According to the leaks heard so far, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will come with a few differences that we usually see in the two Pro models. But with the iPhone 15 series, Apple can make the difference between the Pro and Pro Max even more pronounced.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with a great track record of at least Apple information, thinks the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have a periscope camera, while the iPhone 15 Pro will be offered with a more traditional telephoto.
A periscope camera can offer more zoom, and there have been rumors for a long time that it will be added to the iPhone. But Kuo provides more details, saying it will likely offer 5x or 6x optical zoom (3x on Apple’s current telephoto modules), use a 12MP sensor, and have an f/2.8 aperture. While these specs aren’t equivalent to the 10x optical zoom offered by competing phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, it would certainly be a huge upgrade.
However, it looks like this upgrade will only be available if you choose Apple’s biggest and most expensive iPhone. So, upgrading to the Pro version will not be enough and you will have to get Pro Max.
The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Max will continue to lack any telephoto lens, and it’s also about power, given that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max (or Plus) are said to have older chipsets than the Pro models this year. They may be weaker.