As the anticipation builds for Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ event on September 9, where the iPhone 17 series will be officially unveiled, new leaks have provided a glimpse into what the next-gen iPhones will bring to the table. The spotlight is on the iPhone 17 Air, the new model that is rumoured to be Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever since the iPhone 6, measuring just 5.5mm on the sides. New 120Hz OLED displays and the A19 generation chip are expected to make these iPhones even better.
However, it is the iPhone 17 Pro Max that is expected to be the best-equipped model in the lineup. Succeeding the iPhone 16 Pro Max, this variant of the iPhone 17 series is rumoured to bring big upgrades to the camera system, along with raw processing power. With a boosted price tag, however, this iPhone 17 Pro Max may put off many buyers and could even force people to consider the smaller iPhone 17 Pro.
Hence, we are interested in finding out how much do you get if you are considering upgrading from the iPhone 16 Pro Max and whether Apple will be right to justify the price bump this year.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max
We will focus on some of the key parameters for the comparison between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Camera system
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to feature a major camera overhaul. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max had a 48MP main sensor and a 48MP ultrawide camera, the new iPhone 17 Pro Max model is tipped to have a triple 48MP camera setup – the telephoto camera is now said to get a 48MP sensor. This should allow for high-resolution zoom performance, thus enhancing the digital zoom quality drastically. This new system is expected to introduce support for 8K video recording, a first for an iPhone.
Front-facing camera
The selfie camera is also getting a boost. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to come with a new 24MP front camera, which would be a notable upgrade from the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 12MP front camera. This should result in sharper and more detailed selfies and video calls.
Battery
Battery life is a key concern for many users, and Apple seems to have listened. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to pack the largest battery ever in an iPhone, with a rumoured capacity of 5,000mAh. This is a significant jump from the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery and should provide even longer usage on a single charge. A solid two-day battery life phone? Maybe.
Performance
The iPhone 16 Pro Max utilises the A18 Pro chipset, which is already a performance powerhouse. Under the hood of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to be give it the latest A19 Pro chipset. This new chip, along with a rumoured increase to 12GB of RAM, should deliver a considerable performance boost, making the iPhone 17 Pro Max faster and more efficient at handling demanding tasks and multitasking.
Design
The iPhone 17 Pro Max may also see a notable design change from its predecessor. Leaks suggest a shift from the previous titanium build to a glass-aluminium finish. Additionally, the camera island is rumoured to change from a squarish shape to a rectangular bump, giving the phone a fresh look. This should give the Pro iPhone a fresh new look and encourage more people to consider an upgrade.
New colours
To complete the design refresh, Apple is expected to introduce new colour options, with “fiery orange” being one of the rumoured additions. This would offer users more choices to personalise their device. There’s also a new blue colourway expected to spice up the desirability.
Reduced Dynamic Island
Finally, the Dynamic Island feature is also expected to be updated. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to have a reduced-size Dynamic Island, which would create a more immersive viewing experience with a larger display area.
Conclusion
With these seven upgrades, the iPhone 17 Pro Max appears set to be a significant evolution in Apple’s flagship smartphone line, promising major improvements in camera, performance, and battery life over the iPhone 16 Pro Max.