The iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive alongside the rest of the iPhone 16 family on September 9, 2024, andwill be the mostadvanced iPhone to come out this year. It’s unlikely that Apple will raise the price of the phone, as just last year Apple raised the price by $100 by eliminating the 128GB storage option, which effectively made the base Pro Max pricier.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive with iOS 18 out of the box. Announced at WWDC'24, the upcoming software update will shake things up with important upgrades to customization, some core iOS apps like Photos and Messages. iOS 18.1(coming in October) will deliver a ton of new AI-powered features thanks to Apple Intelligence, including ChatGPT integration on the low level as well as vastly reworked and more powerful Siri in 2025.
The available colors will include Space Black, White, Gray, and a new Desert Titanium shade.
The iPhone 16 series will be officially announced on September 9, 2024, at Apple’s "It’s Glowtime" event. Usually, Apple announced its phones on a Tuesday, but this one will take place on Monday.
A couple of days after the official iPhone 16 Pro Max announcement, Apple will kick off the pre-orders for its upcoming phones. This will possibly take place on Friday, September 13, 2024.Some ten days after the phone's announcement and a week after the pre-orders have kicked off, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will officially hit the shelves,on September 20, 2024.
iPhone 16 Pro Max price
| iPhone model | 128GB of storage | 256GB of storage | 512GB of storage | 1TB of storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | - | $1,199-$1,299* | $1,399-$1,499* | $1,599-$1,699* |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | - | $1,199 | $1,399 | $1,599 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,399 | $1,599 |
Currently, we don't expect a price hike for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The device will cost just as much as the iPhone 15 Pro Max did at launch, but variousiPhone 16 pre-order deals might make it slightly more appealing.
Currently, the iPhone Pro Max flagshipstarts at $1,199 for the entry-level 256GB model. Interestingly, while it's essentially a price increase compared to the $1,099 price tag of the 128GBiPhone 14 Pro Max, you get twice the storage with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which starts at 256GB.
Can we predict what some early deals and promotions for the iPhone 16 Pro Max would be? Well, judging from last year's selection of promos and deals, expect a similar selection of deals and promotions:
- Apple: With the company's own iPhone Upgrade program, you can get easily upgrade to a new iPhone each year. Here's how it works: once you buy an iPhone and commit to spreading the cost of the new device over 24 months, you are eligible to upgrade to a newer model as soon as you've made 12 payments. The iPhone 15 Pro Max started at $58.25/mo for the entry-level 256GB model, $66.58 a month for the 512GB one, and $74.91 for the 1TB model. If you choose to become part of the iPhone Upgrade program now, you will be eligible to get the iPhone 16 Pro Max in a year's time.
- Verizon: Last year, Big Red had a very decent promotion that allowed you to get the iPhone 15 Pro Max for up to $800 off with a trade of an iPhone XS or newer and a plan. If you switched from another carrier, another $200 would have been deducted from the final price. Surely, a similar deal would be available for the iPhone 16 Pro Max as well.
- T-Mobile: The Magenta Carrier had a generous $1,000 off on the iPhone 15 Pro Max when trading in an eligible device and applying for an eligible plan (Go5G Plus or Go5G Next). What's more, you could get up to $650 off on any iPhone 15 model when applying for a new Magenta MAX plan, up to $350 off on Go5G and Magenta, and $200 off on any other T-Mobile plan with an eligible trade in.
- AT&T: Finally, AT&T also offered up to $1,000 off on the iPhone 15 Pro Max with an eligible trade of an iPhone 13 or newer. We can imagine that a similar deal would be available for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, too.
iPhone 16 Pro Max camera
Main:48MP, 24mm, f/1.78
Ultra-wide:48MP, 13mm, f/2.2
Telephoto:12MP, 120mm (5X optical zoom), f/2.8
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will keep both the super-sharp 48MP main camera and the tetraprism telephoto camera with 5X optical zoom from the iPhone 15Pro Max. As per leakers Digital Chat Station and OvO Baby Sauce OvO, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will use a custom 48MP Sony IMX903 sensor(while the previous model had a Sony IMX803 sensor).
This sensor will be larger in comparison with its predecessor (1/1.14" vs 1/1.28"). It will also reportedly feature a stacked design, 14-bit analog-to-video converted for lossless image data conversion, as well as DGC (Digital Gain Control) for improved dynamic range and less noise.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will adopt a new ultra-wide camera. After years of using a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, Apple will transition to a 48MP ultra-wide camera with a 0.7um pixel size and a sensor size of 1/2.6", a serious upgrade over the 12MP ultra-wide with 1.0um pixels and a 1/3.6" sensor that Apple has previously used, which will help with low-light image quality.
Like the rest of the range, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will also be able to capture Spatial Video for the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Reports also claim that Apple will grace the iPhone 16 Pro cameras with a special anti-glare coating, which could also minimize lens flaring, a well-known weakness of iPhone cameras in low-light conditions. The iPhone 16 Pro Max could also getthinner and lighter molded glass lenses, which will further improve the optical qualities of the camera.
We are also getting 3K video recording at up to 120fps and Dolby Vision. Apple could also throw in support for the new JPEG-XL image format, which offers lossless compression.
iPhone 16 Pro Max Design Upgrades
Here are the reported dimensions of the iPhone 16 Pro Max as compared to the rest of the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup:
| iPhone model | Height | Width | Depth | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | 163mm (+3.1mm) | 77.58mm (+0.88mm) | 8.25mm | 225gr (+4gr) |
| iPhone 16 Pro | 149.6mm (+3mm) | 71.45mm (+0.85m) | 8.25mm | 194gr (+7gr) |
| iPhone 16 Plus | 160.9mm | 77.8mm | 7.8mm | 203gr (+2gr) |
| iPhone 16 | 147.6mm | 71.6mm | 7.8mm | 173gr (+2gr) |
The phone itself will one again feature a titanium frame, which will now be more vibrant. A set of four dummies depicting the whole iPhone 16 rangehas been leaked, revealing the imposing size of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
iPhone 16 dummies, credit––Sonny Dickson
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature thethinnest bezels on an iPhone so far.Apple will use a so-called BRS (Border Reduction Structure) technology to minimize the display bezels.In fact, recent rumors reveal that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will employ ultra-thin 1.15mm bezels.
One of the new design features that debuted on last year's iPhone lineup was the customizable Action Button, which allows users to choose between a handful of options and features to quickly enable or disable. This hardware feature is definitely back on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
TheiPhone 16 Pro Max colorsselection will consist of Space Black, White, Gray, and Desert Titanium, which will be a bronze-like hue. Have in mind that the black this year could be as dark as the Jet Black iPhone 7, which was proper black.
iPhone 16 Pro/Max dummies in White, Black, Gray, and Bronze colors
iPhone 16 Pro Max Capture Button
A novelty on the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the addition of a new capacitive Capture Button situated on the frame of the phone. This novel addition could be used as a shutter button, yet another way to take photos and videos by default, and might even be customizable similarly to the Action Button that debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max.
Protective cases with the Capture Button have leaked already, and while they may not be indicative of the iPhone 16 Pro Max's final design, it falls in line with the anticipated changes.
What could the iPhone 16 Pro Max look like?
This is what the iPhone 16 Pro Max might look like next to its brethren from the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup. These renders were created by us and represent what the iPhone 16 Pro Max might look like next to the rest of the lineup.
iPhone 16 Pro Max display
A very significant change with the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be its larger 6.9-inch display, a significant improvement over the 6.7-inch display that we've enjoyed ever since the iPhone 12 Pro Max days. Apple will achieve this display real estate increase by further minimizing the bezels and will lead to much more efficient use of front space.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will use a smooth OLED display with ProMotion that can go up to 120Hz. OLED screens have exceptional contrast, superb viewing angles, and lovely, deep colors. We expect that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will score an OLED display with an even higher peak brightness.
Just like all other iPhone 16 models, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive with the Dynamic Island punch-hole. However, recent rumors suggest that Apple might have the opportunity to slim things down and come up with a smaller Dynamic Island punch-holethanks to a physicallysmaller Face ID module.
iPhone 16 Pro Max storage
iPhone 16 Pro Max expected storage versions:
- 256 GB
- 512 GB
- 1 TB
- 2TB* (rumored)
Last year, Apple ditched the 128GB entry-level storage version on its largest iPhone, so the device featured 256GB in its base version. On the other end of the spectrum, the device was still available with up to a terabyte of on-board storage.
We are mostly certain that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will come in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions as well, mirroring its predecessor for the most part. There is the possibility that a 2TB storage version of the iPhone 16 Pro Max could get released. This rumor isn't that likely, but Apple already sells a 2TB iPad Pro, so the iPhone Pro Max lineup can definitely score a similar upgrade.
iPhone 16 Pro Max battery
What about the iPhone 16 Pro Max battery? The iPhone 16 Pro Maxwill come with a 4,676mAh battery on board, the largest battery ever fitted on an iPhone. Of course, this will certainly deliver excellent battery life. This rumor was corroborated in early August 2024, when another leaker revealed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive with such a battery on board.
Expected Battery Size
| Battery capacity/phone | Battery size |
|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | 4,676mAh* |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | 4,422mAh |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 4,323mAh |
*-anticipated battery size
Charging Speed Upgrades
A report has it that Apple could increase charging speeds from 27W all the way to 40W, while MagSafe speeds could jump from 15 to 20W, if the rumor mill is to be believed.
Such an upgrade would be crucial for faster iPhone 16 series charging, and while it wouldn't enable the iPhone 16 Pro Max to get fully charged in 30 minutes like many Chinese phones, this improvement would certainly have an effect on users' overall experience.
- Will there be a charger in the box? The iPhone 16 Pro Max won't come with a charger in the box. Apple stopped including chargers with the iPhone 12 generation and instead moved onto slim shipping boxes.
iPhone 16 Pro Max features and software
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive with iOS 18(our iOS 18 preview available here), but the interesting Apple Intelligence suite of features will arrive with iOS 18.1, coming in October, probably. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will be supported for at least five years, but certainly more.
The vastly expanded iPhone 16 AI capabilities are undoubtedly the biggest new feature coming with iOS 18. Here, AI stands for two things: not only "artificial intelligence", but "Apple Intelligence" as well. Apple Intelligence partners with OpenAI’s ChatGPT to enhance AI, with a possible collaboration with Google’s Gemini. All iPhone 16 models will support Apple Intelligence.
The essential Messages app now supports RCS, which finally allows proper text messaging exchange between iOS and Android devices. The app now has advanced formatting options (strike-through, underline), allows you to schedule sending text messages, and more.
Writing tools will be available in any text-based app, enabling rewriting, proofreading, and style changes. The Photos app adds a Clean Up tool for removing unwanted objects, plus generative emoji and images on supported devices (iPhone 15 Pro/Max and newer).
Powered by the Apple A18 chip: iPhone 16 Pro Max hardware and specs
The iPhone 16 Pro Maxwill arrive with the 3nm Apple A18 Pro chip, which will be built on TSMC's second-gen N3E manufacturing process. Hopefully, this will boost the performance and battery life of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Rumors have it that Apple will put an improved Neural Engineinside the iPhone 16 Pro Max to supercharge the artificial intelligence of the phone. We will see a boost in the Neural Engine cores, which will be a serious upgrade in both machine learning and artificial intelligence processing.
Additionally, Apple is also said to be looking into ways to further improve the internal thermal management system on its next iPhone. This will allow it to better dissipate any heat accumulated by Apple's latest 3nm Apple Pro chips. Apple will reportedly do that by employing a much larger graphite sheet inside, which should help with heat dissipation.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to have 8GB of RAM. The reason could be AI, which requires a lot of RAM for on-device AI processing; more memory will definitely make the iPhone 16 Pro Max more future-proof in terms of AI.
iPhone 16 Pro Max preliminary comparisons
There's still a considerable amount of time before the iPhone 16 Pro Max gets announced. However, just about anything has leaked out, and we already seem to know everything there is about the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro: will there be that much of a difference?––What exactly is different between the two high-end iPhones?
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Plus: Expectations––Similar size, vastly different experience on both devices.
- iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16: All expected differences––Could this be the year of the Pro?
- iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: What are the expected differences?––Would you have to upgrade come autumn?
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: All the differences to expect––The iPhone 16 Pro Max will succeed the iPhone 15 Pro Max this fall, but what exactly will be different?
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Out with the old, in with the new, but is it wise to rush?–– The iPhone 14 Pro Max will b two generations old when the iPhone 16 Pro Max launches, but does this mean you will have to upgrade?
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Upgrade season might be upon us this fall––iPhone 13 Pro Max users might find the iPhone 16 Pro Max enticing and probably could consider upgrading.
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Expected differences––How will the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL measure up against the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max? Should you consider changing camps?
- iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: differences, predictions, expectations––Undoubtedly, 2024's best phones. Which ones is the superior one, though?
Should you wait for the iPhone 16 Pro Max?
When to Consider Waiting for the iPhone 16 Pro Max
You should wait for the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you've held up on upgrading to a newer iPhone in the past few years and are using a device that's nearing the end of its life. These include the iPhone 8 series, iPhone Xs series, and to some extent the iPhone 11 series.
Upgrading from any of those to the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max will be more than a major improvement in terms of overall features and general value.Of course, if you're using an older regular iPhone, then the next top Apple flagship might entice you.
When It's Better Not to Wait for the iPhone 16 Pro Max
You've recently upgraded to or purchased a fairly recent iPhone, especially of the Pro Max flavor. Those with iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and even iPhone 13 Pro Max might not be swayed to upgrade to the 2024 iteration of the flagship.
Those devices will be more than capable and adequate for years to come, so if you're willing to maximize the value of your existing device, you should stick with your existing device for another year or so.
