Apple iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro: Buy now or wait?

If you’re anything like me, you’re always excited for September. It always comes with Apple’s annual release of new iPhones, which consistently stirs up excitement and conversation. The California tech giant is expected to release the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max this fall. There’s also been some mumbling about an Ultra model iPhone — whether that be a rebranded Pro Max or a new, even higher-end phone is currently impossible to say.

The challenge is that even with this excitement of new phones coming later this year, the best time to buy a new iPhone is when you’re ready. Of course, wise advice isn’t helpful when debating whether to buy the top-end iPhone now or wait a few more months and purchase whatever Apple releases next. Let’s break down what’s coming to the iPhone 16 Pro this fall, how the iPhone 15 Pro stacks up, and what you should generally consider when buying a new iPhone.

iPhone 15 Pro

Apple’s high-end smartphone features the A17 Pro chip, the Action Button, a 48-megapixel main camera and a titanium design.

SoC

A17 Pro

Display

6.1in, OLED, 2556 x 1179, 460ppi, 2000 nits peak

Storage

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Battery

23 hours, fast charge 50% in 30 mins 20W wired, 15W MagSafe, 7.5W Qi wireless

Ports

USB-C

Camera (Rear, Front)

48-megapixel main, f/1.78; 12-megapixel ultrawide, f/2.2; 2x telephoto from main; 12-megapixel 3x telephoto f/2.8; 12-megapixel front, f/1.9

Dimensions

146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25mm; 187g

Colors

Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium

IP Rating

IP68

GPU

6-core

Material

Titanium

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What’s coming to the iPhone 16?

More of the same, mostly

Admittedly, only so much can be changed from year to year regarding a rectangular sheet of metal and glass. Some years are more dramatic than others. 2024 is expected to introduce a new iPhone with a broadly similar design language. The changes we may see include new colors and a slightly larger display allowed by even thinner bezels. Rumor has it that we’ll witness the return of the vertical pill-shaped rear camera bump.