The iPhone 15 Pro Max, despite being touted as Apple’s beefiest baby to date, apparently didn’t get the memo about keeping up with camera tech compared to rivals like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The big Apple stumbles with a mere 12MP on its additional cameras while Xiaomi struts around flexing a 50MP resolution. That’s like bringing a knife to a camera shootout. Plus, Apple’s missing a telephoto lens in the middle range, making it a bit like a Swiss army knife missing its scissors.
In a plot twist that camera buffs might find more disappointing than a cliffhanger in a season finale, it seems Apple is potentially slipping on the banana peel of technological progress. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is still decent in the optics department, but with competitors like Xiaomi and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra not just stepping up their game, but basically leveling up, Apple’s usual ‘wow’ factor is more of a ‘meh’. Hopefully, somebody in Cupertino is taking notes because the competition is not just knocking; they’re banging on the door with feature-rich gadgets.
With eyes now set on the horizon for the iPhone 16 series, expected around September 2024, the heat is on. Apple has long been the cool kid that everyone wanted at their lunch table, but even cool kids need to upgrade their wardrobe (or cameras, in this case). Pro photographers and video creators, who are increasingly ditching traditional gear for smartphones, might just start playing musical chairs with phone brands if Apple doesn’t jazz up its camera specs. I mean, if you’re going to charge a kidney’s worth for a phone, at least make sure it can out-shoot a disposable camera, right?
**Hot Take**
Boy, Apple’s sitting in a simmering pot of tech soup with its camera game feeling more “retro” than “revolutionary”. It’s high time they switch from resting on those laurels to sprouting some new tech leaves. If the next iPhone doesn’t bring something jaw-dropping to the table, it might just turn into the tech version of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ at a smartphone party. Here’s to hoping Apple finds its lens cap before the party’s over!
Original Article: https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/im-a-camera-expert-and-heres-how-the-iphone-16-could-raise-apples-pro-photography-game