iPhone 15 Pro Max to be MORE desirable than iPhone 15 Pro, thanks to iPhone 14 Pro Max

It is one of those rare years when Apple is witnessing higher demand for the iPhone 14 Pro models than the standard models. As a result, Apple is asking its contract manufacturers to ramp up production of the Pro models. Sales data says that customers are willing to pay more for the expensive iPhone models this year, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max is seeing more demand than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro. This will be good for Apple's cash reserves and it could also influence the way the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could be designed.

Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the higher demand for the iPhone 14 Pro Max could lead to Apple designing the iPhone 15 Pro Max as a more desirable alternative to the iPhone 15 Pro. “iPhone 14 Pro Max accounts for about 60% of the total order increase of Pro models, benefiting iPhone ASP/product mix for 4Q22. I think this result will encourage Apple to create more differentiation between iPhone 15 Pro Max & 15 Pro to raise 15 Pro Max shipments and enhance the iPhone product mix,” says Kuo.

iPhone 15 Pro Max to be the best iPhone 15

Adding to Kuo's forecast, previous rumours have also hinted at the iPhone 15 Pro Max having distinctive features over the iPhone 15 Pro. First of all, Apple could ditch the “Pro Max” moniker for this model and simply call it the iPhone 15 Ultra, suggests Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The name itself could make many consider the bigger 6.7-inch iPhone over the 6.1-inch Pro variant. It can also bring the nomenclature of the iPhones product names inline with the rest of the Apple stable.

Then there's the camera setup, which is set to get another upgrade next year. Apple could give the iPhone its first periscope lens setup for the telephoto camera. It is expected that Apple will try to match the 10X optical zoom on Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra. The 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro could stick to the same 3X zoom camera we have seen on the iPhone 14 Pro.

Currently, the only points of differentiation between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is the bigger display and bigger battery capacity on the Pro Max. It was the same case on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The iPhone 12 Pro differed from the iPhone 12 Pro Max in terms of the camera sensors used.