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 Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner

Tuesday November 18, 2025 10:53 am PST by
A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip. The study was conducted by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app. It said the results are based on global, crowdsourced Speedtest user data...
macbook black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Tuesday November 18, 2025 7:32 am PST by
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands next week on Friday, November 28. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M4 MacBook Air and brand new M5 MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
30 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
30 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
30 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
30 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
30 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
30 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)