iPhone 16 Pro Max - My Initial Review!

Summary

In this review, the user shares their experience with the iPhone 16 Pro Max in Desert Titanium, comparing it to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. While impressed with its larger 6.9-inch display and smoother back texture, they encountered issues during setup and were disappointed with the new camera control button's functionality. Minor improvements include a brighter display and slightly enhanced low-light photography, but many new features, such as Apple Intelligence, are delayed. Overall, the user feels the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers marginal upgrades, leaving them underwhelmed.

Takeaways

• 📱 The user has been using the iPhone 16 Pro Max in desert titanium due to a delay in receiving the black unit.
• 🖐️ The phone feels slightly bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max but not uncomfortably so, with a smoother back texture.
• ⚠️ The setup process for transferring data from the 15 Pro Max was glitchy, requiring multiple attempts to complete.
• ⌨️ Typing on the wider display is easier, but the haptics feel weaker and less uniform compared to the 15 Pro Max.
• 📸 The camera control button is poorly placed and awkward to use one-handed, though it offers quick camera launch capabilities.
• 📷 Daytime photos on the iPhone 16 Pro Max show minimal improvement over the 15 Pro Max, but night shots are slightly sharper with less noise.
• 📐 The bezels are thinner on the desert titanium model, but this is mainly due to the frame's visibility and may appear thicker on the black version.
• 🔋 Battery life is noticeably better, offering around a 20% improvement over the 15 Pro Max.
• 🎥 The 4K 120 FPS video mode has limitations, such as only working with the main lens and causing flickering in some scenarios.
• 🤖 Features like Apple intelligence and visual intelligence are delayed and will not be available until 2025, making the phone feel incomplete at launch.

Q & A

What is the user's main issue with the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera control button placement?

The user finds the camera control button placement to be too low, making it uncomfortable to reach when using the phone in portrait mode and requiring an awkward grip in landscape mode.

How does the iPhone 16 Pro Max's haptic feedback on the keyboard compare to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The haptic feedback on the iPhone 16 Pro Max's keyboard is weaker and softer due to the addition of an extra haptic engine for the camera control button, which the user prefers less than the haptic response on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What is the user's opinion on the bezels of the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The user notices that the bezels are incredibly thin, but the appearance of their thinness is affected by the color of the phone, with the desert titanium version making them appear even thinner due to the visible frame.

How does the user feel about the iPhone 16 Pro Max's responsiveness compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The user finds the iPhone 16 Pro Max to be notably more responsive, especially when launching apps through Spotlight search.

What was the user's experience with the setup process of the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The setup process was not great for the user, as it kept failing and freezing during the camera control setup, requiring multiple restarts and data transfer attempts.

How does the user describe the feel of the iPhone 16 Pro Max in hand compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The user feels that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is bigger but not as big and uncomfortable as expected, and it feels marginally bigger coming from the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What is the user's view on the new photographic Styles feature on the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The user views the new photographic Styles as a software feature that is mostly the same as on the iPhone 15 Pro, with the addition of adjustable color intensity.

What is the user's opinion on the new 4K 120 FPS video mode on the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

The user is not a fan of the new 4K 120 FPS video mode due to its limitations, such as not being able to switch lenses and the large file sizes it produces.

How does the user feel about the improvements in the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The user is disappointed with the camera improvements, noting that they are very minor and mostly related to image processing tweaks.

What is the user's take on the iPhone 16 Pro Max's battery life compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

The user has noticed a rough 20% improvement in battery life on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which they consider to be a positive aspect of the new phone.