Apple’s Latest iPhone 15 Pro Faces Limitations in ProRes Video Recording
In a surprising revelation, it has come to light that Apple’s latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15 Pro, has certain restrictions when it comes to its ProRes video recording function. Specifically, the 128GB ROM version of the device can only record 1080p ProRes videos at 30 frames per second (fps) unless the user opts to record the video directly onto an external storage device. On the other hand, models with 256GB or higher storage capacities can support 4K ProRes video recording at 60fps without the need for an external storage device.
Interestingly, Apple does not explicitly mention this limitation on the iPhone 15 Pro technical specifications page on its official website. However, upon comparing it with other iPhone models on the Apple Store app, the existence of this restriction becomes quite apparent. It’s worth noting that this limitation also applies to the 128GB versions of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro. However, unlike the iPhone 15 Pro, these devices do not have the option to record ProRes video to external storage. On the bright side, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, starting with a storage space of 256GB, is exempt from this limitation.
Admittedly, ProRes videos tend to have a significantly larger file size. According to Apple, a minute of 10-bit ProRes video at 1080p consumes approximately 1.7GB of storage, while the same duration at 4K resolution takes up roughly 6GB. Apple likely believes that providing 4K ProRes video recording on a model with 128GB storage space could potentially compromise the user experience. Nevertheless, with the availability of external storage as an option, this hurdle can be easily overcome.
For those unfamiliar, ProRes is a series of encoders introduced by Apple to compress videos into smaller file sizes without compromising their quality. Notably, the standard versions of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus do not support the ProRes video recording function.
To summarize, the ProRes video recording feature on Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro is subject to limitations imposed by storage space. While the 128GB storage variant is restricted to recording 1080p ProRes videos, users can bypass this issue by utilizing external storage devices. Meanwhile, models with 256GB or higher storage capacities offer direct support for high-quality 4K ProRes video recording. This restriction also extends to the 128GB versions of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max escapes unscathed. By harnessing the capabilities of the ProRes encoder, videos can be compressed into smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. Do keep in mind that the standard versions of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus lack the ProRes video recording function altogether.