The iPhone 16 Pro Max rumors are coming in thick and fast.
On September 12, Apple unveiled four new iPhones to the world. While the ordinary versions received a few enhancements from the previous year’s Pros, this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max surpassed the smaller iPhone 15 Pro with a revolutionary camera system that outperformed any previous entry in the series.
If you read our comprehensive iPhone 15 Pro review, you’ll know that we adored the new phone’s cameras, praising them as “fantastic image quality, which should make any smartphone owner envious.”
Regardless of being in a class of its own and setting the bar for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and every other competing flagship phone for the next year, there were still flaws that Apple could have, and perhaps should, address with next year’s top iPhone. That will presumably be the iPhone 16 Pro Max, provided Apple does not follow through on reports that it will instead be called the ‘iPhone 16 Ultra’.
EXPECTED RELEASE DATE AND PRICE OF THE IPHONE 16 PRO MAX
- Launch is expected in the first half of September 2024.
- The shipping date will most likely be a week or so further on.
- It is possible that the iPhone 15 Pro Max may cost even more.
We anticipate that the iPhone 16 Pro Max (along with the rest of the iPhone 16 series) will be available around the same time. However, one report suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s camera enhancements will raise the price.
EXPECTED DESIGN AND DISPLAY OF THE IPHONE 16 PRO MAX
- A larger 6.9-inch 120Hz ‘ProMotion’ screen has been rumored.
- A facial recognition system under the display is a possibility.
- It probably has a titanium frame, similar to the 15 Pro Max.
- Every model is said to have a new, capacitive ‘Capture’ button.
According to South Korean website The Elec, the Face ID technology, which was first relocated to the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro line, will make its way under the pixels of the screen on the 16 Pro Max, leaving only the front camera visible.
A second source has now mentioned the addition of a new button to the entire iPhone 16 range, and this one has added that the Action button will reportedly be turned solid-state as well, but the power and volume buttons will not.
TARGETED CAMERAS FOR THE IPHONE 16 PRO MAX
- There is talk of a’super telephoto’ periscope camera.
- One report also suggests a 48MP ultra-wide camera.
- There have been rumors of a stacked sensor that could increase low-light performance.
The camera equipment in the last two generations of iPhones has represented significant advancement for the line, with the iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max adopting a new 48MP main sensor (up from 12MP previously) that added lossless 2x zoom via sensor cropping, among other new photographic tricks.
Fast forward to this year’s iPhone lineup, and in addition to an improved 48MP main sensor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max includes Apple’s first periscope telephoto lens, which zooms up to 5x. However, some sources believe its successor may go even further.
Separately, noted tech analyst Jeff Pu predicts that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max would receive more significant upgrades than the iPhone 15 Pro, including a 48MP ultra-wide camera, which he reiterated in October.
EXPECTED SPECS AND FEATURES OF THE IPHONE 16 PRO MAX
- Assumed Apple A18 Pro processor
- At least 8GB, as is expected with the 15 Pro Max.
Despite all of the leaks surrounding the iPhone 16 Pro line’s design and camera technology, facts about the remainder of the internals are currently missing from the rumor mill, leaving us to fill in the gaps with informed guesswork based on Apple’s historical patterns.
Indeed, one new rumor specifically mentions the A18 Pro with 8GB of RAM for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
According to the same source, these phones will support Wi-Fi 7 and include a new 5G modem, allowing for faster data speeds than existing versions.
In terms of the model’s new USB-C connectivity, Apple appears unlikely to change charging or data speeds only one year after switching, but we can hope.
WHAT EXACTLY WE WANT TO SEE ON THE IPHONE 16 PRO MAX
As previously stated, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is an extremely outstanding piece of hardware, Apple has clearly left room for its successor to boost the ante, based on what else the market has to offer.
Here are our expectations for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
1. More vibrant colors
The reason for this the season’s titanium-clad 15 Pro and Pro Max are available in four colorways: white, black, blue, and ‘natural’ titanium.
While the mention of a nano-coating and the 14-hour procedure required to produce the final look sounded quite impressive during the reveal address, the end result of these premium finishes is adequate, if not spectacular.
With the launch of the Deep Purple hue, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max felt like they went out of Apple’s comfort zone a little bit, but no such departure remained a year later. Despite reports of an intriguing new Deep Red colorway on the way, this is the case.
Our hope for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is that this additional Deep Red colorway appears, or that Apple takes a few more risks with the finishes on its 2024 Pro iPhones.
2. Quicker charging
Apple appears to have made no attempt to speed up charging on this year’s iPhone series, and while slightly larger batteries and a more efficient CPU should improve efficiency, a modest increase in charging speeds wouldn’t hurt either.
3. Quicker data transmission via USB
While European regulators may have forced Apple’s hand in adopting USB-C on the iPhone 15 line, the company did the standard and Plus models dirty by leaving data speeds virtually unchanged compared to the previous generation’s Lightning port, it did see fit to dress the 15 Pro as well as Pro Max with USB 3.0 data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps.
With PCs slated to ship with Thunderbolt 5 connections in 2024 and Apple already supporting the Thunderbolt standard on Mac and its displays, the only thing standing in the way of Apple placing an even faster connector on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple.
4. Camera in the display
While gossip indicate the Face ID components will make their way according to the display on next year’s Pro models, if anyone could solve the conundrum of under-display cameras, it would be Apple.
If Apple is ready to put as much time and effort into this as it did with the Dynamic Island, we believe it might accomplish wonders for under-display camera technology on a future iPhone model.
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