Apple Should Bring These Features to the iPhone 15 - CNET

1 year ago 48

With the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, Apple gave america galore of the features we've been waiting for. These see an always-on show and amended multitasking acknowledgment to Apple's Dynamic Island. But determination are a fewer ways Apple could instrumentality things further with the iPhone 15.

For example, the institution could bash a amended occupation of bringing definite Pro-exclusive features down to its less-expensive iPhone models. Samsung often does this with its cheaper phones, and I'd similar to spot Apple clasp this attack much fully, too. The Dynamic Island also shows a batch of committedness already, but Apple could marque it an adjacent much integral portion of the iPhone experience.

Apple typically announces its caller iPhones successful September and releases them soon thereafter. Here's what I'm hoping to spot from the iPhone 15 aboriginal this year. 

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USB-C charging

The iPhone 13, looking astatine  its Lightning charging port

The iPhone inactive needs a Lightning cablegram to charge, but that whitethorn not beryllium the lawsuit for long.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The Lightning connector has been around for 10 years, and it's clip for a change. With truthful galore Apple products making the power to USB-C, there's ne'er been a bigger request for 1 charger that powers each devices. Apple presently has 4 antithetic types of chargers connected the market: Lightning (for iPhones, the 2021 iPad, AirPods and a fewer different accessories), USB-C (for astir caller iPads and MacBooks), MagSafe (the wireless magnetic charger for iPhones) and MagSafe 3 (the magnetic charger for the 2022 MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro and 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro). 

Making caller iPhones compatible with USB-C alternatively of Lightning means you could usage the aforesaid cablegram to complaint your caller phone, the Mac and caller iPads. There's a bully accidental astir of your different electronics usage USB-C too.

The bully quality is that a USB-C iPhone whitethorn not beryllium precise acold away. Greg Joswiak, Apple's elder vice president of worldwide marketing, confirmed that the institution would comply with the European Union's mandate that each phones sold successful the portion would request to person a USB-C charging port. He made the comments during an interrogation astatine the Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference. Apple has besides antecedently tested USB-C iPhones, according to Bloomberg

However, Apple has not revealed immoderate specifics astir its plans. We don't cognize if Apple volition statesman making the power to USB-C with the iPhone 15 oregon if it volition hold until the pursuing year, since the caller rules necessitate USB-C by the extremity of 2024. Apple besides has not said whether USB-C volition beryllium coming to each iPhones oregon conscionable European models, though analysts expect Apple to marque a implicit displacement to USB-C.

Higher refresh rates connected the regular iPhone 15

An iPhone 14 with a rainbow onscreen inheritance  against a bluish  backdrop

The iPhone 14 Pro (pictured) has ProMotion, but the regular iPhone 14 doesn't. 

James Martin/CNET

Starting with past year's iPhone 13 Pro, Apple added higher refresh rates to the displays connected its premium smartphones. The iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max person a diagnostic Apple calls ProMotion, which tin boost the screen's refresh complaint arsenic precocious arsenic 120Hz depending connected what's being shown. This results successful much fluid scrolling and smoother animations. 

It's a tiny touch, but 1 that makes the acquisition consciousness much pleasant -- arsenic my workfellow Patrick Holland wrote successful his review of the iPhone 13 Pro. While having a precocious refresh complaint isn't a woody breaker, it's go modular connected astir smartphones. Google's $599 Pixel 7 has a 90Hz refresh complaint and Samsung's $800 Galaxy S22 includes a 120Hz refresh rate, for instance. Even the $450 Galaxy A53 5G has a 120Hz display, making its lack connected the $799 iPhone 14 consciousness adjacent much noticeable. 

More features that usage the Dynamic Island

iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

The iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island.

James Martin/CNET

The Dynamic Island, which is disposable lone connected the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, is fundamentally a 2nd miniature screen. Instead of getting escaped of the notch, Apple gave that abstraction a caller intent by utilizing it to show accusation from different apps. 

For example, you tin spot euphony that's presently playing, timers, and directions successful Maps astatine the apical of the surface -- eliminating the request to power betwixt apps. The Dynamic Island makes it easier to multitask connected the iPhone 14 Pro, an country successful which Apple has traditionally lagged down Samsung and different Android phones that enactment split-screen apps.

Now that the Dynamic Island has proven its value, I'd similar to spot Apple bash adjacent much with it adjacent year. It would beryllium absorbing to spot Apple usage this abstraction to marque proactive suggestions, similar apps that whitethorn beryllium utile based connected your activity, the clip of time oregon your schedule. Part of the Dynamic Island's usefulness besides depends connected what app developers determine to bash with it, too. There are already a fistful of apps that incorporated the Dynamic Island, specified arsenic Pixel Pals, which fundamentally looks similar a Tamagotchi for your iPhone. But I'm hoping to spot much applicable usage cases for the Dynamic Island that marque it consciousness similar a much captious portion of your phone, akin to the iPhone's location surface widgets. 

If Apple does grow the Dynamic Island's functionality successful the future, there's a accidental you whitethorn not request the iPhone 15 to instrumentality vantage of it. Instead, Apple could physique caller Dynamic Island features into its adjacent large bundle update, which is apt to beryllium called iOS 17. 

A smaller notch connected the regular iPhone 15

iPhone 14 Plus

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (pictured) inactive person a notch.

James Martin/CNET

If Apple isn't going to bring the Dynamic Island to the basal iPhone 15, I anticipation it astatine slightest makes the notch little intrusive. The notch hasn't changed each that overmuch since its debut connected the iPhone X successful 2017, speech from the Dynamic Island connected the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Meanwhile, different smartphone makers similar Samsung, Google and OnePlus person recovered ways to supply edge-to-edge screens connected their devices without carving retired a ample notch for the front-facing camera. Reducing the notch's size would apt effect successful much surface abstraction and a much modern look for the iPhone 15.

If Apple does determination successful this direction, we mightiness person to hold until the iPhone 16 to spot it. Ming-Chi Kuo, an expert with TF International Securities known for his Apple predictions, estimates under-display Face ID and front-facing camera sensors volition beryllium coming successful 2024. 

That said, determination are bully reasons wherefore the iPhone inactive has a larger notch than galore of its competitors. It mostly comes down to Face ID, which is much blase than the facial designation systems recovered connected different phones similar the Pixel 7, which Google cautions shouldn't beryllium utilized for authenticating delicate information similar outgo information. 

However, if Bloomberg's often-accurate Mark Gurman is to beryllium believed, Apple volition bring the Dynamic Island to each 4 caller iPhone models successful 2023. 

Reverse wireless charging

A Samsung telephone  with a Samsung smartwatch resting connected  apical  of it

Certain Samsung devices person Wireless PowerShare for charging different devices. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Many Android phones person reverse wireless charging, which is precisely what it sounds like. You tin usage the backmost of phones similar the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7 to complaint different devices, similar a smartwatch oregon earbuds. While it's apt not a must-have for astir people, I tin ideate it being precise utile for avid AirPods users. 

No 1 likes being stuck connected their greeting commute with a dormant brace of AirPods. Having the enactment to get conscionable capable foodstuff to marque it done my 30-minute bid thrust by placing my AirPods connected the backmost of my telephone for a fewer minutes could beryllium a crippled changer. Yes, you'll person to sacrifice immoderate of your phone's battery. But if you're traveling to a destination wherever you'll easy beryllium capable to complaint your telephone erstwhile you get -- similar the bureau -- it mightiness beryllium worthy that tradeoff. 

The instrumentality of Touch ID

The Touch ID sensor connected  the iPad Air from 2020

The iPad Air includes Touch ID successful the powerfulness button.

Scott Stein/CNET

While Face ID is convenient successful galore situations, determination are instances successful which utilizing your digit to unlock your telephone is conscionable much practical. That's wherefore I'm hoping Touch ID makes a comeback connected the iPhone. Maybe you haven't had clip to set up Face ID truthful that it works with a mask yet, oregon possibly you're conscionable not holding your iPhone astatine the close space for Face ID. 

Apple intelligibly sees the worth successful fingerprint recognition, considering the apical fastener connected the latest modular iPad and iPad Air person Touch ID. Doing the aforesaid for the iPhone 15 would adhd much convenience, giving users the prime to usage Face ID oregon Touch ID depending connected the situation. Most Android phones person some a fingerprint scholar and immoderate signifier of facial recognition, truthful it would beryllium large to spot iPhone users get the aforesaid options. 

It's unclear whether Apple volition ever bring Touch ID backmost to the iPhone. While the expert Kuo antecedently predicted that aboriginal iPhones would get an under-display fingerprint sensor, helium changed his outlook successful March 2022. With rumors from Kuo suggesting that Apple may cancel the iPhone SE it had antecedently planned for 2024, introducing a caller iPhone with Touch ID could beryllium much important than ever. 

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max already code galore of the erstwhile shortcomings of Apple's smartphones. The updates I'm hoping to spot successful the iPhone 15 whitethorn not look revolutionary, but they're bound to marque mundane tasks similar charging and unlocking your telephone a spot easier. 

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