5 Reasons to Buy the iPhone 15 in 2024

We recently went into reasons to skip the iPhone 15 and today we’re switching gears and looking at reasons you might want to buy an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple’s iPhone 15 series represents the top-of-the-line. These are the company’s latest and greatest iPhones and those in the market for a new device should have them on a shopping list.

Each model offers upgrades, but there are some key differences between the base models and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Pro and Pro Max models have better processors, cameras, and a new Action button on the side.

We won’t detail every single feature here. Instead, our guide will focus on the practical reasons to upgrade from your current iPhone to one of the new models.

We realize everyone’s wants and needs are a little bit different, but here are five very basic reasons you should consider buying an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max this year.

You Want Better Software Support

If you want the latest and greatest software features, and the best software support moving forward, you’ll want to upgrade to an iPhone 15.

In 2023, Apple ended full-blown iOS software support for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. These models are stuck on 16.

Back in 2021, the company left the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE (2016), iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus on iOS 15. None of them moved to iOS 16.

This time around, the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max could be on the chopping block. We won’t know until Apple confirms iOS 18, but there’s a good chance these phones get left behind on iOS 17.

If you own a device that’s stuck on iOS 15, iOS 16, or an older version of iOS, it’s time to start thinking about an upgrade. These iPhones still get security patches, but they won’t get frequent bug fixes and they won’t get new features.

The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max run the best version of iOS 17 and they will get supported with new features, bug fixes, and security patches for five years, at least.

You Want a Faster iPhone

If your current iPhone is starting to feel slow and sluggish after a recent software upgrade, or if gaming on your device is lacking, it might be time to upgrade.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max come with Apple’s best chip, the A17. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus utilize an older chip, the A16 Bionic, but it’s better than whatever your current iPhone is using unless you own an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15’s processor and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) will ensure that your phone is fast, and games look and play great, for years to come.

Remember, you can play games like Death Stranding, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

You Want Better Battery Life

If your iPhone’s battery life is struggling and it can’t seem to hold a charge like it used to, you might want to upgrade to an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro.

Your iPhone’s battery will degrade over time and it won’t be able to hold the same kind charge it could when it was brand new. If you own a really old iPhone, you may have noticed this in the Battery section of the Settings app.

Thanks to Apple’s hardware upgrades, the iPhone 15 series will provide you with more than enough juice for gaming, multitasking, or watching content on long flights.

Apple says the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are rated for up to 23 and 29 hours of video playback while the base iPhone 15 is rated at 20 hours and the iPhone 15 Plus at 26 hours. That’s a lot of screen time.

You Want Better Cameras

If photos and videos you shoot on your iPhone are starting to look dated, it might be time to invest in superior cameras.

All four iPhone 15 variants come with camera upgrades though the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max offer the best setup of any iPhone on the market.

Upgrades including a better 48MP main camera system with super high-resolution, better portrait photos, improvements to Night mode and Smart HDR, and a new 5x Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The cameras are so good, in fact, Apple shot its Scary Fast special event entirely on an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

You may not be able to match what documentary film director Brian Oakes did for Apple, but your photos and videos will definitely look at lot nicer, especially if you’re using an iPhone that’s getting up there in age.

You Want a Brighter Screen

If you like to play a lot of games, watch a lot of movies, or simply like having a bright screen to browse the web and respond to friends and family, you might want to upgrade.

Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus hit 800 nits at max brightness and 1200 nits peak brightness in HDR. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus improve on this.

The new models can hit 1000 nits max brightness in typical conditions, 1600 nits peak brightness in HDR, and 2000 nits peak brightness while outdoors.

Install iOS 17.4.1 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.4.1 update right away. The iOS 17.4.1 update includes two security patches. These patches will help keep your device and its data protected from harm. And that makes iOS 17.4.1 an important upgrade. If you missed iOS 17.4 and older software, you'll get the security patches from updates you missed when you upgrade to iOS 17.4.1. iOS 17.4 had four security patches on board.  The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. The company says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world."  The iOS 17.3 update brought 15 new security patches to iPhone. The software also added Stolen Device Protection to iPhone. It increases the security of your iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID to gain access to passwords, make purchases in Safari, and more. This is useful if someone gets access to your iPhone and its passcode.  iOS 17.2 delivered 10 new security patches to iPhone. If you wish to find out more, you can head on over to Apple's security site for the details. iOS 17.2 also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. The company also fixed an exploit that let the Flipper Zero multi-tool lock up iPhones. iOS 17.1.2 had two security patches on board. Both were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more, you can do so right here. iOS 17.1 brought 18 security fixes to iPhone. It addressed issues within Weather, Status Bar, WebKit, and more.  iOS 17.0.3 brought two patches for two security issues Apple identified within the software. If you want to read about the patches, head here. iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple.  In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks. Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.  The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves. If you skipped older versions of iOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.4.1 update as well.

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