Apple’s latest Pro Max model introduces a variable-aperture main camera and enhanced battery performance, targeting photography enthusiasts despite its hefty price and weight, while the standard model remains unchanged, widening the gap within the iPhone range.
Apple’s latest Pro Max is a camera-first flagship that will impress enthusiasts and deter everyone else. CNET’s review says the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers some of the best photographs the reviewer has taken on a phone, but its £1,199 starting price and substantial weight make it a specialist device rather than a default upgrade. The same review also notes that the standard model was not refreshed alongside the Pro line, widening the gap between Apple’s premium handsets and the rest of the range.
The biggest change is the new variable-aperture main camera. According to Tom’s Guide and Digital Camera World, Apple’s mechanism uses six blades to offer four settings, ranging from f/1.48 to f/4.0. CNET says that gives the phone a more analogue feel, with greater control over depth of field, low-light capture and effects such as starbursts and motion blur. In practice, the lens opens wide for darker scenes and can be stopped down for stronger highlight rendering, while the default camera app now exposes manual control over aperture, shutter speed, white balance and focus.
CNET’s reviewer argues that the camera system is excellent but not always convenient. The new controls are powerful, yet they sit deep in the interface, making one-handed use awkward. The Camera Control button also cannot be assigned to aperture or shutter adjustments, which limits the phone’s flexibility. Even so, focus tracking and the new Reference Image feature stand out. Focus Tracking follows a chosen subject across the rear cameras, while Reference Image is designed to preserve verifiable capture data before Apple’s image processing, a detail CNET says could matter for journalists and fraud prevention.
Battery life and charging are another clear strength. CNET says the handset comfortably lasted through heavy days of camera testing and charged faster than any iPhone it has used, including 77% in 30 minutes on the Pro Max model. TechRadar also describes the battery improvement as one of the phone’s most important changes, with up to 43 hours of video playback claimed on the Pro line. The new A20 Pro chip and vapour-chamber cooling also appear to be doing their job, with CNET reporting smooth gaming and little heat beyond heavy downloads and charging.
Design changes are less dramatic, but still noticeable. CNET says Apple has moved the Face ID infrared hardware behind the display, reduced the size of the Dynamic Island and used a more unified rear finish, alongside a rugged aluminium unibody that adds heft. The phone feels durable, but the trade-off is obvious. For current Pro owners, CNET suggests 14 Pro users gain the most, 15 Pro owners may be better off replacing the battery, and 16 Pro or 17 Pro users can reasonably wait. Apple’s new Pro Max is impressive, but it is aimed squarely at people who care about manual photography, long battery life and premium hardware more than value.
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