Getting accurate dimensions for the iPhone 15 isn't as simple as a quick search
Apple publishes the specs, but if you're actually building a case, designing a mount, or figuring out whether this thing fits in your bag pocket, those official numbers don't always tell the whole story. I ran into this last year when I was prototyping a leather wallet insert and the dimensions came out off by nearly two millimeters on one side. Turns out the published height is the flat glass panel measurement, not accounting for the curved edges that make the phone slightly taller when it's sitting on a surface. I had to measure my own unit with digital calipers to get the real number. The official height of the standard iPhone 15 is 147.6 millimeters, or about 5.81 inches. That's from top to bottom, measured straight along the flat face of the device with the screen on and the camera bumps excluded. The width is 71.6 mm and the depth is 7.80 mm. If you grab the Plus model instead, you're looking at 160.9 mm tall, which is a noticeable difference in actual hand feel and pocket carry. The Pro and Pro Max round out the lineup at 146.6 mm and 163.0 mm respectively. I keep a digital caliper at my desk now because tape measures are useless at this scale. The difference between a 1 mm clearance and zero clearance on a custom sleeve is the difference between a product that works and one you have to send back. When I measure phones now, I account for the slight forward bow of the frame and I measure at three points along the side, not just dead center. That's how I caught the discrepancy in my wallet project. The sides flare out microscopically near the volume buttons.
One thing people miss is that the IP68 rating claim changes how you think about thickness. Apple rates the iPhone 15 at 6 meters for 30 minutes, but the gaskets and seals add maybe half a millimeter of effective profile around the edges. If you're doing anything that requires a precise cutout, like a slim kickstand or a magnetic mount, you need to design with that 0.5 mm buffer built in or the whole thing won't seat flush. My workaround was to prototype with 3D-printed fixtures first and test fit before committing to any final materials. There's also the MagSafe ring to consider. The official ring diameter is 45 mm centered on the back, but the actual magnetic array extends roughly 2 mm beyond that visible circle. I learned that the hard way when a third-party wallet I bought kept sliding off the bottom edge because it only aligned with the printed ring diameter, not the real magnetic field. Measure twice on that one.
