The iPhone 15 Pro has been a hit with consumers since its launch, but if you’re an Apple enthusiast, you know that things tend to change over time.
Updates are released regularly, and Apple does a great job of making the most of its product line throughout each product’s lifespan.
You might wonder, however, how those inevitable changes have affected the iPhone 15 Pro 6 months after its release, whether it’s a good buy now that it’s 6 months old.
Today, we’re going to help with that. Here’s an overview of the major changes Apple has released thus far and our thoughts on whether or not it’s a good idea to jump on the bandwagon now or wait for the next release.
IOS 17.4’s Upcoming Battery Advancements
The iPhone 15 Pro underwent a significant update, which was scheduled to release on March 6th, 2024. By now, it should be available to the public.
Whether you’re considering upgrading to this model or are already a user, there are exciting features awaiting you in this latest release.
Instead of focusing on big design changes or entirely new features, the iOS 17.4 update prioritizes optimizing battery life. This is great news; a good battery life is essential for any mobile device.
Initial battery tests conducted upon the iPhone 15 Pro’s release 6 months ago projected it to maintain 80% capacity after 500 charges.
This translates to roughly a year and a half of regular use before significant battery degradation sets in. However, those tests proved inaccurate.
The battery in the iPhone 15 Pro can actually maintain 80% of its capacity for twice as long.
This means that, for roughly 3 years, you can expect your 15 Pro’s battery to keep its charge without problems, and the new iOS update will maximize that potential.
Better Way to Check the Battery Cycle
Beyond updating the phone to make use of the battery’s full potential, it’s also updating a little-known feature.
Actually, keeping up with how many times you’ve charged your phone is nearly impossible. Unfortunately, if you don’t, you start experiencing battery issues without warning.
The iPhone 15 Pro launched with a feature showing how many charge cycles you’ve completed. However, it was buried in the settings menu, and most casual users didn’t even know it existed.
The point of this feature was to let you keep track of the charge cycles to make it easier for you to gauge when and if you needed to get your battery replaced.
Now, iOS 17.4 has moved the battery cycle counter to the normal “Battery” tab. Now, you’ll see it whenever you check any of your battery settings, and it’s a lot easier for casual users to find.
Remember that the new 1000-cycle lifespan doesn’t mean the battery must be replaced as soon as it reaches 1000 charges.
It simply means you won’t get the best performance out of the battery, and over the coming months, your battery will die faster and faster.
Overheating is No Longer an Issue
While the iPhone 15 Pro has largely been considered a success, those of you who got it right away know it had one major problem. It overheated a lot under strenuous use.
If you’re a consumer who has put off picking the new iPhone 15, that has probably been a big factor in that decision.
Luckily, Apple has resolved this issue.
The iOS 17.3 patch addressed it as part of some things we’ll be talking about soon.
More frequent use caused the iPhone 15 Pro to heat up significantly, reaching temperatures as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
This excessive heat forced users to stop using their phones completely until they cooled down.
In our busy lives, waiting for a phone to cool isn’t an option, especially for important calls. This overheating issue was a major problem.
Now, the iPhone 15 Pro maintains a normal temperature even with power usage. Overheating only becomes a concern if you’re pushing the phone very hard.
As we said, this issue has already been fixed. So, if you were on the fence due to overheating horror stories, you have nothing to worry about now.
iOS 17.3 Also Fixed Numerous Bugs
As with any tech release, the iPhone 15 Pro was not bug-free. Although Apple does have above-average quality control standards, the bugs were mostly minor.
In fact, unless you’re a power user, you probably didn’t notice most of them, and you likely weren’t impacted by them.
iOS 17.3 did address those bugs, though.
After this, those who might decide to take the plunge on an iPhone 15 Pro will have a more streamlined and reliable experience.
Security Updates
Security updates are some of the most common updates that any device gets. Cyber security is a major issue, and Apple tends to be at the top of the industry in terms of curbing its impact on its consumers.
The iPhone 15 Pro has been no different.
Security updates have included the basics, such as updating encryption methods, hardening software security systems, etc.
The benefits here are pretty obvious. The more secure your device is, the better. Especially in the modern era, where cyber threats are on the rise.
At this point, the already impressive iPhone 15 Pro’s security features have been bolstered and updated to the best they can be.
Gaming on the iPhone 15 Pro: Has it Improved?
Gaming was a huge draw for the iPhone 15 Pro at launch.
The standard and Max versions have A17 chips that are powerful enough to stream the latest console video games flawlessly. At least they can stream as flawlessly as the streaming service itself can.
However, there was a major problem with gaming on the iPhone 15 Pro when it first launched. The overheating issue we talked about earlier was most noticeable while trying to stream games.
It wasn’t just streaming AAA console games that caused overheating, either. Practically any average modern gaming experience caused the iPhone 15 Pro to overheat in as little as half an hour.
This is another feature that has greatly improved due to the overheating issue we talked about earlier.
You still don’t want to stream an extremely resource-intensive game for extended periods, but you can reliably get a couple of hours of gaming in now.
With more mobile-optimized experiences that you download from the Apple Store itself, performance is even better in this area now.
Without performance relying on third-party services and the overheating issue being fixed, mobile gaming on the iPhone 15 Pro is an enjoyable experience.
Charging Speed
One of Apple’s current key features across its mobile tech line is extra-fast charging. The iPhone 15 Pro had some unique features in this regard.
First, the phone uses a standard USB-C port to charge rather than the proprietary lightning cable, which is often more expensive and harder to find.
This was a huge improvement over previous models since practically everyone now has multiple USB-C cables lying around their homes.
However, the issue has been the power adapter itself.
The iPhone 15 Pro caps out its charging speed at 27 watts, and that allows you to charge up the phone in around half an hour.
With tests, it doesn’t help if you get a bigger power adapter rated for higher wattages. In fact, using the maximum wattage or more actually has a pretty big downside.
This comes back to the overheating issue we’ve mentioned a few times. Users have consistently complained of temperature increases while charging at max speed.
This isn’t nearly as problematic as the other use-based overheating issues, but it’s never a good thing when your iPhone gets hotter than it should be. It puts more wear and tear on the system overall.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t changed much. It’s not a big deal, but it is noticeable.
Screen Burn-In Issues
At the very beginning of the iPhone 15 Pro’s lifespan, there was a major issue being reported by many users. The screens suffered from “screen burn-in”.
Some of you might have already experienced it if you were one of the early adopters, but we’ll give you an example in case you haven’t.
Imagine that you’re scrolling through Facebook, and you come across a meme that you look at for a minute. When you start scrolling again, you can still see the meme there. That’s screen burn-in.
Check this real-life example below, where you see app icons on the screen.
There were a number of DIY fixes that users had to rely on at first, but luckily, this was one of the first things Apple Fixed.
The first patch to iOS 17, iOS 17.1, was focused on addressing this issue. Since 17.1 went live, this hasn’t been an issue at all, according to our research. So, we can consider it a solid fix.
Changes in Available Accessories
Accessories are just as important to iPhone users as the phone itself. While the changes to available accessories tend to be positive as the market opens up, the iPhone 15 Pro has actually lost one that was a fan favorite.
When the phone first launched, you could get leather iPhone 15 Pro phone cases that were dyed in various colors.
The stitching was high-quality, they fit like a glove, and overall, they were nice items aesthetically and functionally.
Apple initially offered these cases but discontinued them shortly after release to reduce their environmental impact.
You may still find them from third-party manufacturers, but the quality and consistency won’t be the same as what you’d expect from Apple products.
This isn’t a major change, and it’s certainly not a reason to avoid the phone now. You can still find them on the second-hand market. It is something to consider, though.
Standout Features of the iPhone 15 Pro
That wraps up the updates the iPhone 15 Pro has gotten since launch, but there are some upgrades over the iPhone 14 models of last year that you should consider if you haven’t grabbed one yet.
USB-C Adoption
First, the switch to USB-C charging is small but extremely helpful. If your cable wears out, you probably have several more lying around the house, and you’re not stuck having to hunt down a proprietary option.
While the new iPhone 15 lineup has a USB-C charging port, they’re not all created equally. The key difference is in the speed of data transfer transfer.
The standard iPhone 15 models use USB 2.0, limiting data transfers to a slower 480Mbps. In contrast, iPhone 15 Pro models upgrade to USB 3.0, offering significantly faster speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Action Button
The iPhone 15 Pro has an Action button instead of the Ring/Silent switch. It’s a programmable button that allows you to choose various features. You can activate it just by pressing and holding it.
This makes it easier than ever to activate the flashlight, open your camera, or start a must-have app without navigating menus.
New Camera System
Finally, the iPhone 15 Pro camera system is considerably enhanced thanks to the new A17 chips.
You enjoy the same professional-quality photos iPhones are known for. Still, you get an enhanced night mode, Smart HDR, spatial recording, and more to take your photography and videography to the next level.
How Does the iPhone 15 Pro Stack Up 6 Months Later?
With all of this considered, the only thing left is to determine whether the updates have been significant enough to warrant new users to consider finally grabbing an iPhone 15 Pro for themselves.
In our opinion, it is worth it in the majority of cases.
The two most serious problems were the widespread screen burn-in problems and the issues with overheating. Apple has properly addressed both of those problems with iOS updates 17.1 and 17.3, respectively.
Those were the only issues we’d have cited for recommending users hold off on a purchase in the past, and now that they’re gone, the iPhone 15 Pro is simply an amazing phone that can only get better.
The iPhone 15 Pro is a powerful phone that can handle even demanding games, including those streamed from consoles.
The battery life is also impressive, lasting much longer than expected. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro is a top-of-the-line phone with some convenient design features.
With an amazing camera, slim form factor, top-notch security features, and all the power you could possibly need at this point in time, this is essentially the best of the best.
But…
However, there are still some minor details that we’d urge you to consider if you haven’t purchased an iPhone 15 Pro just yet.
Mostly, the thinness of the phone has been an issue for many. The phone can bend when put under too much stress. For the average user, this shouldn’t be a problem.
It also doesn’t happen nearly as easily if you buy a rigid case. The only time this should be a discouraging factor is if you’re particularly rough on your phone.
Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro is a great choice that has overcome two major flaws while improving on its minor issues.
If you’ve been considering it, now is the best time to finally pick up an iPhone 15 Pro and see what the fuss is about.
