We’re still a few months away from the unveiling of the iPhone 15, and if the rumors are to be believed, the Pro Max will be the phone to rule them all, with even more exclusive features than ever before. With the iPhone 14, Apple separated the iPhone Pro models from the non-Pro models with better cameras, a faster processor and improved display features, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to widen the gap even further, with advanced features that are even not found on the iPhone 15 Pro. Here’s what we expect from the new phone:
iPhone 15 Pro Max: release date
The one thing we’re absolutely sure of? The iPhone 15 Pro Max is coming this fall, probably mid-September, along with the rest of the iPhone 15 handsets. There may be a longer delay before it goes on sale, as we’ve heard rumors that chipmaker TSMC is having issues with chip production. But as we’ve seen in the past, it won’t be delayed more than a few weeks. For example, the iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 12 Pro Max both arrived three weeks after the rest of the range.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: price
While the iPhone 14 Pro Max has cost the same $1,099 for the past four years, rumors have it that the 2023 version will bring a price hike. Several reports have claimed that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will cost at least $100 more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and possibly as much as $1,299, with storage options going up to $2,000.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: name
The early iPhone 15 rumors suggested that Apple would follow the Apple Watch and rename its high-end iPhone as the iPhone 15 Ultra. However, recent rumors say that Apple has pushed that to the iPhone 16 and that the iPhone 15 will stick with its Pro Max moniker.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: design
According to leaked renders, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is not expected to differ much from the rest of the iPhone 15 series. According to renders, the design of all four models will be slightly refined, with slightly curved edges and thinner bezels around the screen. But there will still be a few design elements that set the iPhone 15 Pro Max apart from the rest of the lineup.
First and foremost, it will reportedly have a titanium frame rather than stainless steel. It has been rumored for years that Apple is working on an iPhone that uses a material other than stainless steel or aluminum, and after the Apple Watch Ultra, it makes sense for Apple to switch to lightweight titanium. Like the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple may offer the iPhone 15 Pro Max in a “raw” color option to show off the new finish.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is also expected to be thicker than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, making it one of the largest iPhones ever. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is rumored to be 8.25mm compared to 7.85mm on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which will also allow Apple to reduce the camera bump. However, the overall dimensions of the phone are expected to be slightly smaller than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, making the phone feel slimmer and smaller.
The buttons are also reportedly changing. The most recent rumors say Apple will revert to a volume rocker instead of individual buttons and the mute switch will become an action button, though reports of a move to solid-state buttons with dedicated haptic motors seem to have been delayed until the iPhone 16 .
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will reportedly be thicker but also slimmer than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: View
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has had a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display since the iPhone 12, and that’s not expected to change with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It also still has Dynamic Island, ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz, an always-on feature, True Tone and 2000 nits of peak brightness outdoors.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: processor and specifications
Like the iPhone 14 Pro models, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to get Apple’s latest A17 processor, which will be built using a 3nm process for the first time. Apple has been using a 5nm process since the introduction of the A14 in 2020. The A17 will be built using the same architecture as the upcoming M3 chip for the Mac, which is expected to deliver significant speed and power efficiency improvements.
The A17 chip will be the first ever built using a 3nm process, which should deliver significant speed and power efficiency improvements.
Foundry
The other big change for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the expected move to USB-C. Not only will USB-C allow users to use the same cable to charge their iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but it should also boost data transfer speeds. Lightning is currently limited to 480 Mbps, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s USB-C port will reportedly support Thunderbolt, with transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps.
Additionally, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will almost certainly get Wi-Fi 6E, which was already introduced on the iPad Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro, and possibly a storage boost to 256GB on the low end and 2TB on the high end.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is likely to get a periscope zoom lens.
Foundry
iPhone 15 Pro Max: camera
While the iPhone 14 Pro Max brought an impressive upgrade to the main camera from 12 MP to 48 MP, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to take it a step further. Literally: the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to get a new periscope zoom, said to increase the optical zoom from 3x all the way to 6x or 10x, with digital zoom likely to reach 30x or 50x with incredible clarity.
The wide and ultra-wide cameras will likely be the same 48MP and 12MP respectively, but Apple will certainly refine the processing and add some new camera tricks. It is also rumored to use a more efficient LiDAR scanner supplied by Sony.
