Apple has released iOS 15, after over three months of beta testing. However, not all the new features are available for older iPhones.
The iOS 15 features page at Apple's website states that the following features are only available for iPhones with the A12 Bionic chips or higher. This means that the iPhone X and older models won't have the following features.
For these iOS 15 features, you will need an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max or an iPhone XR.
Portrait mode in FaceTime blurs the background to focus on you.
Spatial audio is a feature of FaceTime that makes voices sound as if they are coming from the same direction as the people on the call.
FaceTime has a Voice Isolation mode that uses machine learning to block ambient noises such as a leaf blower outside, or a dog barking in another room.
Wide Spectrum mode in FaceTime amplifies ambient sounds during calls.
Interactive 3D Globe of Earth in Maps App
Step-by-step walking directions in immersive VR in the Maps App
Maps app provides more detailed maps of cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.
Live Text allows you to copy and paste, look up or translate text in photos.
Siri requests can be processed on-device using speech processing
You can make Siri requests offline, without having to have an internet connection. This includes setting up timers, alarms and messaging, opening settings, controlling audio playback and sharing.
You can swipe up and down to take a QuickTake video zooming in or out.
You can add your home, hotel and car keys to the Wallet App.
Keyboard dictation on-device that does all processing offline
Instead of limiting yourself to 60 seconds per instance, you can continue typing.
The Weather app now has animated backgrounds that better represent the sun's position, clouds and rainfall.
Apple doesn't specify why these features require an iPhone equipped with the A12 Bionic chip, but some of the limitations may be due to Apple's second generation Neural Engine for optimal performance.
iOS 15 works with all iOS 14-compatible devices, including older models like the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s.
