Video: iPhone 14 Pro Max Thoughts One Year After Launch

With the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup fast approaching, MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera thought he'd take a look back at his last year (almost) using the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max before it's time to move on to the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max.


The ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max introduced the Dynamic Island for the first time, and it's been a feature that Apple doesn't seem to have taken full advantage of yet. It also brought the higher-end 48-megapixel camera sensor and the Always-On display.

Dan goes into depth on how the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max (used caseless!) has held up over the course of the last 11 months, what battery life is like, and how the latest feature set has worked out for him. The video provides an thoughtful retrospective on a year with Apple's flagship ‌iPhone‌ as we head into ‌iPhone‌ launch season.

We're expecting the ‌iPhone‌ 15 models to come out in September as usual. The standard models won't get much in the way of an upgrade aside from a transition to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ and a USB-C port, but we can expect slimmer bezels, faster chips, and a periscope telephoto lens for the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max that will replace the 14 Pro Max. More details on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models can be found in our roundups.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
31 months ago

Can we all agree saying dynamic island is cringe as #%}^?
I thought Dynamic Island was cool. ?️

Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mykbibby Avatar
31 months ago
I had instant regret buying the Max. It's way too freaking heavy. Definitely going smaller next time, even if the camera is lesser, but even that's not a perfect fix. I'm fine compromising on thinness these days, but I'm tired of compromising on lightness. There has to be a better way...
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tonie walker Avatar
31 months ago
its a heavy brick - fell in the bathroom and bounce (tile floor), survived without scratch!

but dynamic island will be the twin of 3D Touch/ forced touch, under utilised and one day Apple will just kill it.

If my iPhone 11 Pro Max wasn’t crippled by software updates, i would stick to it.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mlrproducts Avatar
31 months ago
“Dynamic Island” is just marketing spin for a notification UI that could have always existed but was brought forward to account for holes in the middle of a display lol.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tom_uk Avatar
31 months ago
14 Pro Max user. I bought it for the cameras - I ditched my DSLR and use the 14 PM instead. I almost always shoot ProRAW, export from Photos into Lightroom, edit there, and then - delete the ProRAW originals from Photos and re-import high-quality JPEGs back into Photos! - to save on storage. (I have so much more storage available on the iMac, both internal and external.) I have been delighted with this phone, and I can’t see myself upgrading to the 15 Pro Max, even with the periscope lens. Maybe the 16, when it appears.

I specifically chose the Pro Max over the Pro because, being bigger, it was easier to hold for photography, and I don’t regret doing so.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pdaholic Avatar
31 months ago
My iPhone 13 Pro Max battery life has been incredible. I heard 12 was poor, and now several people talking about 14. 13 FTW ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)