The iPhone has come a long way since its first version. Yearly updates used to always include tangible feature additions like the introduction of 3G and 4G connectivity, or the front-facing camera. But since the introduction of TouchID on the iPhone 5S, big feature introductions have been fewer and farther between. More iPhone releases focus on the refinement of existing features than the introduction of honest innovations, perhaps with the introduction of new iOS features to compensate. That trend has never been clearer than with the introduction of the iPhone 15 line, which is why most reviews focus on the new phones’ aesthetics and the new features of iOS 17.
That’s because the primary innovation in the iPhone 15 is aesthetic, not functional. Users of the iPhone 14 Pro will be hard pressed to find any functional difference between their phone and the iPhone 15, save for its new molded glass designs and USB-C charging port. To Apple’s credit, the new glass structure of the iPhone 15 is striking and original, but Apple’s habit of passing “Pro” features down to the standard iPhone line is in full effect. And yet this year not even the Pro line gets much in terms of new features; its primary innovation seems to be weight savings through the use of recycled titanium. Apple deserves credit for introducing a virtual “telephoto” lens, but its gigantic sensor only fits in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This is ultimately subjective, but a good case can be made that the best iPhone innovations this year are in the software. The hardware innovation cycle is somewhat a victim of its own success – iPhones last longer than ever, and iPhone users are holding on to their phones longer – which is why one third of the iPhone keynote this year was spent discussing innovations in iOS 17. The changes to contact management are probably the most significant, especially as they relate to connecting iPhone users to businesses. And the new contact sharing feature – reminiscent of the early contacting sharing app – is squarely in the realm of magical technological experiences that set Apple products apart.