What’s wrong with the top-end iPhone 15 Pro Max. I’ve been using it since the start of sales and am disappointed in some things

Almost immediately after the start of sales, I finally bought myself a brand new Apple smartphone. I took the iPhone 15 Pro Max almost fully equipped, with 512 GB (I wrote about it here). A huge cool screen, a titanium case, an incredible performance reserve and good battery life… In short, now this is “my charm”.

Why so many emotions? This is my first Apple smartphone with Pro delivery. But what’s even more important is that almost four years before that I used the iPhone 11, which during this time was so tired that it was even possible.

Interestingly, until recently there were no plans to change the smartphone. I didn’t see much point in this, because I usually have a MacBook with me, which I sometimes take out to solve some work issues even on the subway. However, the four-year-old iPhone, of course, was not at all pleasing.

My main complaints about the iPhone 11 were insufficient performance, mediocre battery life, and also, apparently, the early stage of battery swelling… 🤷🏻‍♂️

However I’m still not happy with everything about the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I plan to use it for at least a couple of years, but I will still have to put up with some unobvious issues.

By the way, all photos in the article were taken on the iPhone 15 Pro Max (we have a review at the link). It’s a good device that, among other things, produces very good results, I’d like to share.

The vaunted titan stubbornly covers with fingerprints

The situation is better than it was with the shiny steel models, but it certainly cannot be called positive.

I already had experience using Apple smartphones. Before the iPhone 11, which was used before the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the owner of the iPhone XS Max. It was never 100% clean precisely because of the use of “mirror” steel, but I eventually changed it because I naively thought it was too big.

Before purchasing the current flagship smartphone, Apple was 100% sure that the matte titanium surface would not collect the notorious fingerprints, but it would be very wrong. The situation has not changed much.

Plus, I’m very I’m surprised that lately it’s been difficult to erase the boundaries of a smartphone to its original statewhich, as personal practice shows, is especially true for a black device.

It’s good that my iPhone is usually in a case, so I don’t pay attention to this problem so often. However, it seems that Apple needs to make some kind of coating for its smartphones. She is already using something similar for dark MacBooks.

This cutout in the Dynamic Island screen is 95% useless

I only have one successful example of using Dynamic Island, although I have high hopes for it.

When I switched to the iPhone 15 Pro Max from the old iPhone 11, I had perhaps the highest hopes for Dynamic Island. Of course, I’m exaggerating “a little,” but it really seemed to me then that this was a brilliant thing that perfectly played off the cutout on the screen.

In fact, it turned out that I only pay attention to the cord when I set timers. I use them very often when I have breakfast for my family, cook (I just love to do it), work according to the methodological method, try to do it, and that’s all.

All the rest I like it visually, but absolutely useless from a practical point of view. For example, a widget player that showed music in a photo will almost never be used, because it is impossible to reach it higher.

Yes, the problem is that the cord with all the features of Dynamic Island is located exactly where the thumb of one hand cannot reach even with a strong desire – especially on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

For some reason, Dynamic Island evokes an obvious association with the Touch Bar – the idea looks very cool in a purely marketing sense, but in practical terms it’s so-so. But in this case, the “island”, at least the normal buttons were not replaced, but simply a cord was added. Probably not so bad.

iPhone 15 Pro Max is still too heavy for the Pro feature

The device is too heavy for use with stabilizers, which I am currently actively trying.

Now my team and I are actively filming videos for social networks to promote an interesting project. use modern stabilizers, lights, microphones and other “attached” equipment.

Most popular smartphone stabilizers have a weight limit that they can carry. In most models it is 290–300 grams (for example, DJI Osmo Mobile 6). iPhone 15 pro max together with the case and all the coronavirus, it’s not always possible to fit into themtherefore, such devices often simply cannot cope with it.

For the latest flagship smartphones, Apple has to choose stabilizers that are on the border between “for smartphones” and “for cameras.” For example, the Hohem iSteady M6 is suitable for it, which can carry 400 grams of weight.

At the same time, it is necessary to understand that the use of titanium in this regard was still carried out by large smartphone companies only to their advantage. When compared with steel ones, they became noticeably lighter by about a couple of grams.

How to make them even more “airy” without using plastic? Good question to which I don’t have an answer.

Type-C USB 2 cable to the box of an expensive smartphone

If you need to shoot a video and transfer it to a Mac for editing, you will definitely need a USB 3 cable.

Of course, I was well aware that there was no USB 3 cable in the box with the iPhone 15 Pro Max for fast data transfer. Included is a Type-C → Type-C USB 2 cable, which is actually only for charging and is suitable. However, it still infuriates.

Seems, if a crypto device company is professional, it should at least somehow emphasize this. Apple has done something similar before.

I remember those wonderful times when the iPhone was considered something of a business device, so it came with almost the entire bracelet. The iPod Touch was youthful and affordable, but the set of accessories in the box was limited, and the packaging itself turned out to be a blister.

In short, in terms of equipment, Apple definitely fails.

The edges could have been made less transparent for my taste.

A large smartphone also seems too angular – the hand is no less common, but it definitely could use some rounding.

Apple has already made the cases of its laptops more inscribed. The new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are very different from their predecessors in this regard – due to this, they are more compact.

At the same time, for some reason the company never got to this point in smartphones. Rounding the edges makes the iPhone more compact., will not “cut” the palm and that’s all. We are looking forward to this.

In short, Apple clearly still has some way to go

❶ Titanium is prone to fingerprints. They are especially suitable for dark smartphones and are also very difficult to wash with any textile.

❷ Hopes for Dynamic Island were not justified. Of course, it was immediately clear that reaching for it was useless, but because of this, there was nothing useful except the timer.

❸ The weight of the device seems too heavy to me. I noticed this when used together with stabilizers. With a case and a receiving station for wireless microphones, even the same DJI Osmo Mobile 6 can no longer handle it.

❹ They forgot to include a USB 3 cable in the kit. It still seems to me that a normal cable could be used with a “professional” smartphone.

❺ The angular edges without a cover are quite sharp. I think Apple will eventually have to go with rounded sides, for the sake of trends that were abandoned several years ago.

Yes, in general, I don’t really have too serious comments about the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Yes, it’s not perfect, but it’s the best Apple has right now.

By the way, I was interested in searching the Internet for some blogs on the topic of problems with the current Apple flagship. For some it heats up, for others NFC does not work, and on the third screen it burns out. Didn’t run into anyone. I think that all these are uncommon warranty cases.

If you have any questions about what is still the best smartphone on the market, write to me, I’ll try to answer.

📸 All photos in the article: