iPhone 15 Pro Vs iPhone 15: Here's What Apple Could Do To Differentiate Them

Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event is scheduled for September 12, during which the iPhone maker is expected to launch the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Plus, and the iPhone 15.

This year, Apple is anticipated to introduce some common features across both the standard and Pro models including—the Dynamic Island. Currently, Apple only offers the Dynamic Island with its iPhone 14 Pro models—but starting with the iPhone 15 series—it could be present across the entire lineup.

Furthermore, in addition to these changes, all the new iPhones are expected to debut in new color options. Specifically, Grey and Blue for the iPhone 15 Pro, and the rumored Pink and Blue for the others.

However, these similarities might be where the commonalities end, as Apple has a history of holding back certain features when it comes to the vanilla models; instead they are offered with the Pro models to create a tangible difference.

Expected Differences Between iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

This year, there are rumors that Apple will continue the trend from last year of using the previous year’s flagship chipset for the vanilla iPhone models. The vanilla iPhone 14 models received the A15 Bionic instead of the A16 Bionic offered by the iPhone 14 Pro models. Similarly, Apple may carry this trend over to the iPhone 15 series, with the iPhone 15 rumored to ship with the A16 Bionic, while the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to get the latest A17 Bionic chipset, potentially making it more powerful than its vanilla counterpart.

Leaker Unknownz21 on X (formerly Twitter) claims that the A17 Bionic will have a clock speed of 3.70 GHz and be based on a new 3nm process—compared to the 4nm process used by the A16 Bionic. The chipset is also expected to be paired with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM. However, the tipster notes that 8GB of RAM is also a possibility but it is “unlikely.”

Additionally, Apple is expected to use high-refresh-rate ProMotion displays for the iPhone 15 Pro, while the vanilla models may continue to offer 60Hz panels. Another significant difference is the absence of a telephoto lens in the vanilla iPhone 15, which the Pro models will feature.

It’s not clear if the primary sensor will differ across the lineup—but historically—Apple has reserved top-end camera sensors for the Pro variant only, with some exceptions like the iPhone 12 series, when Apple offered the same 12MP sensor across iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro, but shipped a larger sensor that supported sensor shift stabilization with the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

There are also rumblings about a potential periscope telephoto lens included with the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra, but as always such rumours should be taken with a grain of salt.

Price Hike Expected For iPhone 15 Pro

It’s undeniable that vanilla iPhone models are considerably cheaper compared to the Pro models, especially in markets like India. Currently, the iPhone 14 has a sticker price of Rs 79,900, while the iPhone 14 Pro starts at Rs 1,29,900, creating a difference of Rs 50,000. This price variation could be why Apple must create a difference between both models.

Furthermore—several reports—including Mark Gurman’s, suggest that Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro models may see an increase in price this time around. Therefore, a differentiation in specifications, build materials (Titanium vs Aluminium), and features may be necessary to justify this rumoured price hike.