A Weekend With Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max: 8 Things To Keep In Mind
I spent the weekend with Apple’s new iPhones, what my initial thoughts are before my in-depth review.
The iPhone 16 models have been launched in India with great fanfare, despite a somewhat lukewarm reception in the US. I first tried the new phones at Apple Park in Cupertino during the launch a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve now been using them over the past few days. Here are my initial thoughts. While this isn’t a full-fledged review, these are my first impressions based on using the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 as my daily drivers this past weekend. Think of it as a mini-review of sorts.
1. Design: From the outside, unless you notice the camera control or can spot the ultra-thin bezels, you won’t immediately see much difference in the design. Of course, the other tell-tale sign is the new colour—Desert Titanium. I tested the bare titanium version, which, to me, looks nicer and is a slight improvement over the rather bland titanium of the previous model. In use, coming from the iPhone 15 Pro Max, there’s no noticeable difference, even though the weight has increased by 6 grams. That being said, if you plan on using a case from the older iPhone 15 Pro Max, it won’t fit.
2. Battery life: The battery life on this phone is impressive. I received the phone on Thursday afternoon and am writing this at 6 am on Monday. I’ve only charged it twice, most recently unplugging it on Sunday evening. At the moment, the battery is at 90%. In three and a half days, I’ve only charged the phone twice, and I likely won’t need to charge it through Monday. This is the single biggest usability improvement. Additionally, both wired and wireless charging are faster.
3. Camera: The camera updates might feel minor unless you explore new features like updated photographic styles and 4K video at 120 FPS. I tested these features, and photographic styles may be the most underrated announcement from Apple’s keynote. It goes beyond a simple filter and acts more like a LUT (look-up table) that can be controlled in detail using a D-pad-like interface to adjust mood and undertones. This feature significantly impacts the look and feel of photos. If you’re familiar with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, unless you use photographic styles or shoot in low light, this new feature will have the most noticeable effect. You can even mimic the look of Xiaomi’s Leica styles, Vivo’s Zeiss modes, or the vibrant colours Samsung’s cameras produce, allowing you to create a photographic look unique to you. Aside from this, the biggest upgrade is the faster lens for better low-light shots and the remarkable 4K 120 FPS video, which is the best video quality you can get from a phone. Apple has also addressed the lens flare issue that has plagued the iPhone 15 series quite significantly. While it may not be as precise as the Zeiss T* coating found on phones like the Vivo X100 Pro, it is still quite effective in mitigating the flare.
4. Audio: For someone like me, the audio mix is a game-changer. The audio quality has improved, thanks to the stereo microphones, and the audio mix feature enables various mix downs, including studio, in-frame, cinematic, or standard, for video audio. The results are highly impressive and feel more professional compared to features like the Google Pixel’s audio eraser. Content creators will love this as it reduces the need for external microphones. For creators who use inexpensive microphones, the iPhone 16 Pro models will render them obsolete and render them redundant. Suffice to say, these are the best microphones I’ve ever encountered on a smartphone.
5. Camera control: It takes some getting used to, especially on the Pro Max, where it’s more cumbersome due to the size. It was easier to use on the standard iPhone 16. The type of case you use also matters—some cheaper cases from social media or e-commerce sites may not be fully compatible with the haptic button hybrid system. I tested the Apple clear case, and it required a firm press, whereas another case had a cutout that made pressing the button feel awkward. It takes time to get used to, especially in portrait mode, where it’s tricky, and you’re better off using the camera shutter button on the screen. The biggest benefit? The hidden settings it reveals, and I believe the two-step shutter button will also help.
6. Performance: Performance isn’t an issue with this phone. I didn’t bother with benchmarks, but I played Assassin’s Creed Mirage, edited video on Premiere Rush, and switched between apps without any slowdown. The phone didn’t even warm up, indicating that the new thermal enclosure is working well. I’m sure there will be more to discuss when I conduct a full benchmark for the review.
7. Fundamentals: The iPhone’s fundamentals remain exceptional as always. This phone has one of the nicest displays with over 2,000 nits of peak brightness. I didn’t test the new ceramic shield, but despite its jewellery-like precision, the phone is tough as nails. The stereo speakers are still the best on any phone, making it great for watching films, especially with the edge-to-edge display. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the selfie camera, which feels outdated and in need of an upgrade, as it’s the weakest among flagship models.
8. Software: Apple hasn’t introduced Apple Intelligence to this phone yet, but it will roll out in phases with iOS 18.1. However, iOS 18 itself is quite neat, with major home screen customisation options, including a new dark mode for icons and gradients, and the ability to move icons around widgets. There are several small features already in place, like wind noise reduction, the ability to pause video recording, an enhanced dialogue feature in the Apple TV+ app, and the ability to play music in the background while shooting video, with the music becoming the background track. The power button is now in the control centre for easy access, and Safari can block distracting elements like adverts. I would even venture to say that there are more significant changes in iOS 18, even without the Apple Intelligence features, compared to Android 15, which, by the way, has not been released on the latest Pixel smartphones.
The big update with iOS 18.1 will be Apple Intelligence, which will make the iPhone 16 models more user-friendly with features like text summarisation and proofing at a system level, Visual Intelligence triggered by camera control, and support for third-party integrations. Additionally, a revamped Siri will run entirely on the device, making the iPhone more helpful. It should also be noted that the baseline iPhone 16 will provide 90 percent of the experience you’re going to get with the iPhone 16 Pro models — you may compromise on a bit of battery life, peak performance, and telephoto zoom, but other than that, even the iPhone 16 is almost a pro phone this year.
