The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the largest flagship phone of the 2024 lineup from Apple. Apple announced it on September 9, 2024, and sales began on September 20, 2024. In the US, it started at $1,199 with 256GB of storage. Apple stopped selling it in September 2025, when the iPhone 17 Pro Max arrived.
Design and display
The phone uses a titanium frame, a textured matte glass back and the latest-generation Ceramic Shield front. It measures 163 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm and weighs 227 grams. In addition, it is rated IP68 for depths of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
Its 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen was the largest iPhone display at launch. The panel has a 2868 x 1320 resolution, 460 ppi and ProMotion at up to 120Hz. It also supports the Always-On display. Brightness reaches 1000 nits typical, 1600 nits for HDR and 2000 nits outdoors.
A new Camera Control key on the right side opens the camera and adjusts zoom or exposure with a slide. The Action button sits on the left side.
Performance
The phone runs on the Apple A18 Pro chip, made with second-generation 3-nanometer technology. It combines a 6-core CPU with two performance and four efficiency cores, a 6-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the new design gives up to 20 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 15 Pro.
All versions have 8GB of RAM. Storage options are 256GB, 512GB and 1TB, without a memory card slot. Furthermore, the USB-C port supports USB 3 speeds of up to 10Gb/s.
Cameras
The main 48MP Fusion camera has an f/1.78 aperture and second-generation sensor-shift stabilization. It also offers a 12MP 2x view. Next to it are a new 48MP Ultra Wide camera with macro support and a 12MP 5x Telephoto camera with a tetraprism lens.
Video recording reaches 4K at 120 fps in Dolby Vision, and four studio-quality mics capture spatial audio. The 12MP TrueDepth front camera has autofocus and handles Face ID. The camera hardware is the same as on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Battery and charging
Apple rates the iPhone 16 Pro Max for up to 33 hours of video playback, the longest of the lineup. Regulatory filings list a 4685 mAh battery. With a 20W or higher adapter, it charges to 50 percent in about 30 minutes. However, the box includes only a USB-C cable.
MagSafe wireless charging reaches 25W with a 30W adapter. Qi2 works at up to 15W and Qi at up to 7.5W.
Software and updates
The phone launched with iOS 18 and supports Apple Intelligence. Apple promises security updates for at least five years from the first supply date. The US model is eSIM only, while other markets get a nano-SIM tray as well. Emergency SOS and Messages via satellite are also available.
Should you buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max?
The iPhone 16 Pro Max fits buyers who want the biggest screen, long battery life and a 5x telephoto camera. On the other hand, its 227-gram weight makes it heavy for one-handed use. It is no longer produced, and its successor is the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
