New Apple iPhone features USB-C port, improved cameras

(NEW YORK) — Apple released a new iPhone 15 model on Tuesday that offers a USB-C charging port and improved camera. A fresh version of the Apple Watch was also unveiled.

The top-end models of the iPhone 15, however, deliver a sizable markup. The prices of the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will remain unchanged, but the price of the iPhone 15 Pro will rise as much as $100, bringing the total to $1,099. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will jump as much as $200, catapulting its overall price to $1,299.

The pricier versions of the iPhone 15 will boast expanded storage, additional battery life, quicker data-transfer speeds and titanium frames, as the tech giant hopes to drive consumers toward the more expensive options.

The Pro models will also run on the new A17 Bionic chipset processor.

All four versions of the iPhone 15 are expected to include the USB-C charging port, offering flexibility for consumers who seek to power their smartphone with a charger that also supports other Apple devices as well as non-Apple products.

For the first time, the full set of iPhone models will also feature the Dynamic Island, a section at the top of the display that delivers alerts or progress updates. The iPhone 15 also brings a 48 megapixel camera to all models.

All four versions of the iPhone 15 will be available for pre-order on Friday, and they go on sale on Sept. 22.

On an earnings call in February, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company retains the ability to raise the price of the iPhone because it has become such a fixture of consumers’ daily routines. For instance, users store health and banking information on their smartphone and even use it as a payment tool, Cook said.

“The iPhone has become so integral into people’s lives,” Cook said. “So I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category.”

The iPhone 15 announcement arrives as Apple faces a prolonged iPhone sales slump, however.

IPhone revenue fell 2.4% over three months ending in June, compared to the same period a year prior, Apple’s most recent earnings report showed. The results marked the third consecutive quarter of sliding iPhone sales.