Should you upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro? We put it to the test

I’m a huge Apple fan. But should you upgrade to the latest iPhone? The answer depends.

September is an exciting time for us “iFanatics” – it’s when the latest iPhones are released. I upgrade every year because I’m a travel videographer and use my iPhone daily to film. The camera is beyond exceptional. It takes better video than my $10,000 traditional camera setup. But that’s been true for the last couple of models.

I’ve finally got my hands on the new iPhone 15 Pro Max – after waiting a few weeks for a back-order – and am impressed. The first of the big changes is its titanium design, which makes it noticeably lighter.

The second much-talked-about change is the Action Button. Apple has replaced the mute switch with a button which you can program to do a number of things, like open the camera. Meh. It’s overhyped.

The new 5x Telephoto camera is a noticeable upgrade from the 14 Pro, which has a 3x optical zoom. The most remarkable feature is the Action Mode, which you can use to stabilise your footage if your phone is bumping around a lot. I used it when running on 5x zoom, and the results were remarkable – it looked like the camera was on wheels. This feature is available on older phones, but it’s noticeably better on the 15.

The phone is faster, and the photos are better – especially in low light. So, should you upgrade?

Unless you’re an absolute fanatic (like me), I wouldn’t recommend upgrading from the 14 Pro or even 13 to 15 Pro. The differences, in my view, don’t justify the expense unless you are a content creator.

However, if you own an iPhone 12 or older, you are going to notice a huge leap by upgrading to the 15 Pro.

Some of my favourite features are Emergency SOS and Crash Detection, which allow you to contact emergency services via satellite. This works throughout New Zealand and in many other countries. This makes it a great safety device for those who love to explore.

So, if it’s a few years since your last Apple purchase, it might just be time for an upgrade.

iPhone 15 Pro models start from NZ$2099. See: