Section 1.1: Color Choice

I was very close to selecting the white variant of the iPhone 15 Pro Max but ultimately decided on the Natural Titanium option. This seems to be a recurring pattern for me; each year I choose the latest color. Last year's pick was Deep Purple, inspired by the iconic band, which has since become my least favorite iPhone color.

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Fortunately, I’m thrilled with my choice. The Natural Titanium is stunning — reminiscent of a large Apple Watch Ultra. My only minor grievance is that the brushed sides, while beautiful, do attract fingerprints. As someone who frequently cleans tech for filming purposes, I had hoped for a less smudge-prone finish. Nevertheless, the use of titanium this year has made the iPhone 15 Pro Max exceptionally attractive, in my view, the best-looking iPhone to date.

Section 1.2: The Weight Factor

One of the surprising advantages of using titanium for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is its weight. Although the difference between this model and the previous 14 Pro Max is just 8%, it feels notably lighter. While it doesn’t match the featherweight of the Nothing Phone (2), Apple has made significant strides in weight reduction without sacrificing the premium feel that the Pro Max line is known for.

Section 2.1: USB-C Port Introduction

The introduction of USB-C is significant. The iPhone 15 Pro Max now supports rapid data transfer speeds, a long-awaited feature for those recording ProRes video. The USB-C port can handle speeds up to 10Gbps, marking the end of the Lightning port. While this change may be inconvenient for those with existing Lightning accessories, it was inevitable, and Apple has fallen behind in this aspect. I’m personally delighted to see this update, as it aligns with the modern charging standard. Plus, the braided USB-C cable included in the box is a nice touch.

Section 2.2: The Action Button

This year, we’ve also bid farewell to the mute switch. Personally, I’m not upset by its departure, as mine usually stays in the ‘off’ position after unboxing. Replacing it with a customizable Action Button seems like a logical evolution for Apple. This is an actual button, not the rumored solid-state version.

You can set the Action Button for various functions, such as launching the camera or activating the torch. I’ve configured mine to quickly access the camera, but I might change it to switch to my ‘Filming’ focus mode later. Notably, the button requires a press-and-hold action to prevent accidental activation — a smart design feature.

Section 2.3: Camera Controls

I’ll provide a more in-depth camera review soon, but it’s worth mentioning the changes to the camera interface on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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The interface appears familiar until you realize that there’s now an intuitive way to access the expanded range of focal lengths available on this flagship model. The wide-angle (13mm) remains easily accessible via the 0.5x button, while the 1x button now cycles through three focal lengths: the standard 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm.

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The 2x option is now at 48mm, and a new 5x option offers a 120mm focal length using an innovative tetra prism design, providing an impressive zoom capability for iPhone photography. I can't wait to test this feature thoroughly next week in London.