iPhone 15 Pro Max launches with 5x periscope zoom camera
What's the story?
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple's new flagship smartphone – and it has the most powerful camera we've seen so far on an iPhone.
Launched alongside the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro, the 6.7-inch Pro Max has all of the new features introduced on its siblings, including a new customizable Action Button and, of course, a USB-C port.
But it also delivers Apple's first periscope zoom lens, which gives it a powerful 5x optical zoom to help it take on the best camera phones. Combine that with Apple's 2x crop from the 48MP sensor, and you can get what Apple claims is effectively 10x optical zoom.
It was announced at today's Apple September event – check out our Apple event 2023 live blog if you missed the show – and can be pre-ordered now ahead of its release next Friday (September 22). It costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,199.
What do I need to know about it?
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is, as the rumors predicted, the most expensive iPhone we've seen. But for good reason, as it's also comfortably the most powerful in almost every area.
For starters, it naturally has a USB-C port, which replaces Apple's proprietary Lightning connector. Like the iPhone 15 Pro, this port also offers USB 3 speeds to help you speedily download video files and more.
But the big story are those camera upgrades. Most significantly, the 15 Pro Max has a periscope telephoto camera to help it deliver 5x optical zoom, which is a big jump on the 3x zoom of its predecessor.
While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is similar in size to its predecessor, it also brings a new titanium build, rounded edges and a new customizable Action Button on the side, which had been all-but-revealed by iOS 17.
What do we think of it?
We haven't yet had any hands-on time with the iPhone 15 Pro Max (that is changing as we speak), but based on the specs we're very impressed so far.
There is now clear daylight between the Pro Max and standard iPhone 15 Pro, thanks to those big camera upgrades. So if your wallet hasn't gone into hiding after seeing the price tag, and a 6.7-inch phone isn't too big for you, then it's shaping up to be a fine upgrade. Particularly if your current iPhone is a few years old or more.
It'll undoubtedly be a strong contender for the top spot in our guide to the best phones, not to mention our list of the best camera phones. But you'll bring you our final verdict on that once we've had the pleasure of living with Apple's new flagship.
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