The, is like going to the cinema without popcorn. The main attraction is there, but the great accessories that round off the visit are missing. This smartphone comes with accessoriesso far searched in vain.
Even without AI, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a top smartphone, especially if camera and video functions are extremely important to you. However, some of you will still be able to safely do without it.
Quick navigation:
- Camera control is not needed (yet).
- The photographic styles continue to be a highlight
- The video functions make the iPhone 16 Pro Max a workhorse
- Great battery life
- No signs of wear
- When is it worth upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro Max?
Camera control is not needed (yet).
Here we are back on the topic of accessories. Because with the update to iOS 18.1 and the camera control, not only the camera opens, but also Visual Intelligence, the counterpart to Google's Circle to Search. Extremely practical in theory, allowing you to scan your surroundings at the push of a button... but so far only in theory.
What remains is a technically impressive button that is used to open the camera after almost 60 days - nothing more. Control still works faster and better via the touchscreen, as you can read in detail in my column:
The photographic styles continue to be a highlight
It's a shame that Apple reserves the most creative innovation exclusively for the iPhone Series 16. Some of the predecessors are certainly powerful enough to use these styles when taking photos.
Compared to many other smartphones, taking photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max is much more exciting and invites you to experiment.
In addition to the video function, I use the photo styles most often. They even make me forget about RAW format every now and then. However, in future iOS updates, I would like to see the image files saved in both RAW and JPEG formats with the photo styles, similar to traditional cameras.
This saves me from having to switch camera modes, which I forget far too often, much to my chagrin.
Such an improvement allows me to use the images directly “out of camera” or to optimize them in an image editing program of my choice.
The video functions make the iPhone 16 Pro Max a workhorse
The word “Pro” appears in product descriptions just as often as “AI” and Apple’s flagship lives up to its name. The video functions make the companion a workhorse that wants to be challenged.
In addition to the normal video function with a resolution of 4K and up to 60 FPS, an impressive 120 FPS is now possible. For me this has several advantages:
- Slow-motion videos allow great hand-held tracking shots without the image noticeably shaking. The 4K resolution means there are more options for zooming into the image without major loss of quality.
- More details can be seen in the picture.
- The iPhone allows almost endless recordings in this mode. It's just the battery and the memory that will throw a spanner in the works at some point.
The biggest highlight: The frame rate of each recording can be edited afterwards in just a few steps on the device. No subsequent transfer of files to a computer, no additional software. This also works with older devices,.
For the absolute professionals there is 4K with 120 FPS for ProRes as well as log recordings in combination with external storage devices.
Of course, the Apple smartphone is not the only device that supports 4K at up to 120 FPS. There are also representatives on the Android side.
Audiomix helps in absolute emergencies
I only tried the audio mix function once: for testing purposes. It's a cool feature that I'll resort to in an emergency when I don't have a dedicated microphone or software to post-process the sound.
However, it is not practical enough to deserve the title of “killer feature”. Nevertheless, it fits perfectly into the image of the new iPhone to carry out all post-production work on the device. Because Apple actually gives you (almost) all the tools to do exactly that.
Great battery life
After almost 60 days, I'm surprised by the battery life of the big iPhone. On average, the iPhone 16 Pro Max lasts almost an hour longer than its direct predecessor.
While I get around seven hours of screen time on many days with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I get just over eight hours with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
I usually charge the device every two days. On the evening of the second day, the battery capacity was still just under 25 percent.
No signs of wear
What does the case and display look like after 60 days?On my copy, there are no signs of wear and tear in the form of scratches or blemishes in the paint on either the casing or the display.
Anything else would be very questionable given the high price.
When does the upgrade become worthwhile?
If you still own an Apple smartphone from the iPhone 15 or iPhone 14 series, we recommend:
Waiting to upgrade to iPhone 17.
Especially if you have a Pro series device. The individual innovations of the current iPhones range from practical to impressive in places, but are marginal compared to the last two generations and only relevant for a small target group.
With the release of the latest iPhones next year, some of the older models will be available significantly cheaper. When buying used, our buying advice will help with detailed answers to most questions.
Just a few weeks ago I had the iPhone 13 Pro Max on my desk. Here the jump is more noticeable in several places:
- 48 megapixel camera setup, JPEG XL in RAW format (DNG container) and JPEG photographic styles
- Five times telephoto zoom
- Better images in low-light environments thanks to Photonic Engine
- Action mode for shots with very little camera shake
- Significantly better battery life thanks to the LTPO display with a refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hertz and always-on display.
- Higher screen brightness (2000 nits instead of 1200 nits)
- USB-C port
iPhone 16 Pro Max (48 MP) iPhone 15 Pro Max (12 MP)The differences between the two ultra-wide-angle cameras are so small that I don't think an upgrade is justified.
Do you regularly blink in the direction of Apple Intelligence?, the wait may literally pay off. The new iPhone SE 4 is expected for early 2025 and is rumored to be equipped with the current A18 chip.
This makes it probably the cheapest entry into Apple's Intelligence, which will not come to Germany until April 2025 at the earliest.
Still happy with the iPhone 12 and older? All the better. Although the jump from older devices is more noticeable, the iPhone SE 4 is probably the better choice for you next year in terms of price-performance.
