The iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s largest smartphone, going beyond even the iPhone 11 Pro Max which previously held that title. There are several similarities, but plenty of upgrades have been added to the newer generation. A comparison of the two biggest Apple smartphones will help prospective buyers sort out which to buy or whether it’s time to upgrade.
Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max offered among the biggest improvements to Apple’s camera technology in several years. Until this model, the iPhone had just one or two cameras. With the iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple added an ultra-wide camera to the wide and telephoto found in the XS Max. The ultra-wide camera has a more dramatic effect on photos than zoom. In fact, most of the benefit of the tiny zoom capability on most smartphones can be achieved by simply stepping closer to the subject. The iPhone 11 Pro Max also offers Deep Fusion and Night Mode, which are AI image processing features that improve well lit and low light photos. This along with other general updates made the iPhone 11 Pro Max a worthy upgrade.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max, along with the rest of the iPhone 12 series, are the first smartphones from Apple to support 5G connections. That means, when and where available, download speeds could be much, much faster. The previous generation used the older LTE technology. Two things jump out about the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the first is that it is even larger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The second is that it has flat edges. The newer model has a 6.7-inch screen versus 6.5-inch for the older phone, and while not a huge increase, it’s still noticeable. However, the flat edges make holding such a large phone easier. Naturally, there is more to a new iPhone than appearance and the iPhone 12 Pro Max has improved technology throughout.
iPhone 12 & 11 Pro Max Cameras, Price, Colors, & Glass
Both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone 11 Pro Max come with three rear cameras: one wide-angle, one ultra-wide and one telephoto. While the number of cameras hasn’t changed, Apple made several impressive updates to the cameras on the latest model. Combining a larger f/1.6 aperture and a 47-percent larger image sensor, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has an 87-percent improvement in low-light conditions, according to Apple. The telephoto camera has increased range of 65 mm versus the 52 mm iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The newer Apple smartphone’s wide-angle camera has a larger aperture (f/1.6 versus f/1.8) and this means better bokeh, as well as faster and less grainy low-light photos. For smartphones, a lower aperture is very important, as it is a physical change that doesn’t rely on AI processing. The telephoto lens on the newer model has increased to two and a half times zoom, over the two times of its predecessor. In addition, the iPhone 12 Pro models have something unique to Apple’s smartphone line, LiDAR capability. This enables nearly instantaneous three-dimensional scanning. For AR enthusiasts and creators, this is the killer feature that makes the decision to upgrade an easy one.
Starting at $1099, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the same price as the previous generation’s largest iPhone. The newer iPhone is available in gold and silver as before, but the Space Gray and Green were replaced with graphite and blue, matching some of the colors available with the Apple Watch Series 6. Of course the newer model offers the latest A14 processor, latest advances such as stronger Ceramic Shield glass, and has some advanced AI image processing, which may or may not appear on the older model in the future. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 5G capability and LiDAR scanner are unique to the newer model. It’s superior camera technology also stands out in the comparison and makes an upgrade worthwhile for most. Adding in the other tech updates to screen size, glass technology, processor, among other things, makes it clear that given the choice, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a much improved phone over the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Source: Apple
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