I recently upgraded my iPhone 12 to the iPhone 14 Pro Max and wasn’t considering upgrading again. However, Apple’s WWDC show changed my mind and I’m now considering an upgrade. There’s a catch, though, because I’m still not interested in the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max for a few reasons.
If you haven’t seen the show, let me tell you, Apple’s WWDC keynote revealed several amazing updates coming to iOS 18, but none more impressive than the introduction of Apple Intelligence.
However, Apple has chosen to lock down some of the best features on most iPhone models. The reason seems to be due to the lack of RAM in older iPhones. Apple Intelligence seems to require a device with at least 8GB of RAM, most iPhones don’t exceed 6GB.
Although I’m tempted to upgrade, I’m still not sold on the iPhone 15 Pro for a few reasons, so I may have to wait a while before trying out new iOS 18 features.
What is the problem with the iPhone 15 Pro series
It may seem strange that despite wanting to upgrade, I have no interest in the only device available at this stage. However, I’m not interested in the new phone for the simple reason that it’s not different enough to give me the money.
In my opinion, a new phone should be noticeably different from the previous device, either in terms of hardware or software. In the name of fairness, let’s compare my current iPhone 14 Pro Max to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
At first glance, the phones look almost the same and the specs back it up. First, the screen sizes and refresh rates are almost the same, and the cameras have similar sensors, except for the higher zoom for the telephoto lens, and the battery life is about the same.
However, there are some differences in favor of the iPhone 15 Pro. First there’s the inclusion of the action button, which you can set to perform multiple tasks. The other major difference is the new A17 Pro chip, which is a noticeable upgrade from the A16 Bionic chip on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
When we tested both phones on Geekbench, we saw a 10% increase in the single-core score and a 9% increase in the multi-core score. Overall, the problem is that there just isn’t enough here to shell out more than a penny for a new iPhone 15 Pro Max.
While there were some changes between the devices, they were fairly minimal. The two iPhones looking the same was already a negative point, but the general lack of real increases is the final nail in the coffin.
I might be tempted by the iPhone 16 Pro Max
A few months ago I wrote an article about how uninterested I was in the iPhone 16 Pro Max due to the limited performance and relatively minor hardware changes. However, I also stated that the inclusion of AI might change my mind. Interestingly, this seems to have happened.
I honestly didn’t expect the introduction of Apple Intelligence to sway me to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but the features alone are enough. First, the rewrite input and text generation are big sales simply because of my accidental input.
Due to dyspraxia, I often misspell words and messages on WhatsApp. This can be inconvenient, especially when you’re messaging someone for work, but Apple’s Intelligence can help solve this problem.
Other features like improved photo editing will only enhance the rumors of camera improvements coming to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, something that was sorely lacking on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Added to this is the introduction of image generation and specifically genmojis which add some much needed fun and can bring me back to the occasional SMS and RCS message.
But how does this relate to choosing between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro Max – after all, both phones get the same features, right? That’s the thing, it’s more about what is being built on and how that adds perceived value.
For example, the difference between the A16 and A17 Pro chips was minimal, but the difference between the A16 and the alleged A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro Max is likely to be larger. As such, paying to upgrade feels like better value for money.
When I upgrade a phone, I expect a noticeable difference from my current model, which is what happened when I switched from the iPhone 12. I suspect that the change to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, even with the improvements of iOS 18, will still feel minimal and leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I’ll wait for the next generation
Choosing when to upgrade your device can be difficult, especially given how similar all new phones look. If you held the last three iPhones side by side, you’d probably have a hard time telling the difference between them at a glance. The big change these days is in the software, and iOS 18 is shaping up to be a major improvement.
However, my issue with the iPhone’s lack of change still stands, and Apple’s iOS 18 isn’t enough to stop me from skipping a generation. It did, however, convince me not to hold on to my current phone for as long as possible, and that may have been Apple’s goal all along.
Having said all that, it’s still relatively early days for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, so most of what we’re hearing is hearsay at best. So I’ll be keeping an eye on our iPhone 16 Pro hub to keep up with all the latest news to make sure I’m still tempted when it finally comes out.
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