iPhone 15 and Plus: Apple releases new, cheaper phone with upgraded camera and colours

New cameras, colours and more bring the cheaper iPhone in line with last year’s premium model

(Apple)

Apple has revealed the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, its new cheaper phones.

The new handsets borrow a host of features from last year’s more expensive, Pro models. It gets the “Dynamic Island” at the top of the screen, its predecessor’s processor, and upgraded cameras.

But it packs that into a cheaper and brighter design. Apple said it is the first time that anyone has made the colour run all the way through the glass, and that it has used “metallic ions” to build colour into the material itself.

It comes in five different colours: pink, yellow, green, blue and black.

The design is changed ever so slightly, too. Apple said that it should feel “even nicer in your hand” because of a “new contoured edge” on the side of the phone.

But the main upgrades from the iPhone 14 appeared to be in the camera. That will now be 48 megapixels – compared with 12 in the previous model – and new machine learning tools that will improve those pictures.

The iPhone 15 also comes with a new ultra-wide band chip for finding other devices. That can be used to find other people: using the Find My app, the phone will show precise directions for finding people in busy places, for instance.

Phone calls are also due to improve, Apple said. That should filter out distracting noises from the background to make them clearer.

That was part of a host of connectivity improvements, which also added new features to Apple’s satellite features. If drivers have trouble with their car, they can use that extra satellite connectivity to get in touch with roadside service, for instance.