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I watched the Apple iPhone 16 event this week, and knew within 15 minutes of the iPhone 16 Pro Max segment that I'd be upgrading. My phone is the one piece of tech I never go anywhere without; as a full-time digital nomad, I work remotely from around the world, so I rely on a robust smartphone not only to stay connected to family and friends, but also to watch entertainment, read books, manage travel logistics and even run parts of my business.
There are times when I'm on a bus or plane for hours on end (or worse, stranded in the airport terminal) and still need to work, so a more souped-up smartphone like the iPhone Pro Max line is a better fit for me. Although I already have the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which I bought last year while living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the prospect of longer battery life, a great camera and a slightly larger display has convinced me to trade up again.
Other users appear to agree on these prospects. In a survey on smartphone shopping conducted by CNET earlier this month, respondents said the biggest factors to upgrading their phone are longer battery life, more storage and better camera features (61%, 46% and 38%, respectively). It seemed like Apple's Glowtime event focused more on these upgrades than AI features like Apple Intelligence, and I liked that the attention was more on practical improvements than AI hype.
Here are four reasons why I'm upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is available for preorder now and officially launches on Friday, Sept. 20.
A new camera control button
A separate camera control button will simplify my selfie game.
The new iPhone 16 Pro Max's main camera is 48 megapixels and can shoot 4K video at 120 frames per second (which is new for the iPhone), but what got me even more excited is the new camera control button. When I saw the new button's functions being demonstrated, I thought about how much easier it will be to take selfies on the go, like what I recently did at the Paris Olympics, and have already started thinking about the photos I want to snap while at Mount Fuji in Japan, my next travel destination.
As CNET's Corinne Reichert explained, the button "looks similar to a side fingerprint reader," and is a little indented. Pressing the button will open the camera app, and additional presses or glides of your finger will let you toggle between various settings. This seems handy for perfecting the shot while your arm is still outstretched without having to reset multiple times, which is travel selfie gold.
Improved battery life
I frequently use tech accessories in my travels to stay connected and get work done. External battery chargers and power banks help ensure I don't run out of juice (unless I forget to charge the charger itself, which has definitely happened before), but sometimes travel days get extended in ways I can't plan for. I also FaceTime with my kids a lot, and don't want to have to ration those opportunities because of battery life.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max battery life was only mentioned briefly, but it was enough for me to go investigate the specs. Apple says the battery will enable up to33 hoursofvideo playback, up to 29 hours of streamed video playback and up to 105 hours of audio playback. Apple also said the newest model has 25W MagSafe fast-charging capabilities, which will let you wirelessly charge the phone to 50% in around 30 minutes. I'd like to test this for myself to confirm, but it sounds promising.
Apple Intelligence and visual intelligence
I'm not a big AI user, so Apple integrating AI into a device I already interact with every day will help someone like me get more familiar with the technology. To be clear, Apple Intelligence features will also be in iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max models as part of iOS 18, which is currently available as a developer beta and formally releases later this month.
The feature I'm most excited about is Apple's visual intelligence, which uses AI to identify things around you. This will be especially helpful when traveling to foreign countries and needing to identify things I'm not used to, though there might be language barriers at first; Apple said the visual intelligence feature will only work in English through the end of this year, and will expand to other languages in 2025.
I'm excited about Apple Intelligence's writing and editing tools, as I compose a lot of emails, social media posts and article drafts on the fly, so having those features on my iPhone will be handy. I could also see myself getting a lot of utility out of the AI image finding function. (Like a lot of people, I have thousands of photos on my phone.) I'm also looking forward to the Siri upgrade that still gets the gist of what you're saying in case you mumble your way through a voice command.
A summary of the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max features, as shown during the Glowtime event.
Bigger screen, better durability
The iPhone 15 Pro Max I currently have has a 6.7-inch screen, which is a decent size. I like that the new iPhone 16 Pro Max has both a slightly larger 6.9-inch screen and thinner bezels (the angled borders on the front of your phone that aren't a part of the screen itself). Thinner bezels will make the screen feel even larger as I watch movies, take video calls and read books.
The new iPhone 16 Pro Max's case is made with a ceramic shield. Apple says the material is "grade-five titanium," which I'm not entirely familiar with, but know the material will result in less scratching, which I am all too familiar with. I've dropped my iPhone more than a few times as I scramble to catch a train or flight, so the extra protection will come in handy.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a go for me
I think the iPhone 16 Pro Max will improve my day-to-day life as a digital nomad and business owner. It's a lifestyle that can be challenging at times, but is worth it for going on adventures and documenting new experiences along the way.