iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Main differences to expect
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Main differences to expect
https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/apple-iphone-18-pro-max-vs-iphone-16-pro-max_id7932
Publish Date: 2026-05-20 10:21:00
Source Domain: www.phonearena.com
Along with John Ternus, Apple will also be celebrating a new flagship lineup this September. Normally, I’d say it would be headlined by the iPhone Pro Max, which has historically been the most anticipated iPhone, but this year, the show will definitely be stolen by the foldable iPhone.
However, it will certainly price out most potential buyers, and being a first-gen product means it wouldn’t enjoy nearly the same amount of popularity as the large conventional iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Rumored upgrades for this device this year include a main camera with variable aperture, a more efficient display panel, a larger battery, the new A20 Pro chip, and likely many other smaller improvements.
How would the iPhone 18 Pro Max compare against the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the last titanium Apple phone?
Although now nearly two years old, it’s still a flagship iPhone that is still up there in terms of camera and overall performance, not to mention that it has the classic and very charming pre-camera plateau design language.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max expected differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Aluminum design language with an expansive camera plateau in the back | The last titanium iPhone Pro Max with a smaller-sized camera island |
| Narrower second-gen Dynamic Island at the front | The standard first-gen Dynamic Island |
| 2nm Apple A20 Pro chip | 3nm Apple A18 Pro chipset |
| Apple C2 modem, offering improved efficiency | Qualcomm Snapdragon modem |
| Up to 2TB of storage | A maximum of 1TB of storage |
| Variable aperture on main camera | Standard 48MP F1.8 Fusion camera |
| Potentially wider aperture for the telephoto lens | 12MP F2.8 telephoto camera |
| Even larger 5,200+ mAh battery | A 4,685 mAh battery |
| Possibly improved charging | 27W wired charging, 25W MagSafe wireless charging |
| No price increase for the base model, likely pricier higher tiers | A $1,199 starting price for the base model at launch |
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