The standard iPhone 15 may lack two of the iPhone 14 Pro’s biggest features
Always-on is off the table
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TheiPhone 15and iPhone 15 Plus are rumored to inherit a handful of high-end features from theiPhone 14 Pro, but the latter’s ProMotion technology and always-on display functionality are unlikely to be among that number.
WhileApple’sDynamic Islandisset to trickle down to the standard iPhone 15and its larger sibling, anew leak(H/TMacRumors) suggests that the two handsets will stick with the traditional 60Hz display panel sported by their predecessors-to-be, theiPhone 14andiPhone 14 Plus.
For those not in the know, both the iPhone 14 Pro andiPhone 14 Pro Maxboast adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate technology (dubbed ProMotion) that automatically adjusts the smoothness of their displays to suit whatever’s happening on-screen. Apple’s always-on display functionality relies on ProMotion to function, so it looks like both of those high-end features will again be reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and much-rumorediPhone 15 Ultra.
Suffice to say, this is disappointing news for Apple fans. Always-on display technology has been available on many of thebest Android phonesfor several years now, and it’s frustrating to see that Apple will remain committed to maintaining such a large technological gap between its standard and Pro iPhones with the iPhone 15 line.
In fairness to Apple, the Dynamic Island isn’t the only Pro-level feature that’s expected to come to the company’s new ‘affordable’ iPhones in September – rumor has it that the iPhone 14 Prо’s high-res 48MP camera will likewise become a universal feature of the iPhone 15 range.
However, for every once premium feature heading to the vanilla iPhone 15, there seem to be two more Pro-grade features heading to the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and Ultra. For instance, a top-of-the-line chip upgrade – likely in the form of an A17 Bionic – will inevitably be made exclusive to Apple’s most expensive iPhones, while a titanium frame and periscope camerahave also been toutedas arriving with the iPhone 15 Ultra.
In other words, Apple’s Pro-level iPhones are set to get even Pro-er, while its more affordable all-rounders continue to play catch-up. And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with that strategy, the company’s standard iPhones are rapidly losing their shine in the presence of more accomplished (and affordable) Android alternatives.
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We’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks as and when they surface, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the most up-to-date info on what’s likely to be 2023’s hottest smartphone launch.
Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.
Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.
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