The iPhone 15 is official. And in the best Apple tradition, it seems to pack quite a punch. It gets a more rounded design, new colours, a faster (though not the latest) processor than its predecessor, a totally new 48-megapixel main sensor that adds high-quality 2x zoom, the Dynamic Island notch, and of course, the much-talked-about USB Type-C port. Round that off with the fact that the iPhone 15 has the same price tag (Rs 79,900) as its bestselling predecessor, the iPhone 14, and it seems a very good proposition for anyone wanting to dip their toes in new iPhone waters.
But that does not mean that the latest iPhone will have a cakewalk in the market. Standing in its way are a number of challengers, many of whom boast comparable specs, super fast charging and good designs. Some of them even have chargers in the box, no matter how much that scandalises Mother Nature.
So if you are considering an iPhone 15, here are five other phones that could give the latest Godphone a run for its money:
Note: The mentioned prices are those available at different portals and stores at the time of writing and are subject to change.
Samsung Galaxy S23: Super S23 With No Suffix
Price: Rs 79,999
Carrying the Samsung banner into the battle with the latest iPhone is the suffix-less Samsung Galaxy S23. It might be the least impressive of the S23 series in terms of specs, but it packs quite a punch and is perhaps the best relatively compact phone out there for those who prefer Android. You get a superb 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with 120Hz refresh rate, a very good 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 10-megapixel proper telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and another 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor.
The glass front and back are understated and elegant, the armour aluminium frame resilient (the phone has IP68 dust and water resistance), and beneath the hood is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, with plenty of RAM and storage. Samsung’s very good Android update record makes the S23 a terrific proposition for anyone wanting a relatively compact phone, with all the flagship trimmings.
Eco-conscious fans will love the fact that it has no charger in the box either.
Google Pixel 7: Android’s White Knight 
Price: Rs 54,999
We know that a new Pixel is coming to the market in a month and that the Pixel 7 Pro has better specs and is still lower priced than the iPhone 15, but we still think that the Pixel 7 is a more appropriate challenger to the iPhone 15, because it is the most compact of the Pixel range, just like the iPhone 15 among its sibling.
It might be getting close to a year old, but still looks very good and is one of the few Android devices with a distinct design, thanks to that metal camera bar on the back. It is compact for an Android flagship, but the Pixel 7 is larger than the iPhone 15. It features a 6.3 inch FHD+ OLED display with 90 Hz refresh and is powered by Google’s own Tensor G2 chip, which enables a lot of special functionality. This being a Pixel, photography is awesome with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS and a 12-megapixel ultrawide, both aided by Google’s amazing computational photography muscle. The phone also runs the cleanest version of Android you can find and is assured the fastest Android updates around.
There is IP68 dust and water resistance, a truckload of smartload smarts, wireless charging and no charger in the box, for those who love slim boxes (and Mother Nature!). Round that off with a much lower price tag, and this becomes Android’s White Knight jousting against the new iPhone!
Xiaomi 13 Pro: A Leica Camera & A Damn Good Phone Too
Price: Rs 79,999
The device with ‘beast’ status in this list, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is a spec monster. It sports a 6.73-inch quad HD LTPO AMOLED display, is powered by the super powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, has a 4820 mAh battery that supports 50W wireless charging and 120W wired charging, and also packs in a 120W charger in the box.
But the real stars of the show are the three 50-megapixel cameras on the back, one of which is a proper 1.0-inch sensor and another a telephoto with 3.2x optical zoom.
All of them come with the legendary Leica flavouring, with outstanding regular photography, and out-of-this-world portrait and monochrome snaps. Yes, it is a little large and bulky but it comes with a very distinct design with a ceramic back, and IP68 dust and water resistance. This spec and camera beast is a beauty and a potential headache for Cupertino’s latest phone.
OnePlus 11 Marble Odyssey: The Cool-Looking Never Settler
Price: Rs 64,999
OnePlus showed the world that it had still some design tricks up its Never Settling sleeves when it launched the Marble Odyssey variant of its regular OnePlus 11 flagship. In terms of appearance and hand feel, this has got to be one of the most distinct phones out there, with a unique finish on the back that gives it not just the appearance, but even the cool, smooth stone-like finish of marble.
With those marble-ish looks comes some very powerful hardware — a 6.7-inch quad HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, three cameras on the back developed in association with the legendary Hasselblad (including a special 32 MP telephoto that also doubles as a super portrait snapper), a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 100W charging, and a 100W charger in the box too.
It runs on OxygenOS, which is one of the cleanest Android interfaces around. Its IP64 dust and water resistance might not be as impressive as some others and it has no wireless charging, but it has the looks and performance to unsettle even the best. Even the Godphone.
iPhone 14 Plus: Older, But Bigger. And Now, Even Cheaper
Price: Rs 76,900
Yes, it does not have as good a camera, or the Dynamic Island and its chip might be older, but on the flip side, this is still an iPhone and is coming at a lower price – a price that could dip even more in the coming days, going by Apple’s track record in this regard. What’s more, it boasts a much bigger (6.7 inch) super retina XDR OLED display and what we think is the best battery life we have seen on an iPhone. It will also get updated to the latest version of iOS and remains a terrific performer.
At its launch price of Rs 89,900, it had seemed to be a bit on the higher side, but at its current price (one which could decrease further), this slightly old-er phone fella could lay siege to the new kid on the iPhone block. A very good option for those who want a lot of screen real estate and terrific battery life (many do).