iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16: should you still buy the 15?

if the two cost the same, buy the iPhone 16. At the time of writing both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 16 are £799 for 128GB at NexCell, and the 16 is the newer, faster phone with more years ahead of it. The 15 only makes sense when it is clearly cheaper.

What changed

Apple Intelligence

This is the gap that matters most. Apple Intelligence, the set of writing, summarising and image tools Apple has been adding to iOS, runs on the iPhone 16 and not on the iPhone 15. Apple will keep releasing features for it, and those features will not come to the 15. If you do not care about those tools, the gap is smaller.

Speed and memory

The A18 is the faster chip and the 16 has 8GB of memory against 6GB. Either phone is quick for everyday use. The extra memory and newer chip are what will make the 16 feel current for longer.

Controls and charging

The iPhone 16 swaps the old ring/silent switch for an Action button you can set to run a shortcut, open the camera or turn on the torch. It also adds the Camera Control button on the side. For charging, the 16 supports MagSafe at up to 25W, which is faster than the 15W on the iPhone 15, and it works with Qi2 chargers.

Cameras and screen

Almost the same. Both have a 48MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 6.1-inch OLED display. The iPhone 16 gets a refined camera pipeline and the ultrawide can focus close up for macro photos, but a casual user will not notice in daily use.

Which should you buy?

• Same price: iPhone 16, no contest.
• The 15 is £100 or more cheaper: the 15 is a reasonable buy if you do not need Apple Intelligence and you want to spend less.
• You already own a 15: there is little reason to upgrade yet. Keep it until the battery or the software support gives you a reason. Our guide on how long phones last covers when that is.

If the budget is tighter than either of these, see the iPhone 16 and 16e comparison.

Common questions

Will the iPhone 15 stop getting updates soon?

Apple does not give a fixed date. Phones of this age typically receive updates for several more years, but the newest features go to the newer chips first.

Do they use the same charger?

Both have a USB-C port, so any USB-C cable works with either.