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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: Great for photos, but is it worth it? Hands-on review
Apple
Apple just released its latest lineup of iPhones, which include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, but when comparing these new phones to last year’s models, the updates seem a bit lackluster — offering just small improvements and a handful of promises.
Having owned every iPhone model since the original was released in 2007, I’ve always been one of the early-adopters and have purchased the latest model as soon as Apple begins accepting preorders. This year was no different. I preordered the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 512GB of internal storage in the new desert titanium color. It replaced my iPhone 15 Pro Max, also with 512GB of storage.
Keep reading to learn more about this phone and whether it’s worth upgrading, or if you should stick with the iPhone model you’re currently using.
Pro Tip: If you’re thinking about making the switch from an Android phone to an iPhone 16, we’ve got you covered with our coverage of five reasons to make the transition.
Who should buy the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max?
Apple
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s top-of-the-line smartphone and the model with the largest display. It’s designed for those who need the fastest performance possible, and who can benefit from having the largest smartphone display that Apple has to offer. This smartphone is designed to be a high-performance communications device that can also serve as a productivity, entertainment, health/fitness and safety tool, as well as a powerful still image and video camera.
This is the iPhone you want if you’re interested in taking pro-quality photos or shooting video at up to 4K (120fps) resolution. Thanks to its Apple A18 Pro processor, it’s also the model that can handle high-end gaming or tasks that require a tremendous amount of processing power.
Unless you need both the added processing power of the A18 Pro chip (that’s available in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max) and want the additional on-screen real estate offered by the iPhone 16 Pro Max, one of Apple’s less expensive iPhones may be more suitable for you.
iPhone 16 Pro Max: At a glance
Jason R. Rich
Display size: 6.9 inches | Display type: Super Retina XDR touchscreen | Display resolution: 2,868 x 1,320 pixels (460 pixels-per-inch) | Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz | Max. display brightness: 2,000 nits | Processor: Apple A18 Pro | Available colors: Black titanium, white titanium, natural titanium, desert titanium | Dimensions: 6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches | Weight: 7.99 ounces | Storage options: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB | Port: USB Type-C 3.2 | Wireless connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Up to 33 hours (video playback) | Operating system: iOS 18 | SIMs: Dual eSIM | Waterproof rating: IP68 | Front camera: 12MP TrueDepth | Rear cameras: 48MP Fusion (main), 48MP (ultra-wide), 12MP (telephoto) | MagSafe compatible: Yes
Pricing: $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB) – Before trade-in, promotions or financing offers.
Compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a faster and more powerful processor and a slightly larger display. The CPU is up to 15% faster, while the GPU runs up to 20% faster. That said, being a “power user,” when working with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I never once thought to myself, “Gee, this smartphone is too slow,” nor did I ever become frustrated by any unwanted lagging — even when playing high-end, graphic-intensive games. This makes me wonder if even more processing power is worth the investment.
The phone also now supports Wi-Fi 7, as opposed to Wi-Fi 6E. And battery life is more efficient, compared to last year’s model. You can expect up to four additional hours of runtime per charge.
Jason R. Rich
The two significant new features are the Camera Control button that’s located on the side of the smartphone, as well as the Apple Intelligence (AI) integration that will soon be part of a yet-to-be-released version of iOS 18. This AI functionality is expected to be released later this fall. The only users who will benefit from the Camera Control button are those who heavily use their iPhone to take photos or shoot video — and even then, using the Camera Control button is optional.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s housing is now made using Grade 5 titanium, which is lightweight and incredibly durable. Plus, to make the display slightly larger than last year’s model, Apple has decreased the size of the bezel around the screen. This allows for a 6.9-inch display, compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.6-inch display. This display size difference is inconsequential.
Will Apple Intelligence make the iPhone smarter?
At the moment, that’s a difficult question to answer, since Apple Intelligence will not be introduced into any iPhones until later this fall. However, what we expect is a more personalized Siri digital assistant that not only understands what’s being said, but also the context that’s used when making requests or asking questions.
Apple Intelligence will allow apps to more seamlessly work together and exchange relevant information in a way that can streamline common tasks, while helping users maintain their privacy and security. Apple Intelligence will also help with composing text. When used as an audio recording device, it will be able to transcribe and then summarize recordings. AI-assisted language translations and more seamless scheduling and to-do list management have also been promised.
For someone who takes a lot of pictures or shoots video, Apple Intelligence introduces easier to use and more powerful image enhancement and editing tools, such as the Clean Up feature offered by the Photos app that can be used to remove unwanted objects from photos. This feature works decently, but only in certain situations. AI can also assist in the actual picture taking or video shooting process to ensure the best possible results. However, until Apple actually unlocks all of the Apple Intelligence features, it’s difficult to predict how useful the AI-driven functionality will actually be.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: Photography and videography
Jason R. Rich
From a hardware standpoint, the improvements made to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s camera system aren’t dramatic. However, Apple has made major enhancements to both the Camera and Photos apps that come preinstalled with iOS 18. This gives the camera system new capabilities. Combined with the faster processor, overall camera performance is noticeably better. There are also more tools for taking, editing, enhancing, organizing and sharing photos and video content.
Most noticeable is the addition of the Camera Control button. This physical button on the side of the phone can be used to quickly launch the Camera app, adjust the app’s settings, and then work as a shutter button. The result is an experience that’s closer to using a traditional point-and-shoot camera than ever before. Of course, all of the camera controls and options previously available via the touchscreen continue to be offered. Thus, the Camera Control button provides an alternative and optional way to work with the Camera app.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is now able to shoot video at 4K (120fps) resolution with support for Dolby Vision. This is the highest resolution and frame rate an iPhone has ever offered. This is combined with enhanced spatial audio recording capabilities when shooting video, so it’s easier to capture and create more immersive and visually compelling content.
The still photography options are also enhanced. There are two upgraded 48MP cameras and one 12MP camera on the back of the phone, which support both the ProRAW and HEIF photo file formats. This allows users to capture a higher level of detail, even in low light situations. Using digital zoom capabilities, you now get up to 25x zoom. The phone’s macro (extreme close-up) capabilities have been enhanced, too.
The behind-the-scenes processing that happens when shooting photos or video allows the phone to capture more accurate colors, including more life-like skin tones. And with the help of Photographic Styles, it’s easier to infuse your own creativity when creating content.
The redesign of the Photos app offers more features and control over the stored images. However, the redesigned interface is not as intuitive as it once was. It’s different enough that it’s been taking me time to acclimate to the new design (and I have been using the beta version of iOS 18 on the iPhone 15 Pro Max for over a month already). I fear some users will find the new interface downright confusing.
Sample images taken using the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich
5 differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Jason R Rich
- The iPhone 16 offers a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display.
- The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus run using the Apple 18 chip, while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are equipped with the faster and more powerful A18 Pro chip.
- The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of internal storage, while the iPhone 16 offers 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of internal storage (with no 1TB option).
- The resolution of the iPhone 16 is lower than what’s offered by the iPhone 16 Pro Max — 2,556 x 1,179 pixels versus 2,868 x 1,320 pixels.
- The iPhone 16 offers two rear-facing cameras, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has three rear-facing cameras, so users get more creative control and option when taking pictures or filming video.
Is the iPhone 16 Pro Max worth it?
The best way to see how well the iPhone 16 Pro Max performs, outside of photography or videography, is to push its processing power by playing graphic-intensive games. I installed and played “Diabolo Immortal.” Visually, this is one of the more advanced iPhone games available from the App Store, and it looks and sounds fantastic on this phone.
Diablo Immortal
Another new thing is the ability to further customize the appearance of what appears on the iPhone’s screen. For savvy users, these added features are fun to work with. However, for someone who’s already overwhelmed by all of the iPhone’s customizable options, navigating through the Settings app and personalizing the phone is now a more convoluted process.
I’d love to say that anyone who is using an older iPhone or Android phone should switch to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but I am not comfortable making this claim. Instead, I’d certainly recommend the iPhone 16 Pro Max to anyone who is using an iPhone that’s three or more years old. These people who will see the greatest improvement in overall performance, especially if they want a larger screen, too.
However, if you’re an iPhone 15 Pro Max user thinking about upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the only significant enhancement is the addition of the Camera Control button, since both phones can run the latest version of iOS 18 and will take advantage of Apple Intelligence once it’s released.
- Design: With the exception of the additional Camera Control button and slightly larger display, the design of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is very similar to last year’s model. I do really like the new and more sophisticated looking casing color options, however.
- Performance: Yes, the iPhone 16 Pro Max can perform faster. This will potentially be beneficial when using Apple Intelligence functionality, but for everyday tasks, it makes little difference.
- Value: The iPhone 16 Pro Max is expensive. Unless you need the extra processing power and larger display, you can save money upgrading to the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone 16 Plus is a middle option, but for slightly more money, most users will appreciate the enhanced performance of the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max.
- AI integration: The NPU is certainly powerful, but how well Apple integrates Apple Intelligence into iOS 18 and core apps is yet to be seen.
For in-depth reviews of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro, Google Pixel 9, Google Pixel 9 Pro, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, OnePlus 12 and other popular phones, check out our ever-expanding tech coverage.
A judge in France on Thursday found the former husband of Gisèle Pelicot, who admitted to drugging and raping her repeatedly over the course of almost a decade and inviting dozens of other men to assault her as well, guilty of aggravated rape. Over the course of her trial, Pelicot — who insisted her full name be published and proceedings be made public — has been praised for her courage and become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence in France and around the world. The judge on Thursday was reading out verdicts for dozens of other men also accused of raping her.
Pelicot arrived Thursday at the court in Avignon, southeast France, where crowds had gathered outside holding signs saying: “Thank you for your courage.”
The trial began on Sept. 2, and almost every day, Pelicot came face to face with her former husband, Dominique, or one of the 49 other men charged with raping her. One other man faced a charge of aggravated sexual assault. She insisted that videos submitted as evidence, made by her ex-husband showing men sexually assaulting her while she appeared to be unconscious, be shown in open court.
The assaults took place between 2011 and 2020, when Dominique Pelicot was taken into custody. Police found thousands of photos and videos of the abuse on his computer drives, which helped lead them to other suspects. Some of the men testified they thought the unconscious woman was OK with it, or that her husband’s permission was enough.
“Gisèle Pelicot thinks that this shock wave is necessary, so that no one can say after this: ‘I didn’t know this was rape,'” her attorney, Stéphane Babonneau, told The Associated Press.
“It’s not for us to feel shame — it’s for them,” Pelicot said in court, referring to the attackers. “Above all, I’m expressing my will and determination to change this society.”
Controversial French laws
Pelicot’s case triggered protests across France, and there was hope among some demonstrators that the case could lead to changes in controversial French laws governing sexual consent.
France introduced a legal age of sexual consent in 2021 after a public outcry over the rape of an 11-year-old schoolgirl by a man who was initially convicted on a lesser charge. Since then, sex with anyone under the age of 15 has been viewed as non-consensual, but French law does not refer to consent in cases involving older victims.
Under French law, rape is defined as penetration or oral sex using “violence, coercion, threat or surprise,” without taking consent into account, according to the Reuters news agency. Prosecutors must, therefore, prove an intention to rape if they are to be successful in court, legal experts told Reuters.
Just 14% of rape accusations in France lead to formal investigations, according to a study by the Institute of Public Policies.
“Why don’t we manage to obtain convictions? The first reason is the law,” legal expert Catherine Le Magueresse told Reuters. “The law is written in such a way that victims must comply with the stereotype of a ‘good victim’ and a ‘true rape’: an unknown attacker, use of violence, and the victim’s resistance. But it is only true for a minority of rapes.”
“I’m trying to understand”
Speaking in court during the trial, Pelicot, who is 72, talked about how she had thought she was in a loving marriage with her husband and would never have guessed that he was drugging her.
“We would have a glass of white wine together. I never found anything strange about my potatoes,” Pelicot told the court.
“We finished eating. Often when it’s a football match on TV, I’d let him watch it alone. He brought my ice cream to my bed, where I was. My favorite flavor — raspberry — and I thought: ‘How lucky I am. He’s a love.'”
She said she didn’t have any sensation of being drugged.
“I never felt my heart flutter. I didn’t feel anything. I must have gone under very quickly. I would wake up with my pajamas on,” Pelicot told the court, adding that she would sometimes wake up “more tired than usual, but I walk a lot and thought it was that.”
“I’m trying to understand,” she said, “how this husband, who was the perfect man, could have got to this.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says workers at seven Amazon facilities will begin a strike Thursday morning in an effort by the union to pressure the e-commerce giant for a labor agreement during a key shopping period.
The Teamsters say the workers, who authorized walkouts in the past few days, are joining the picket line after Amazon ignored a Dec. 15 deadline the union set for contract negotiations. Amazon says it doesn’t expect any impact on its operations during what the union calls the largest strike against the company in U.S. history.
The Teamsters say they represent nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, a small portion of the 1.5 million people Amazon employs in its warehouses and corporate offices.
Amazon is ranked No. 2 on the Fortune 500 list of the nation’s largest companies.
At a warehouse in the New York City borough of Staten Island, thousands of workers who voted for the Amazon Labor Union in 2022 and have since affiliated with the Teamsters. At the other facilities, employees – including many delivery drivers – have unionized with them by demonstrating majority support but without holding government-administered elections.
The strikes happening Thursday are taking place at an Amazon warehouse in San Francisco and six delivery stations in southern California, New York City, Atlanta and the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois, according to the union’s announcement. Amazon workers at the other facilities are “prepared to join” them, the union said.
“Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it,” he said.
The Seattle-based online retailer has been seeking to re-do the election that led to the union victory at the warehouse on Staten Island, which the Teamsters now represent. In the process, the company has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board.
Meanwhile, Amazon says the delivery drivers, which the Teamsters have organized for more than a year, aren’t its employees. Under its business model, the drivers work for third-party businesses, called Delivery Service Partners, who drop off millions of packages to customers everyday.
“For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement. “The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.“
The Teamsters have argued Amazon essentially controls everything the drivers do and should be classified as an employer.
Some U.S. labor regulators have sided with the union in filings made before the NLRB. In September, Amazon boosted pay for the drivers amid the growing pressure.
NEW YORK — The Teamsters union is launching a strike against Amazon at numerous locations across the country, including in Maspeth, Queens.
The Teamsters are calling it the largest strike against Amazon in United States history, and it’s set to begin at 6 a.m. Thursday. In addition to New York City, workers will be joining picket lines in Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco and Illinois.
In a video announcement released Wednesday night, workers voiced their frustrations.
“Us being strike ready means we’re fed up, and Amazon is clearly ignoring us and we want to be heard,” one worker says in the video.
“It’s really exciting. We’re taking steps for ourselves to win better conditions, better benefits, better wages,” another worker in the video says.
The union says it represents about 10,000 Amazon employees and that Amazon ignored a deadline to come to the table and negotiate. The $2 trillion company doesn’t pay employees enough to make ends meet, the union asserts.
At the height of the holiday season, many are wondering what this means for packages currently in transit.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed.”
Amazon says Teamsters are misleading the public
An Amazon spokesperson says the Teamsters are misleading the public and do not represent any Amazon employees, despite any claims.
“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
An Amazon representative says the company doesn’t expect operations to be impacted.
