Apple has launched the latest and greatestiPhones-- ThatiPhone 15 en iPhone 15 Pro Max-- over three months ago, and you've probably heard of iPhone 15 features likeNameDrop, which lets you share contact information by placing your phones close to each other, andStandby modus, which turns your phone into a smart screen.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have some special new hardware features you need to know about to get the most out of your new phone, including five great cameras, a new action button, and USB 3.0 charging speeds.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips to Help You Make the Most of Your Technology, Your Home, and Your Health This Holiday Season.
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If you haven't had time to explore the exclusive features of iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, there's no better time than now. We've highlighted three exclusive Pro and Pro Max features that you'll definitely want to set up, configure, and use. If you want to get the most out of your new iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, here's what you need to know.
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1. Set up the new action button
The action button is one of the biggest changes to iPhone hardware in a long time, replacing the ring/silent switch that has been around since the very first iPhone model. Instead of just toggling between ring and switch modes, the action can be customized to do things like turn on your flashlight, record a voice memo, and perform a shortcut.
read more:Use your iPhone 15 Pro's new action button for more than one thing
IInstitutions> Action Button, swipe through the different actions you want the action button to perform when pressed. These are the actions available to you:
- Style (Standard): Switch between silent mode and ring mode.
- Focus: Enable your primary focus mode, e.g. Do not disturb.
- Flashlight: Turn on your taillight.
- Voice memo: Record an audio note.
- Magnifying glass: Use your camera as a magnifying glass.
- Shortcut: Activate a shortcut you downloaded or created.
- Availability: Use an accessibility feature of your choice.
- No action
If you see arrows under an action, it means there are additional options. To assign an action to the button, simply swipe and hold on the action in your settings. When you're done, exit the settings page.
2. Change the default camera lens when you open your camera
The default main camera on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max is the 24mm lens, which corresponds to 1x zoom. It is your standard lens, but if you always zoom in a little when taking a photo, you can switch to another standard lens for the main camera.
IInstitutions>Camera>main camera,choose between the three main lenses:
- 24mm - 1x (standard)
- 28mm - 1,2x
- 35mm - 1,5x
The next time you open your main camera, your camera will start at the new focal length you choose, whether it is 1.2x or 1.5x. To switch between lenses, tap the zoom button on the main camera to manually switch between 24mm, 28mm and 35mm. You can also hold down the control button and drag the slider for more precise control.
3. Take advantage of iPhone 15 Pro's USB-C 3.0 speeds
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus both have a USB-C port, but the two models support the same USB 2.0 speeds as previous iPhone models with a Lightning port, at 480 megabits per second. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, also have thatUSB-C port, but they support USB 3.0 speeds, which are 10 gigabits per second, making it 20 times faster.
What does it all mean to you? First, you'll need a USB-C cable that supports 3.0 speeds. The USB-C cable that comes with your iPhone only supports 2.0 speeds, so you'll need to purchase an additional cable (like this one on Amazon).
Now that you have the right cable, you can quickly transfer data between your iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. If you're transferring data from iTunes to your iPhone and vice versa, it should be faster. It works for just about any file transferred from your iPhone, especially to a flash drive; it will also be faster.
Apple has one toomark pagethat the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can support recording ProRes video (high-quality video compression format) directly to an external storage device at up to 4K and 60 frames per second. It's a niche feature, but if you're a cameraman or videographer, shooting in ProRes will give you better detail and color depth, which you can color later without losing quality. Recording the SD card directly to an external storage device saves space and time, allowing you to connect the SD directly to your computer without having to transfer it from your iPhone first.
I took over 600 photos with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
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