Nice job patting yourself on the back there, but accidents do happen.
Part of the reason I have a case on mine (Apple Silicone) is because it makes the phone more grippy, easier to hold onto, so that it's harder to accidentally drop.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Video Review: iPhone 16 Pro Max, One Year Later
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Part of the reason I have a case on mine (Apple Silicone) is because it makes the phone more grippy, easier to hold onto, so that it's harder to accidentally drop.
That’s the exact last phone I had 14 PM and i highly rec. you upgrade to 16 PM. It’s infinitely lighter and has USB C and camera control is awesome. Truly a game changer….but only for quickly accessing the camera app. I never use it to take pics or change settings hah.
The phone is what titanium? And not aluminum like the next iPhone. The new mute button as action button is very very handy. I use flashlight function on it probably at least once a day for one reason or another…unfortunately, 16 PM is not as light as 15 pro max but the other upgrades make it worth it (like better heat management etc). It also has much better microphones if you happen to record a bunch of voice memos. Bigger screen than 14 PM too…it makes a difference. And battery life feels better as well.
However… one of my favorite features of them all on 16 PM is spatial video/pics so that when Apple vision gets more consumer friendly your spatial content will be ready and waiting.
You have no idea what you’re missing. 16 PM is the one.
I've been using iPhones continuously since the iPhone 4 (not upgrading often - 4, 5, 6, 8, 16pro), and I've never had any of them get any scratches on the screen. I do make a point of carrying it in a pocket without anything that could scratch (can't imagine, say, putting it in a pocket with keys).
Good. Upgrading every year is wasteful.
I find the button extremely useful, for starting up the camera from any state of the iPhone, and for taking pictures without needing both hands (I don't bother with the "slide to adjust" bits).
And the Apple cases (and increasingly some aftermarket cases) cover/protect the camera control button just fine.
As a photographer I could not disagree more strongly with the statement "Camera Control isn't particularly useful." Used properly it can be a huge improvement to image capture; I use it about half the time. Think about mimicking the UI real cameras evolved to over 100 years (as opposed to the absolutely awful technique most users have learned with smartphones).
We're approaching the iPhone 17 launch, and with less than a month to go, MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera decided to take a look back at his year with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has held up well over the last 11 months, with no major problems with the durability or battery life. Battery health has held up well, and Dan's battery is still at 96 percent capacity.
Even with software optimizations over the last several months, the iPhone 16 Pro Max still runs hot at times. You're most likely to feel it heating up when the display is at max brightness in the sun, or when you're doing something that's demanding like playing a GPU-heavy game. Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new vapor chamber cooling system, so we might see some improvement with next year's model.
There are minor scratches on the titanium frame of the device, but it otherwise looks good for a year of use. Dan doesn't use a case and shattered the back glass with a drop, but he had a no questions asked repair with AppleCare+. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an aluminum frame with less glass on the back, so it could be more durable. The front glass of the iPhone has deep scratches, but there's also a rumor that the iPhone 17 models will get a better scratch resistant coating that could improve things.
Camera Control isn't particularly useful except for opening up the Camera app, and it's downright annoying when a setting accidentally gets changed from a mistaken swipe. Performance with the A18 Pro chip has been impressive, and the next iPhone will be even faster.
If you have an iPhone 16 Pro Max, there's probably no reason to upgrade to an iPhone 17 Pro Max based on the rumors we've heard so far, but coming from an older iPhone, it'll be worth it. How has your iPhone 16 held up over the last year? Let us know in the comments below.
Article Link: Video Review: iPhone 16 Pro Max, One Year Later
Wait, what?? No mention of the 16 Pro Max generations' biggest selling point that this phone was "built for Apple Intelligence"?
Whose biggest selling point? I love the 16 PM but never considered AI an issue worth caring about, because I will probably be upgrading from the 16PM before phone AI becomes important.
This is 100% false. Pro series outsold last year already, specifically the Max. Every new release outsells the previous release. This will be no different for the 17 Pro Max.
Was not planning nor care to upgrade from my 15 Pro Max to 17 Pro, but the A17 Pro and overheating issue with 15 Pro Max especially if in the sun for just a couple minutes is maddening. The display dims, phone is noticeably slower. That’s enough to push me to upgrade.
I have the iPhone 16 Pro and I have disabled the camera button and that is just me as I view it now more of a gimmick then anything else. As far as my phone getting hot I never experience it except when it was updating the software which I consider as normal. I will not be changing to the 17 Pro or even the 18 Pro as I am not seeing it as anything more then a cash grab but that is me
As an iPhone 13 mini owner, it’s interesting to hear the diametrically opposed viewpoints on the Camera Control button.
But it would be more interesting if owners said why they love it or hate it so much they turn it off.
But it would be more interesting if owners said why they love it or hate it so much they turn it off.
Other than being too big and heavy (I knew that going into it) my 16PM works very well for me. I don’t know what other people are expecting from a phone, but it meets almost all my expectations.
No issues with overheating.
Camera Control is very useful for consistently being able to open the camera app from any state of the phone and quickly switching lenses and snapping a picture—all with one hand. I use it 90% of the time that I use the camera app.
Of course I always want a better camera, larger storage, etc., but the only real complaint I have is Face ID doesn’t work when the phone is lying flat on a table off to the side when I’m on my laptop, eating, etc. Very annoying having to either pick it up or lean way over every time. But that’s a complaint about Face ID in general, not specific to the 16PM.
Edit-
Might be worth mentioning, I use a bumper case, matte screen protector, and a Snap Grip on my 16PM. All come in very handy.
No issues with overheating.
Camera Control is very useful for consistently being able to open the camera app from any state of the phone and quickly switching lenses and snapping a picture—all with one hand. I use it 90% of the time that I use the camera app.
Of course I always want a better camera, larger storage, etc., but the only real complaint I have is Face ID doesn’t work when the phone is lying flat on a table off to the side when I’m on my laptop, eating, etc. Very annoying having to either pick it up or lean way over every time. But that’s a complaint about Face ID in general, not specific to the 16PM.
Edit-
Might be worth mentioning, I use a bumper case, matte screen protector, and a Snap Grip on my 16PM. All come in very handy.
Last edited:
16PM has been fine. iOS 18 hasn't been the best release so I'm hopeful 26 turns things around and the second year is better than the first. I use the Camera Control button a decent amount - the swipe isn't especially helpful but having it as an actual shutter/launch button is just fine.
261 cycles and 97% health at the moment.
261 cycles and 97% health at the moment.
I saw that happen frequently with my 15PM. I haven't seen it happen on my 16PM.
"The iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an aluminum frame with less glass on the back," Speculation- not confirmed.... Do better MacRumors!
Personally a brighter display is what I’m most interested in, my 13 pro struggles at times during summer. Tele lens could be nice too.
You might want to wait for the aluminum frame 17 Pro with vapor chamber instead of getting the titanium frame 16 Pro. Will probably be better at handling summers.
Mine has been fine since Oct last year. I do use the clear case from Apple though but I don’t use any screen protector
This phones selling feature was Apple Intelligence which never came. To be honest, I will be pretty upset with whatever Apple puts out on the 17 that the 16 will not get. Since my iPhone 16 didn't really have any new features that set it apart from the previous. models. I should have just kept my 14 Pro Max.
My son had an iPhone 15 that I bought him and then they announced Apple intelligence exclusively for 15 Pros and up. I felt anger at the pure greed of Apple as I felt forced to upgrade my son to an iPhone 16 Plus for the AI features that never came. Now we been using ChatGPT and Gemini and Apple is so far behind it doesn't matter what they launch at this point. If Johnny Ive and OpenAI launch a phone, it's all over!