the manufacturer was forced to either offer no port at all, make region-specific variants for the EU market and other global arenas, or adopt the ubiquitous USB-C connection. Apple opted for the last choice, which means new iPhones come stocked with a port that allows them to carry around one cable for many, if not all, of their devices. MacBooks and even some iPads have been using the USB-C layout for quite some time, so this new port commonality between their laptops and handheld devices will be a welcome change for Apple enthusiasts.
In addition, the 15 has a 6.1-inch OLED display, now featuring the ‘Dynamic Island’ selfie notch seen on the previous year’s Pro models. The rest of the phone is built much to the same form factor as earlier models, with a frosted glass backing panel and an aluminum edge running along the entire perimeter. The frosted glass back looks far more appealing than the glossy element used in the previous model, striking a more sophisticated tone. Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy S23 also offers a 6.1-inch display, but it uses superior Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology and packs a faster 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling.
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is the first of its S series phones to feature Gorilla Glass Victus 2, making for a more rough-and-tumble device that can reliably withstand drops. Of course, you should still invest in a quality case for your Galaxy phone to protect it fully. The back has a matte plate that looks striking, especially in the lighter Samsung colorways. The black and gray options are attractive as well, but they don’t really stand out — something that some phone users will be seeking out in their new purchases. In addition, the stacked trio of camera lenses is a bit more subdued than the boxy, raised lip featured on the S22 model, bringing a bit of refinement to the device.
The new iPhone 15 ships with a 48MP main camera sensor. These have previously only been available on the Pro models, making for a welcome change to the standard build. The 48MP camera system closely rivals the 50MP shooter on the backplate of the Samsung Galaxy S23. In addition to the 48MP main camera, the iPhone 15 includes a 12MP ultrawide lens and a 12MP selfie camera as well.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 comes with a 50MP main camera, as well as a 12MP ultrawide lens and a 10MP telephoto lens. The selfie lens is also a 12MP offering. It’s the telephoto that stands out here; while Apple claims it offers 2x telephoto, this is only by cropping into its main sensor, while Samsung has a dedicated lens for long-distance photography.
The S23 can shoot 8K video at 24/30fps and 4K at 30/60fps. The iPhone 15 on the other hand offers up 4K video at 24/25/30/60fps, so you miss out on 8K recording – though at HD and 4K resolutions, the iPhone is likely to have the edge in video quality.
Battery life
Battery capacity in the two devices is roughly the same. The Galaxy S23 outmuscles the iPhone 15 by just a small margin, with batteries measuring in at 3,900mAh and 3,877mAh, respectively. This isn’t really a noticeable difference in capacity. The S23’s battery performance beat out the iPhone 14 (with a 3,279mAh capacity) by roughly an hour. Apple was rumored to be experimenting with a stacked battery system that would improve the overall capacity of the phone, and it’s likely that they achieved this goal, with the new phone offering the same display size as the 14 but with an improved battery capacity that brings it in line with the Samsung range.
Charging is another story. The new iPhone will retain the 20W wired charging functionality that was achieved through a Lightning cable in the previous model, as well as 15W wireless charging. The result will be a phone that lags slightly behind the faster charging performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23, which supports 25W wired fast charging. Both Samsung and Apple tout a 30-minute recharge time to 50% battery when utilizing fast charging, however, with two different capacity ratings, you’re likely to see better results over the long term with a Samsung. At the end of the day, the Galaxy S23 ekes out the win in the battery category, though not by much.
Which should you buy?
The differences between these two phones are simultaneously very muted and yet cavernously loud. In a few specific specs the iPhone 15 edges out its competitor, yet the Samsung Galaxy S23 remains a better device when you evaluate the whole picture. Its superior display and more versatile camera set-up give it the upper hand in two of the most important areas, while specs are a close match just about everywhere else. While the devices are certainly different in the delivery of their user experiences, the Samsung Galaxy S23 will be a more powerful choice for most users.
It’s worth considering the Apple iPhone 15 though, even if you’re an Android devotee. The phone stands ready to challenge the Samsung flagship in many respects, including processing power. The familiarity of the Apple system is a strong pull toward the iPhone for those who are used to it, and it’s likely harder for a Samsung loyalist to switch over to the Apple OS than vice versa. Moreover, with a lengthy update support window, you may be looking at a longer timeline between the necessity of another new phone purchase if you opt for the iPhone 15, providing what may work out to be more bang for your buck in the long run.
Specs Comparison
Below, you can check out the difference in specs between these two:
