Price and performance after six months

I’ve been using Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max for over half a year now, and it’s not only stood up to the rigors of daily life, but it’s been worth every penny.

It was exactly six months ago today that Apple released its iPhone 15 lineup. The 15 Pro Max has been our daily driver ever since.

I’ve been on vacation, experienced life’s big events, and taken more photos than any other device I’ve ever owned.

There’s a growing feeling in the industry that the iPhone is becoming a bit obsolete. The year-over-year changes are getting smaller and smaller, missing the “wow” factor that Apple is known for.

We all find ourselves in this situation from time to time, but with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it feels different. Although half a year has passed, it still feels like a very new experience for me. It’s not perfect, but I haven’t enjoyed an iPhone this much in a while.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review after 6 months: Moving to Max

We’ve used the 6.1-inch Pro for the past few generations, but now that Apple has included a better camera in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, we thought we’d give it another try.

One of the first things that caught our attention was how much of a difference the move to titanium made. It was a lot lighter and wasn’t as hard on our pockets as we remembered.

I also missed the larger screen more than I expected, and the battery life was incredibly long. It’s late afternoon and I still have more than 80% battery life left.

Overall, I’m happy with my choice of the larger size and will probably stick with it next time I upgrade.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Review 6 Months Later: Action Button

One of the biggest new features of the iPhone 15 Pro series is the action button. But six months later, we’re still wondering about its usefulness.

I go through phases where I forget it exists. There’s nothing you can do with an action button that you can’t easily do some other way, such as running a shortcut or opening an app.

Sure, you might be faster at some tasks, but muscle memory is hard to break.

I still automatically swipe left to launch the camera, tap the lock screen to turn on the flashlight, triple tap the side button to turn on Magnifier, and focus mode directly from Control Center. I am changing the .

I currently have Siri Shortcuts set to open a folder. This gives you quick access to measure your blood sugar, run the vacuum, feed your cat, and other frequent tasks.

But that’s only when we remember its existence. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that often.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review after 6 months: Other new features

Action buttons aside, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has other changes to appreciate.

For example, USB-C. I have no doubt that this was a big deal for some users and was desperately needed, but since getting the phone I’ve probably only used it once or twice. .

I think a Qi2 or MagSafe charger would be better. There are a lot of options, but the MagSafe charger’s standby mode is too cool.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about lugging around a Lightning cable, but it wasn’t as big of a change as I expected.

The iPhone 15 Pro is also the first time Apple has added Thread radio to its smartphones. Thread is a networking standard that is not used by most users, but for those who love smart home technology, this is a great addition.

across Apple Insider Stuff, we’ve never measured it, but anecdotally, supported accessories like smart plugs, shades, and lights seem to respond more quickly to commands because your smartphone is almost always nearby. Masu.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max now looks even better. It was impossible to keep the old model clean. This matte finish looks great and doesn’t attract fingerprints, which is another reason I choose to go caseless.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review after 6 months: Camera

Perhaps the most important upgrade to the iPhone is the camera, so let’s talk about that for a second. Fall 2023 brought many meaningful changes, including focal length settings in the camera app, Smart HDR5, and a 5X telephoto lens.

The new telephoto lens is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and is very useful. Not only will your optical zoom photos be greatly improved, but it will also allow up to 25x digital zoom.

You may also use your phone like a magnifying glass or binoculars to see things that are invisible to the naked eye. It’s like a new superpower powered by your iPhone.

What I like most about the new camera is the combination of live and portrait photography. You no longer have to choose between them.

When you take a photo and detect a human, dog, or cat, depth data is automatically captured along with the photo. This was a huge deal, especially for kids.

You can take 10 photos of your child running down the hallway without taking your eyes off them. While viewing the photos, you can select one action shot of her and save it as a Live Photo, and the other as a black and white portrait with a nice bokeh.

To combine all of these camera features, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can record spatial video for use with Vision Pro. Unfortunately, Apple is leaving owners of its famous headset in a bind here.

To record spatial video, you are limited to 1080p. In 2024, standard HD will not be enough.

This is because Apple requires the use of a 12MP UW lens to capture stereoscopic images. Once 12MP is cropped, you can only capture footage at 1080p.

I hate this trade-off, but it looks like Apple is trying to fix it with the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro. These are said to feature a larger 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens with a resolution that captures 4K.

These stereoscopic videos look great, especially when you don’t move the camera much. Tears well up in my eyes as I watch spatial videos of children running around the garden.

They draw you into the moment like nothing else. Not everyone has an Apple Vision Pro, but start capturing these memories now in anticipation of purchasing a 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th generation headset in the future. .

iPhone 15 Pro Max long-term review: Windshield

Our only complaint with the iPhone 15 Pro Max isn’t unique to this phone. This is a problem that has plagued all iPhones in the past.

That’s the windshield.

Apple says it has a special Ceramic Shield coating, but these small scratches will still persist. It’s been half a year and my iPhone is full of small marks.

Using a case may provide some relief, but it still won’t prevent the buildup of microscopic scratches that eventually spread across the display.

You can’t see it when it’s on, but it’s everywhere when the screen is off. This is a cell phone that comes with a price tag of over a thousand dollars, but a piece of junk in your pocket can hurt it.

We don’t drop our phones or put them in our pockets with our keys, but these scratches are noticeable, probably because of the incredibly hard grains of sand that sometimes get in there. Not only does it look unsightly, but it can also hurt your resale value.

This not only looks good, but can also damage the resale value of your phone. For people who upgrade frequently, this is a big problem.

The good news is that Apple has finally decided to do something about this. But not right away.

The iPhone 17, which debuts in 2025, is rumored to have a new anti-glare screen that will provide better protection from scratches. I can’t wait, but like I said, I’m not here today.

iPhone 15 Pro Max review after 6 months: Should you still upgrade?

I love this iPhone. There are even bigger changes this time around to keep the experience fresh again.

USB-C was a bit of an upgrade for me, and I often forgot about the action button. But I love the titanium body and new telephoto lens, and the other camera improvements are great too.

Additionally, Thread introduced my love for smart homes this year. He was also not interested in the A17 Pro processor, which will enable a new era of gaming.

An iPhone is an iPhone, so there’s always been an overwhelming sense of familiarity. But this phone is still a pleasure to use every day.

iPhone 15 Pro Max long-term review: Pros

• Action Button is still a great edition
• Very fast and long battery life
• Telephoto lens is a major upgrade
• Vision Pro’s spatial video is amazing
• The combination of live photo and portrait photography is huge
• USB-C simplifies cables
• Speed ​​up your smart home with Thread Radio

iPhone 15 Pro Max long-term review: Cons

• Screen is easily scratched
• Action buttons are easy to forget

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Where to buy iPhone 15 Pro Max at a discount

Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199, but wireless carriers are encouraging sales of the smartphone, lowering the price to free with bill credits.

We’ve got the best iPhone deals in our roundup, but you can also jump directly to each carrier below.