What Is the Newest iPhone? (2024)

The latest iPhone, the iPhone 15 series, brings a significant design element—USB-C connectivity. It also offers several new safety features, such as roadside assistance via satellite.

What's the Newest iPhone?

The newest iPhone isn't one phone. It's a family of four phones: the iPhone 15 series.

Apple started releasing multiple variations of the iPhone, starting with the iPhone XS and XR series, which were released in 2018. Since then, each new iPhone generation has included multiple models. The iPhone 15 series consists of:

• iPhone 15: The least expensive model has the smallest screen (6.1 inches), an A16 processor, and a 48-megapixel primary camera.
• iPhone 15 Plus: The Plus is identical to the base model in most ways, except for its 6.7-inch screen and higher price.
• iPhone 15 Pro: The Pro features a 6.1-inch screen, a new Action button, a 48-megapixel camera, the faster A17 Pro chip, and a titanium design.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: The Pro Max matches the Pro except for its 6.7-inch screen, bigger battery, and more optical zoom options on its camera.

While the iPhone 15 series is Apple's newest iPhone, earlier models—the iPhone 14 series, iPhone 13, and iPhone SE (2022)—are all still available.

What Are the Key Features of the iPhone 15?

All iPhone 15 series phones have the core iPhone features: FaceTime, Siri, Face ID, Apple Pay, 5G cellular, and more. These are some key new features added to the iPhone 15:

• Roadside Assistance via Satellite (All models): Contact AAA for assistance by satellite to get you moving from anywhere (requires an AAA membership, free for two years with iPhone 15).
• Action button (Pro models): This button replaces the Mute/Silence switch. You can use it to mute your iPhone or program it to open the camera app, turn on the flashlight, and more.
• A17 Pro Processor (Pro models): The Pro models are built around Apple's latest A17 Pro chip, which the company says is faster, particularly in graphics-heavy uses. The base models use the A16, the same as the iPhone 14.

Those are just the new features, so here's a complete side-by-side comparison of some key iPhone 15 features:

How Is the Newest iPhone Different From the Last Generation?

While the iPhone 15 is the newest iPhone, the last generation—the iPhone 14 series—is still available. If you want to get a great iPhone at a lower price, consider the iPhone 14. Before you do, though, understand these differences between the iPhone 15 and 14:

• Action Button: Only the iPhone 15 Pro models offer the Action Button.
• USB-C Support: Only the iPhone 15 series supports USB-C; all previous models use Lightning.
• Improved Portrait Mode: The iPhone 15 series has automatic portrait mode, so you can add background blur to an image without switching to portrait mode.