The iPhone 15 has been out for about a month now. Many consumers have already upgraded to one of the four new models, and they have likely discovered there are several new features you can’t get on any other iPhone models. BGR has picked 11 of our favorite exclusive features that you will only find on the latest iPhone models.
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Limit charging to 80%: An exclusive feature of iPhone 15 models is the ability to stop your battery from charging beyond 80%. While previous iPhones could adapt to your usage and limit charging to 80% at night, a new setting lets you limit charging to 80% for good. Not only does it make the battery less likely to overheat, it preserves it for longer as well. You can find this feature in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging > Charging Optimization.
Reverse charge smaller devices: With the new USB-C port, you can finally charge smaller devices, such as your AirPods and Apple Watch devices, at up to 4.5W. You can also charge Lightning iPhones or other USB-C devices with less power than your phone.
24MP JPEG: You’ve probably noticed that the iPhone 15 takes prettier photos than its predecessor. While Apple brought a new sensor to the standard models, the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max have the same sensors. The difference is that Apple now defaults to 24MP instead of 12MP for photos. This, combined with Smart HDR 5, makes your shots clearer and crispier. That said, you can take 24MP HEIF photos with more recent iPhones, but it’s not quite the same.
Precision Find with Friends: With the second-generation Ultra Wideband, it’s easier to find your friends or family members who share their locations with you in crowded places. As long as both of you have an iPhone 15, open the Find My app to find them.
Find your iPhone with Apple Watch: Since both iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9/Ultra 2 use the second-generation Ultra Wideband, you can now use your Apple Watch to find your iPhone if you misplace it. Just open the Control Center on the Watch, tap for the iPhone to make a noise, and then the precise location will appear.
Switch default camera lenses: iPhone 15 Pro owners can switch the default camera lenses from 24mm to 28mm or 35mm. They can press the 1x on the Camera app or go to Settings > Camera > Main Camera and choose the default format. This is great for those who prefer to get a closer shot every time they take a photo.
Action Button: The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature an Action Button instead of the Mute Switch. BGR has a detailed article explaining what you can do with it. My main use case is a shortcut to play my favorite songs on Apple Music.
Image source: José Adorno for BGR
Log videos: With the Pro iPhones, you can record videos in Log, a format that gives more flexibility in post-production. You can shoot up to 4K 30fps with your iPhone or up to 60fps using an external drive. You can find this option under Settings > Camera > Formats > Video Capture.
A17 Pro exclusive games: With the A17 Pro chip, iPhone 15 Pro users can play exclusive games, such as Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4, DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. These games are the full versions available for consoles and can’t be played on older phones.
Spatial Video: Later this year, users of the latest Pro iPhones will be able to record spatial videos, which they can watch on the Apple Vision Pro when it arrives.
5x optical zoom: Lastly, this feature is exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro Max. Thanks to a tetra prism lens, you have up to 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom.