Ahoy, camera button! The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s largest smartphone. Its display has once again grown and this year, a dedicated camera button has found its way onto the iPhone. However, it has more to offer than just that, even if Apple Intelligence isn’t yet available in the EU.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max follows last year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. Amongst other things, the smartphone has been given a more modern SoC, which forms an important basis for the new Apple Intelligence. Unfortunately, the AI functions from Apple won’t be coming to the EU for the time being and even in the US, they will follow at a later date.
Aside from a new chipset, its camera has been given a new ultra-wide-angle sensor, Wi-Fi 7 is finally on board, it features an improved Ceramic Shield and has a dedicated camera button. In addition, the iPhone is said to be even more sustainable, as it is now easier to repair and is manufactured using more recycled materials.
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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (iPhone 16 Series)
Processor:Apple A18 Pro 6 x – 4 GHz
Graphics adapter:Apple A18 Pro GPU Memory:8 GB, LPDDR5
Display:6.90 inch 19.55:9, 2868 x 1320 pixel 458 PPI, Capacitive, Super Retina XDR OLED, Ceramic Shield, LTPO 1 – 120 Hz, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, glossy: yes, HDR, 120 Hz
Storage:256 GB NVMe, 256 GB
, 238 GB free
Weight：227 g ( = 8.01 oz / 0.5 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds) Price：NZ$2,399
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.
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Case – A new color for the 16 Pro Max
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max continues to rely on a frame made of a titanium alloy and weighing in at 227 grams, it is a little heavier. According to the manufacturer, it has a thickness of 8.25 millimeters, while we measured 8.3 millimeters. The camera hump has grown a little, now adding an additional 4.3 millimeters (15 Pro Max: 4.1 mm), resulting in a build height of 12.6 millimeters at the thickest point.
Even so, the iPhone 16 Pro Max isn’t top-heavy and feels comfortable to hold despite its size. Its build quality is great and the feel of the materials is excellent. All the gaps are tight and even. Only a slight creaking noise could be heard when trying to twist it. The SIM slot cover sits flush with the frame and even the tray for the nano-SIM is made of metal.
The Apple smartphone is IP68-certified, so it is dust and waterproof. It also complies with the IEC standard 60529, meaning it can be submerged to a depth of up to six meters for at least 30 minutes without any problems. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in Natural Titanium, white, black and Desert Titanium. The latter is the color of our test device.
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Connectivity – The iPhone 16 series with a camera button
(Image credit: Apple)
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a fast USB 3.2 port (Gen 2), which achieved high transfer rates of 498.85 MB/s in our copying test with a connected Samsung 980 Pro (Asus ROG Strix Arion Case, USB 3.2 Gen. 2). External data carriers can be formatted with all file systems commonly used by Apple, and FAT32 and exFAT are also supported. The interface also supports wired image output in Ultra HD at up to 60 frames per second and HDR.
The action button is also on board once more and adding to this on the opposite long side of the phone is a dedicated camera button. In itself, this isn’t really anything new, as you can also find this feature in other phones, such as the Xperia 1 VI. However, Apple has come up with some new ideas, as the button is also a sensor surface that can recognize pressure and swipe gestures and is protected by sapphire glass. The camera can be launched directly using this button—a long press starts a video recording, and you can use swipe gestures to change the depth of field, for example. An upcoming update will also allow different pressure levels to be recognized in order to control the autofocus and exposure even more effectively. Whether the button represents added value probably depends on personal preference. In any case, it already works very well.
Moreover, the phone comes with a 2nd-gen ultra-wideband chip (UWB), Bluetooth 5.3 as well as NFC.
Software – The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with iOS 18
The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes delivered with iOS 18 and in our test, it ran using version 18.0.1. It will likely receive updates for at least five years. iOS 18 sees Apple having added lots of customization options and laying the foundation for Apple Intelligence.
These are AI functions that are intended to enable intelligent image and video editing, for example to remove unwanted objects or people from images. Apple’s AI can also summarize, write or correct texts. Siri should also benefit by filtering out slips of the tongue or answering follow-up questions. The first version will be rolled out in the US with iOS 18.1, with other English-speaking regions to follow by the end of the year. Only the EU has been left out in the cold so far, which Apple justifies with uncertainties in connection with the European Digital Markets Act (DMA). It will therefore probably not be available before the first quarter of 2025, but Apple wants to create the linguistic basis by then. Why Samsung and Google, among others, are already able to offer very similar and even more AI functions in Europe will probably remain the Californians’ secret.
Cameras – New ultra-wide angle and Ultra HD at 120fps
The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s front-facing camera has remained unchanged, and it comes with an autofocus once more. The photos look great and there are lots of settings options. You can record video in Ultra HD at best (60fps, Dolby Vision).
The main camera has a 48-MP sensor which uses optical image stabilization with a sensor-shift (Gen 2). A 3D sensor shift also stabilizes the zoom, which again allows 5x optical magnification and 25x digital magnification. New, however, is the 48-MP ultra-wide-angle sensor which also serves as a macro lens.
The primary camera uses pixel binning and usually takes pictures at 24 MP (12 and 48 MP are also possible). The resulting shots look good overall and can be customized individually or using predefined settings via the photography styles if required. Compared to the competition, however, its slightly lower dynamic range is noticeable in the lake scene. The iPhone also delivers a strong performance in low light.
The main lens nominally shoots with a focal length of 24 mm. However, 28 and 35 mm can also be used without loss via a sensor crop. 5x optical zoom is available for longer focal lengths and can also be used digitally up to a tenfold magnification. A maximum of 25x zoom is possible, the results of which can be seen during post-processing, but they are basically still okay as long as their use doesn’t go beyond social media. The image stabilization works very well and keeps things looking stable even at longer focal lengths. However, the camera button can hardly be used in this case, as its pressure point is very firm, which can quickly lead to the camera shaking when zooming.
Videos can be recorded in Ultra HD at best, with frame rates ranging from 24 to 120fps, including PAL formats at 25, 50 and 100fps. Dolby Vision is also on board again. If required, videos can be recorded in ProRes, provided an external data carrier is connected to the iPhone 16 Pro Max. You can even do so at a high frame rate. These 10-bit HDR recordings are possible in Ultra HD at up to 120fps, but require more storage space due to their lower compression and are limited to 8 minutes. The new 120fps recordings make impressive slow-motion videos possible, including Dolby Vision. Spatial videos for Vision Pro (1,080p @ 30fps) can also be recorded.
Apple promises nothing less than studio quality for its microphones, and they actually proved to be very low-noise during our test. With the new Audio Mix tool, the sound post-processing of videos is very extensive and you can even suppress unwanted noises outside the image, which can also be graded and works wonderfully in everyday life.
Sustainability
The packaging of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is completely plastic-free and, according to Apple, the smartphone is made from over 25 % recycled materials and features a high recycling rate. You can find all the details on Apple’s website, including detailed sustainability reports on most of its products.
Apple has additionally improved the iPhone’s repairability, as confirmed by our colleagues at iFixit. Many components are now easier to access and can be replaced without damaging the device. However, Apple still doesn’t sell spare parts to private individuals.
Compared to the 15 Pro Max, our 256-GB version’s CO2 footprint over its entire life cycle has only been slightly reduced from 75 to 74 kg CO2e. The 1-TB version uses 3 kg less.
Communication and GNSS – Wi-Fi 7 without 320 MHz
The iPhone comes without 320 MHz support, halving its potential data rates.
At first, there was great joy: Wi-Fi 7 at last! But then a little disillusionment set in, as the iPhone 16 Pro Max only supports up to 160 MHz and is therefore just as fast as when using the Wi-Fi 6E network.
While its transmission rates to our reference router, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 (Wi-Fi 6E, 6 GHz), reached a peak of 1,435 MBit/s when transmitting, we noted 1,427 MBit/s with Wi-Fi 7 to an AVM Fritz!Box 5690 Pro (Wi-Fi 7, MLO, 6 GHz). For comparison: the Xiaomi 14 achieves 2,382 MBit/s on the same AVM router, whereby the 2.5 GBit port of the router is the bottleneck, as the Xiaomi even manages up to 3,957 MBit/s on the TP-Link Archer BE800. However, the iPhone’s transmission performance is still stable and MLO is also supported.
When it comes to mobile communications, the Apple smartphone is exemplary, as it supports a large number of frequency bands for all standards, so it should be able to establish the best possible connection worldwide.
Telephone functions and call quality
When held up to your ear, the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers natural voice sound and also does a good job of suppressing annoying ambient noise—provided it isn’t too loud. In loudspeaker mode, the iPhone also performs well, but the user then sounds somewhat muffled.
The Apple smartphone still supports a physical nano SIM card in Germany, where this test was carried out, and can also be expanded with an eSIM. Dual SIM operation is also only possible with eSIMs. In the USA, the phone no longer comes with a physical SIM card slot.
The dual SIM function can be configured extensively during setup: A primary call line must be defined, which can be individually adjusted later for each contact. Both phone numbers can be used for FaceTime if required. Mobile data can be set to one SIM, but the cell phone can optionally switch to the other line if the primary line is too weak. One small drawback is the lack of dual app support. Although this can be compensated for via apps from the App Store, there is always a charge.
Accessories and warranty – Now without a sticker
Apple has further slimmed down the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s scope of delivery, but it still comes with a SIM tool and a USB-C cable. The latter is again covered in fabric. However, there is no longer an Apple sticker included.
The range of optional accessories continues to grow, not least thanks to protective covers from Beats , which are also MagSafe-compatible. If you still need a suitable power supply unit (30 watts), you will have to invest US$39 for the rather bulky original model.
Its warranty only lasts for 12 months. You can also take out an optional insurance package called Care+. This costs a one-off fee of US$199 and includes unlimited repairs in the event of accidental damage, express replacement service and priority support. Depending on the damage, additional charges may apply. Theft and loss can also be insured for US$269, which covers up to two cases per year. If you prefer, you can also pay for the service on a monthly basis (US$9.99 or US$13.49), which has a minimum term of two years, but can also run for longer.
Battery life – The iPhone 16 Pro Max with over 18 Wh
Power consumption
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has quite a low power consumption which has been greatly improved compared to the 15 Pro Max, especially when switched off. Compared to the competition, its consumption is higher with maximum manual display brightness, but this is due to its higher luminosity.
The iPhone can be charged at 4.5 to 30 watts but it actually doesn’t work as effectively. Using a 30-watt power supply from Apple, the 4,685 mAh battery can be charged to 54 % within 30 minutes—the 80 % mark is reached after one hour and the iPhone needs a further 64 minutes for the remaining 20 %. All in all, this is a very long time, but it also saves battery power.
7.5 watts can be used wirelessly via Qi and 15 watts using Qi2. Up to 25 watts are possible with a MagSafe charger. The iPhone can charge other devices via USB-C at up to 4.5 watts.
Verdict – The bar has been raised again
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a good total package. Although it only comes with some minor improvements compared to last year’s model, the leap is still big if you’re coming from an iPhone 13 Pro or an older model. The smartphone boasts a brilliant display, great performance and a versatile camera setup.
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is clearly no bargain, but it is a true powerhouse.
From a hardware standpoint, Apple has done lots right—only its lack of the 320-MHz band for Wi-Fi 7 is a little confusing. We would also like to have seen at least one high-res codec for Bluetooth.
Its charging speeds aren’t particularly fast, but this is because Apple has placed its focus on the longevity of its energy storage units. Even so, a little more could definitely have been possible.
Why the new Apple Intelligence functions aren’t being released directly in Europe remains questionable. By the time this happens, Samsung’s Galaxy AI will have been on the market for more than a year.
Within the Apple universe, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the measure of all things; if you prefer smaller smartphones, then the iPhone 16 Pro could be a viable alternative. If you’d like to make use of AI functions immediately, then you should take a look at the Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Magic6 Pro, which also has a lot going for itself.
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Price and availability
You can purchase the new Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max directly from Apple, as well as from most major online retailers, including Amazon.