5 features I’d like to see on the iPhone 16 Ultra after using the 15 Pro

All the fashions of the iPhone 15 have formally been introduced, their features revealed, and I bought an opportunity to go hands-on with all of them at the Steve Jobs theater on Tuesday. The iPhone 15 commonplace fashions had been extra spectacular than anticipated — apart from the pastel colours — and I actually favored the lighter, slimmer, extra tactile really feel of the titanium Pro fashions. 

Also: iPhone 15 Pro hands-on: I discovered numerous causes to improve and one to wait till subsequent yr

The two Pro telephones additionally delivered thrilling updates with the Action button, the new USB 3 superpowers, and the “tetraprism” telephoto digital camera lens in the Pro Max. But, this yr’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max did not ship on every thing. For a Pro-level system that prices this a lot, there are nonetheless a number of areas the place Apple might make key enhancements. Since subsequent yr’s Pro Max mannequin will reportedly get renamed as the iPhone 16 Ultra, I’m hoping these features get applied there.

1.) Longer battery life

As I’ve already talked about in my first impressions of the iPhone 15 Pro, the largest disappointment for this yr’s Pro telephones is that Apple did not use any of the further capabilities of the new A17 Pro chip to enhance battery life. Instead, it spent all of the further oomph from the A17 Pro to energy up further gaming features, make file transfers 20x sooner with USB-C, and additional improve the superior machine studying for pictures and video. 

Also: iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Which mannequin is finest to purchase?

I’m certain numerous customers will reap the benefits of these features, however much more would profit from longer battery life. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max typically make it by way of a day of sunshine to medium use with no need to recharge. However, many customers have skilled the iPhone 14 Pro affected by intermittent battery life points. And even the iPhone 14 Pro Max can barely make it by way of a full day if you happen to spend a giant chunk of time capturing images, texting them to family and friends, and importing a number of to social media — as many individuals do of their leisure time.

An improve to battery life isn’t a really flashy characteristic in a keynote presentation, nevertheless it’s the primary quality-of-life characteristic that Apple might do to make its Pro telephones higher to use each day — and extra aggressive with the finest Android units.

2.) Touch ID on the energy button

Another one in all the finest quality-of-life features that Apple might add to its Pro telephones is to combine a Touch ID fingerprint scanner into the energy button — simply like the one it already has on the iPad Air (fifth Generation). I’m not getting fancy right here and asking for an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor underneath the show like the glorious one on the Samsung Galaxy S23. 

I’m additionally not asking for Apple to exchange Face ID and return to Touch ID. Just give us each, as a result of there are occasions when Face ID nonetheless would not work nicely — when you might have glasses, sun shades, a hat, a face overlaying, otherwise you’re simply holding your telephone at an angle that is not simple for Face ID to scan. Having Touch ID at these occasions and others would make the iPhone tremendously extra usable.

Also: Apple iPhone 15 hands-on: New features left me with no Pro mannequin envy in any respect

It would additionally enhance safety, as a result of Apple might provide an choice in Settings to require each Face ID and Touch ID, which might give the iPhone — and doubtlessly third-party app builders — the choice to make logins safer on this system than another system on the market.

3.) 10x telephoto zoom lens

Yes, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has added a tetraprism telephoto digital camera this yr with a 5x zoom lens and the equal of a 120mm focal size. This is Apple’s reply to Samsung’s periscope “space zoom” lens launched in 2020 on the Galaxy S20 Ultra and refined incrementally annually since then in the S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, and S23 Ultra.

Also: The iPhone 16 Ultra digital camera will combine the largest leap in images since B&W-to-color

The massive distinction between Apple’s tetraprism and Samsung’s periscope is that Samsung nonetheless goes twice the distance at 10x. I can not wait to check out the new Apple 5x telephoto lens over the coming months in numerous completely different conditions — particularly paired with Apple’s glorious photograph processing software program and machine studying algorithms — and I’ve confidence that it is going to be able to high-quality photographs by no means earlier than potential on an iPhone. Nevertheless, it probably has a reasonably large hole to get all of the nice photographs between 5x and 10x that you would be able to get on Samsung’s flagship telephone. 

4.) Faster charging

Since the iPhone 15 Pro fashions do not enhance battery life, one in all the issues that would have made life higher for iPhone customers was to assist sooner charging. That method, if you happen to do have to recharge in the center of the day then you may plug in and shortly top-up. With the iPhone switching to USB-C this yr, it will have been the good time to implement higher charging as a result of USB-C can assist crazy-fast charging speeds. But, it did not occur. 

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have the similar 27W charging restrict as final yr’s Pro fashions (we’ll absolutely take a look at that in the coming weeks). That means you may cost from 0% to 50% in about half-hour and it takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours to cost absolutely — when you’ve got a 30W or greater charging brick. That’s Apple’s model of quick charging. By comparability, the Samsung Galaxy S23 has an identical 25W quick charging functionality that additionally goes 0-50% in about half-hour however solely takes about 70-90 minutes to cost absolutely. However, Samsung additionally provides 45W “super fast charging” that may cost 0-65% in half-hour and cost absolutely in 57 minutes. 

Both of those are blown away by Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition that has 210W charging and might get a full cost in 9 minutes. It’s unlikely that Apple (or Samsung) would implement one thing like that anytime quickly as a result of quick charging can have unfavourable results on battery well being due to the further warmth it could create. But, it will definitely be cheap for Apple to provide 35W or 45W charging to velocity up our top-ups on the iPhone.

5.) A greater case from Apple

At the Apple occasion, I attempted the new PositiveWoven circumstances that Apple is launching this yr to exchange its common — however much less environmentally pleasant — leather-based circumstances and I’ve to admit that I did not love the feel and look of PositiveWoven. They felt like an inexpensive imitation of suede. Of course, they don’t seem to be low-cost at $59 and I’m assured that it took numerous artistic work from the supplies staff at Apple to give you a case constituted of 68 p.c post-consumer recycled supplies. And I positively admire Apple’s carbon impartial and sustainability targets.

Nevertheless, the new circumstances simply did not really feel nice in my palms. I notice that is a subjective opinion, and my ZDNET teammate Kerry Wan tried the new circumstances and had the reverse response whereas we had been testing them in the Steve Jobs Theater. 

My drawback with the circumstances is not simply with the supplies although. In basic, the Apple telephone circumstances are too cumbersome and so they conceal the total design of the iPhone. I’d a lot somewhat see Apple take inspiration from the well-known — or notorious — iPhone 4 bumper circumstances that merely defend the edges of the telephone and go away the again open so that you see the full design. 

This makes it lighter and thinner to maintain as nicely simpler to slip in your pocket or bag. And, it nonetheless protects the entrance glass from breaking and the edges from getting dinged up while you drop it. The one problem a bumper might need with a contemporary iPhone is defending the digital camera lenses, nevertheless it could be simple sufficient to add a bump in the nook round the lenses.

In the new PositiveWoven circumstances, the again and the edges are made of various supplies and every have a unique really feel. I favored the edges higher than the again. If Apple merely made a bumper out of the PositiveWoven edges then I believe that may be a significantly better case.