Is the iPhone 15 Pro Max the overall best phone money can buy in (early) 2024? We're sure hardcore Apple fans will be quick to shout "yes" at the top of their lungs, and for the most part, our in-depth review of the company's latest super-flagship corroborates and backs up that title.
Of course, that doesn't mean there's no more room for progress in practically every important department, especially with the Galaxy S24 Ultra looking like a mighty contender for the same crown at first glance. Unsurprisingly, Apple is widely expected to be preparing a number of crucial improvements for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and although we're likely still around eight months away from the official announcement of said next-gen mobile powerhouse, one key upgrade virtually guaranteed already will come to the primary camera.
All-new sensor, greater-than-ever skills
Let's start with the bad news. If you're the kind of user that cares about the megapixel wars, you'll probably be disappointed to hear (once again) that Apple has no plans to go beyond the current numbers of the iPhone 15 Pro Max for the handset's sequel.
In particular, the main shooter on the back of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is tipped (by multiple generally reliable sources) to retain its predecessor's 48 megapixel count. But while that may sound vastly inferior to the 200MP monster headlining the S24 Ultra's rear-facing camera system, its real-world photography and videography performance is likely to prove anything but disappointing or underwhelming.
That's because megapixels are way less important than, for instance, the type of imaging sensor used by a high-end mobile device nowadays. And the iPhone 16 Pro Max is predicted by one of the most trustworthy leakers on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo to feature Sony's as-yet-unannounced IMX903 sensor for its primary snapper.
That will replace the IMX803 present on both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max, and although it's far too early to go into a lot of specifics, major improvements to the real-life imaging skills of Apple's best smartphone are all but guaranteed.
Naturally, the Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to employ a "custom" version of this next-gen 48MP sensor, which should be significantly larger in physical size than the 14 Pro Max's 48MP shooter while supporting such state-of-the-art technologies as a 14-bit ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) and DCG (dual conversion gain).
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At 1/1.14 inches, this hot new imaging sensor will not be the biggest in the mobile industry, but a stacked design with "double-layer transistors" should further help the iPhone 16 Pro Max bid for the title of world's greatest camera phone in the fall with a real chance of leaving all of its rivals in the dust in terms of overall imaging performance... in actual, day-to-day scenarios.
Periscope telephoto lens and "more curved" screen also incoming
Water is wet, the sky is blue, and another ultra-high-end smartphone is expected to carry a secondary periscope telephoto sensor on its back. Unfortunately, Weibo's Digital Chat Station provides no concrete information on the capabilities or potential upgrades of this particular iPhone 16 Pro Max camera, which was previously rumored to make a big jump of its own in performance while taking the optical zoom functionality from 3x all the way up to 6x.
Obviously, this "super-periscope" telephoto shooter needs a little more corroboration from one or two other sources before you can raise your (realistic) expectations, and the same goes for a rumor from a few months ago about the smaller iPhone 16 Pro possibly gaining periscope telephoto technology as well.
A very interesting tidbit (vaguely) mentioned on Weibo today suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen could be "more curved" than that of its forerunner, which would certainly come at an odd time as the former king of curved displays is going flatter and flatter with each new Galaxy S generation. For now, we'll treat this as idle speculation or something that users will barely notice if it does end up materializing.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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