What I really think of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max so far (video)

I miss Sierra Blue already…

You know, I always felt like the iPhone 13 Pro Max would be a difficult act to follow. It was the first time a successor replaced the 4S as my favorite iPhone ever, even if I say iPhone. I don’t necessarily feel that Apple makes the best smartphones, or brings the most innovation, but if there’s one thing the company does well, it’s mastering the art of the ‘Old Dependable’. It’s like that emotional bond you develop with your car, something most people don’t change every year if you think about it.

Cue in this new iPhone 14 Pro Maxwhich looks a lot like its predecessor, but not necessarily once you use it, and after spending a weekend with it let’s just say my first impressions are a bit of a mixed bag.

So full disclaimer: This isn’t a review yet as these are retail units that we bought like most of you, and obviously the journey to tell you if this was a good buy will take a bit more time.

For now I will tell you that many of my experiences are as familiar as they are different. Unboxing this phone was pretty much the same as the 12. Obviously telling you this is the newer phone is an art piece, but on the inside you only get the phone, the lightning cable to USB-C, because we might have to waiting for the EU rulings to take effect, then the typical literature, which then leads to the first shocking change. This is an unlocked iPhone and there is no SIM ejector as there is no SIM tray.

Initial Setup

I was quite verbal about this on Twitter because I don’t think Apple has given enough information about how it would affect us. I’m on a plane every week, so I think it’s important that I have the freedom to change my SIM cards whenever it suits me, and now it won’t be that easy, at least not abroad. In the US, the story actually wasn’t that bad. AT&T was nice enough to activate this phone in minutes by just sending them the device’s data, even if it was unlocked. Watch Michael Fisher’s video to see the QR code process. The thing is, it was instant and you can have up to eight SIM profiles stored on your phone, like a wallet. The only question is whether carriers oversee supporting eSIM on the kind of prepaid plans we’re used to getting. I’ll report on that later. The rest of the installation process was pretty straightforward if you’re coming from an old iPhone. In fact, the process of transferring everything from your entire setup to even your Apple Watch and accounts follows the Cupertino tradition of being quick and easy.

Hardware

As for the hardware, of course I ordered Purple because I always get the new color, but I still don’t love it. Sierra Blue did a great job of staying clean and elegant, even with smudges. That’s not really the case here, and something tells me none of the other shades will do a comparable job with last year’s signature finish. This deep purple looks more like a spoiled black unless you throw a light on it, so I’ll at least give it points for being different. Everything else feels fairly familiar, from the weight of the phone to the pronounced camera bump that doesn’t help on a table. Yes, that’s all here. I’m genuinely surprised that Apple hasn’t really given much light to its ceramic shield or even Magsafe at its keynote, but I’m staying true to my MOFT Invisible Stand, given its added versatility and how it helps balance the phone while using it. lies flat.

Display

I think the display is something else that still hasn’t fully grown on me. I’ve always been a fan of how Apple implements the basics, from the color reproduction to the extra brightness for outdoor use, this phone has one of the best OLEDs in the business. I also love this Always-on display, even though I know a lot of people are mixed. I mean, we’re sure Android has been showing us a minimal clock for years, but I don’t see anything wrong with the refresh rate tuned so well that we can see a full display of the lock screen. Of course I understand, it can be confusing so if anything I would recommend future flexibility switches. As it stands, you can’t even dim it, but whether it is, or maybe some way to make it black and white, or change the color like the Apple Watch Ultra can, and I think it looks looks pretty hot.

Dynamic Island

Where I’m mingled with the panel is honestly in Temptation Island. Seriously, it’s not that I don’t like the name Dynamic Island, but this wasn’t the smartest idea. So here’s my problem: Android manufacturers have been punching holes for at least 4 years, so it was inevitable for Apple to get involved, but unlike the way a Pixel or Galaxy does it, where you’re supposed to forget that it’s there, I think the idea of ​​making it a feature was because it’s actually a bit more intrusive than the notch.

Look, it sits lower on the screen which means the content is pushed down, which means I’m now debating whether we should go back to 16:9 video as anything wider will be through the island cut in ways the notch didn’t. Apps also clearly need an update to embrace it as some are currently destroying its symmetry. And of course, I love having a lasting way to go back to the audio playing on my speakers, and I think it’s genius for third-party apps to get creative with it, but I think a dynamic notch would have been a better idea. That, or just kill Face ID and bring Touch ID back below the screen.

iOS 16

I’ll dig into my last impressions of IOS 16 when my review is done, but I’ve been using the beta for months and I really love what Apple has done here. This idea of ​​dynamic lock screens coupled with useful widgets is quite genius. I’m sure Diego loves being able to cut someone out of a photo easily, because before that it took a lot of work to do it on Photoshop. The rest of the changes aren’t necessarily something I would consider big, but they add to the little things that people usually love.

Yes, I’ve seen a lot of your stamina complaints on older iPhones, which was a common theme in beta. Since I’ve updated to version 16.0.1 since the moment I took this phone out of the box, it’s strange, but I don’t consider it bad at all. Again, it’s too early for me to judge and especially after the toll this phone takes in setting it up. I know Apple has made a lot of improvements to this newer model, from a more modern A16 Bionic to faster RAM to increase endurance on a slightly smaller battery, but I think the most significant change is the newer 5G modem, which I’ll be testing on the AT&T network. I feel like this whole combination can handle the new iOS better.

Camera

This is also the first major change Apple has made to this camera system. iPhones have been addicted to 12-megapixel shooters since the 6S, but it’s important not to let the change in numbers fool you. Yes, 48 ​​megapixels sounds like a lot, but Android phones and even Windows Phones have been pixel binning for years.

Unless you want to use Pro RAW photos, divide 48 by 4 and keep in mind that you’re just getting a 12 megapixel camera, with larger pixels for better results. That said, this is no ordinary binning sensor. Usually these come with pixels smaller than the size of a micron, but since this approximation is even larger than what’s on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, every single micron here is larger than average, making the multiple quite remarkable. I need more time to give you a photo verdict, but so far I’m a bit mixed.

Theoretically, the focal length has improved to an equivalent of 24mm, but I don’t see it. The 13 Pro allowed you to get closer before activating macro mode, which you can’t get that close with this camera. That said, you now have a 2X crop as an alternative, and I actually prefer that to the 3X for some street photography. Also keep in mind that this isn’t just a crop because of the larger pixels.

I also love the colors and having the permanent photo profiles so all you see here is Rich Contrast as I love my stylized Google Pixel photos. I’ll definitely give you a full comparison with last year’s 13 Pro Max, but so far I’ve noticed some subtle changes in color and some significant improvements in detail. The ultra-wide camera sensor is now also larger, which you may not see in daytime shots, but which becomes quite apparent in low light. I feel that details could be a little better given the specs, but it’s just a first impression.

The funny thing is that even if this new iPhone brings autofocus to the selfie camera, it’s not like the previous one was bad at it. Obviously having a brighter aperture now requires it, and you’ll notice it in the added shallow depth of field.

Video is what I was a little concerned about because no camera manufacturer or even Android maker has been able to get good video out of a bigger sensor. It just requires too much processing power, leading to warping or shutter rolling. Not here. This is where you know this new A16 Bionic is not playing. So far, the video quality has been just as good as before, although I’ll explore the added benefits in Action Mode and Cinematic 4K before reviewing.

Conclusion

I can’t really say “To Conclusion” as I’m just getting started, but I think you can see why my first impressions were mixed. The hardware seems the same, the color is not my favorite, the eSIM situation still has a few unknowns and the Dynamic Island is a mix of good ideas about an implementation that is no better than last year.

That said, the camera is better, IOS 16 is better, the inside is better, and the fact that much of the experience remains familiar is yet another reason why this lineup remains the “Old Trustworthy”. Time will tell if the reasons I’m mixed up can turn into the extra joys that make us all return to iPhones every now and then, but that’s of course what’s left for the full review.