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This is why only China didn’t see a price hike this year when the local currency has depreciated against the dollar significantly. Apple software doesn’t have a significant ecosystem advantage in China because of the Chinese super apps like WeChat, AliPay, etc., acting as operating systems. No one cares about blue bubbles there. Most Apple media related services are not available in China, with the exception of Apple Music, but it’s not even competitive locally.
 
I miss the old days when there was just one iPhone, the new iPhone. Now it is Pro, it is Max, it is SE, it is previous generation models. I'm daily Macrumos visitor for many years and yet, I'll be struggling to remember all the difference between the iPhones in the current portfolio. What is the difference between iPhone 13 and 14? Is iPhone 12 Pro better than iPhone 14? What happened with Apple's slogan "we focus only on few things"?!
People complained and moaned about Apple's monolithic approach, lauded Android for having different form factors to meet different needs, complained the phones were too small, complained the phones were too big, complained the bezels were too big, complained the phones were too expensive, complained there weren't enough reasons to justify owning a pro model.

This is just the result of Apple taking on user feedback, for better or worse.
 
This is why I’m just getting the 14 pro. I wanted to wait for the periscope lens, but I didn’t want the massive pro max. Coming from a 12 pro, the 14 pro will have a number of new features, including the 3x zoom, macro photos, and 120hz screen that my 12 pro was missing from the 13 pro, let alone all the 14 pro upgrades. Maybe in two years, the periscope will make it to the regular pro model.

Oh, and I love the flat form factor of the 12-14 models. If the 15 changes it back to the curved, I’d be kicking myself for not getting the 14 when it was new.
 
Here's the lineup as it should be:

4" and 5" iPhone SE with home button (SE first generation design; USB-C; one rear camera)

5" iPhone mini, 5.6" iPhone, 6.2" iPhone Plus and 6.8" iPhone Max (USB-4; three rear cameras; 120 Hz) (love island = dynamic island)

Simple and clear lineup. Done.
 
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The gap between the Pro and the standard devices began to close with the iPhone 12, and the lines got increasingly blurred with iPhone 13.

This would have been doubly true now that Apple is offering the 6.7" size in the standard iPhone 14 lineup, as many consumers have opted for the Pro Max iPhones for the size alone.

In fact, the number-one justification a lot of everyday users had for upgrading was for the Max size.

Essentially, upgrading to the Pro meant a stainless steel chassis and a telephoto lens. LiDAR and ProMotion are nice, but not incredibly marketable.

Now, the Pro is once again getting features that are immediately appreciable like the Dynamic Island as well as notably better cameras among other relatively significant upgrades.
I couldn’t agree more. As an owner of an iPhone X and upgrading to a 12 I saw very little reason to opt for the 12 Pro. The 13 line also seemed to have very few differences for the average user. Features like the dynamic island, better cameras, and satellite sos etc. definitely seem to differentiate the line up.
 
Is this where the Pro Max becomes Ultra?
Hopefully. Definitely makes the naming more clear.

Now:
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max

It's all too similar.

iPhone 15 shows it's the basic model
iPhone 15 Plus shows it's a bigger size
iPhone 15 Pro shows it has more features
iPhone 15 Ultra separates it from the regular Pro and Plus models.
 
I was thinking the exact same -The 14 line-up is the most segmented we’ve ever seen and the first line-up where “in the future only iPhones Pro will be a genuine upgrade” strategy is undeniably coming into play.

They must have misquoted someone because there’s almost no similarities in upgrades/value between the mid-tier 14 and 14 Plus versus the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.
Yeah I was wondering if it was a misquote too!

Plus this concept started back with the X or one of the earlier “max” versions where you had to have the max model to get the better camera!!
 
Here's the lineup as it should be:

4" and 5" iPhone SE with home button (SE first generation design; USB-C; one rear camera)

5" iPhone mini, 5.6" iPhone, 6.2" iPhone Plus and 6.8" iPhone Max (USB-4; three rear cameras; 120 Hz)

Simple and clear lineup. Done.

I'm a small phone person and even I wouldn't be interested in a phone with a 4" or 5" screen. People use these devices for way more stuff than they did in the early to mid-2010s when these screen sizes were popular. I understand the frustration of the last holdouts, but this particular ship has sailed.

Personally I felt the 5.4" was a nice compromise and I'd welcome it if they brought back the size of the current SE in an all-screen design (~5.8" with reduced bezels?).
 
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Apple will further differentiate its "Pro" and non-"Pro" iPhone models with next year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

f1662573062.jpg

In a series of tweets earlier today, Kuo said that further differentiating the iPhone lineup would increase sales of the "Pro" models. To this end, Kuo said that "Apple will also start creating differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro," using a "precise product segmentation strategy to generate more sales/profits in a mature market."

This differentiation would presumably occur by giving individual devices in the iPhone 15 lineup different features, providing more reasons to be upsell next year's iPhone models. The only differentiating features between the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, are display size and battery life.

It is not yet clear how capabilities could be separated across the iPhone 15 lineup, with some features such as the Dynamic Island expected to expand to the entire selection of devices, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max could be the only model to feature a periscope telephoto camera system.

One of the reasons Apple is able to do this, "even though hardware innovation has become more challenging and the market has matured," is believed to be cause the "Android camp still poses no threat to Apple in the high-end market" due to brand value and ecosystem disadvantages. That being said, Kuo added that Qualcomm's transfer of high-end chips for Android devices from Samsung to TSMC, Apple's chip supplier, as well as an aggressive push toward foldable phones, could help Android regain ground in the years ahead.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple to Further Separate Devices in iPhone 15 Lineup With Different Features
"The only differentiating features between the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, are display size and battery life. "

Are yous serious ?
 
What a mess to get all features you must go pro max, this will cause burdens for those who do not like big screen phones, rip the mini.

For me the iphone 15 pro max will be another waste of a upgrade. I am holding out for the iPhone 16 pro max, hopefully they might differentiate it with an increase of the screen size by removing Face ID.
 
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This is classic Consumer Electronics strategy being played out. It’s been studied for decades.
 
the iPhone 15 Pro Max could be the only model to feature a periscope telephoto camera system.

I already skipped 2 upgrades just for this, but a Max doesn't fit in my pockets. I actually want a Mini Pro and I already have an iPad Mini. I might even start to consider an Android phone with decent zoom. A Dynamic Island doesn't allow me to do more with my phone (it just is funkier), which is my only consideration.
 
Life isn’t fair I know, but I am always frustrated when Apple offers specific hardware features on the Pro Max only. It feels like I am being punished for not wanting that physically large a phone. I understand advantages that are inherent to the larger screen and even for examples if they offered UI enhancements the larger screen could take advantage of, but when they offer better screen tech, better cameras, etc. it just seems wrong somehow. Oh well.

iPhone 14 Pro order already placed…
 
locking better features behind the bigger phone is a nonstarter for me. I won't own a Plus or Max size phone again.
 
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It's mad limiting features based on phone-size. Size is probably the first factor to consider for people buying a mobile phone.
 
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Great, back to the iPhone 7/7 Plus and 8/8Plus days. And last time they did that was the 12 Pro Max with the better camera.

The whole point of the Pro line is to be able to get the best features no matter the size, but it looks like Apple keeps taking cues from Samsung, even the Ultra name.
 
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No... I understand differentiating the pro and basic, but not the sizes. I hated having to get the max model just for the best camera. The 6.1 is a much better size for me and I've been very happy with the last couple models being identical aside from size. I don't want the giant phone.
 
If they go back to only having the best camera in the largest phone then "innovation" is going backwards.
Exactly. They hamstrung the iPhone 13 Mini by not having the features the Pro models had. I want a Mini but, I also want the best camera's and processing. I purchased the iPhone 7 Plus due to the better camera than the regular 7 and regretted it every single day. It's just too large of a phone for me from fitting into pockets easily and using it with one hand.
 
It would only make sense for the Max to have exclusive features to make better use of extra room. It's a waste for all that extra room to go only to battery. Yeah, you feel like you're "missing out" on features, but to think the only difference should be battery and screen size is a terrible use of extra room when they can pack in more innovative hardware.
 
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In months past my mantra was I would await a true optical zoom before upgrading my 13ProMax 512 but then I thought the 14 was a sure thing for me when I heard the news about emergency texting via satellite. I spend a fair bit of time in the wilderness. Serious wilderness... but when I learned the satellite connection would not work as far north as I live I decided to pass on the 14. The rest of the upgrades are not that important to me so I will continue to await a true optical zoom, hopefully on the 15. If I get USB-C all the better. Imagine a day of 48MP (75MB) shooting with a bit of prores video thrown in followed by the transfer across lightening connector. I shoot prores video and raw and my transfer time involves making coffee so...yeah...optical zoom and USB-C (at some reasonably fast transfer speed) will get me to step up. Be good now, children.
 
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