Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Philippines Price, Specs, and Features

As the dust settles from the exhilarating Apple "Wanderlust" event livestream, which started at 1AM on September 13, 2023 here in the Philippines, I believe one device emerges as the Cupertino Company's crown jewel of innovation in the mobile device category, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

As the flagship model in the newly announced Apple iPhone 15 Series, this handset is poised to redefine the standards for mobile technology. Let's dive into its impressive specs and features as well as its official price schedule and the release date guesstimate here in the Philippines.

Design and Display

The iPhone 15 Pro Max exudes an air of luxury with its sleek and modern design. Measuring 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm and weighing 221 grams, it's a substantial device that fits comfortably in the hand.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max showcases a sleek and robust Titanium build, marking a significant milestone for Apple. This high-quality alloy, previously employed in spacecraft construction, boasts an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, resulting in the lightest Pro series iPhones to date. Both models sport an updated brushed texture, gracefully contoured edges, and the slimmest borders ever seen on an iPhone. The Pro lineup has been designed for enduring durability, blending the titanium's robustness with the sturdiest rear glass in the smartphone industry.

The device features a 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display, boasting an amazing resolution of 1290 x 2796 pixels and delivering stellar clarity. With a 120Hz Refresh Rate, your interactions with the screen will be buttery smooth, and the Ceramic Shield Glass ensures durability against accidental mishaps.

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces the innovative Action Button, which takes the place of the previous single-purpose switch used solely for switching between ring and silent modes. This button now provides users with a range of additional choices, allowing them to easily switch to the camera or flashlight, activate Voice Memos, enable Focus modes, access Translate, and utilize accessibility features such as Magnifier. It also facilitates the use of Shortcuts for expanded functionality. To initiate these actions, users can employ a press-and-hold gesture, which is accompanied by precise haptic feedback and clear visual cues within the Dynamic Island, ensuring that the desired action is launched with precision.

Capturing the World in Style

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera system enables professional mobile photography and videography, thanks to its advanced hardware and software imaging features.

Computational photography enhances the 48MP Main Camera, exclusively designed for the Pro lineup. It now defaults to a practical 24MP super-high-resolution mode, offering excellent image quality without excessive file size. Users can easily switch between three popular focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, and 35mm) and set one as the new default. The Main camera supports 48MP ProRAW and 48MP HEIF images, boasting four times more resolution.

The Apple  iPhone 15 Pro Max offers the iPhone's longest-ever optical zoom at 5x and 120mm. Ideal for close-ups, wildlife photography, and distant action shots, this model's Telephoto Camera features an innovative tetraprism design, combining optical image stabilization and an autofocus 3D sensor-shift module, representing Apple's most advanced stabilization system to date.

Completing the trio of cameras at the back is a 12 MegaPixel Ultrawide shooter with a 120˚ field of view that's ideal for landscape and architectural photography. The addition of a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner brings cutting-edge depth-sensing capabilities to the table.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max offers improved capabilities for pro-level video workflows. Users can now achieve remarkably faster transfer speeds, up to 20 times quicker, by using an optional USB 3 cable. This enhancement, combined with iPhone and third-party solutions like Capture One, empowers photographers to establish a professional studio setup. They can capture and instantly transfer high-quality 48MP ProRAW images from their iPhone to their Mac.

Furthermore, ProRes video recording is now possible directly onto external storage, offering greater flexibility in terms of recording options, including up to 4K at 60 fps. This is particularly advantageous when using the iPhone as the primary camera on set. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also introduces a novel choice for Log encoding and is the world's first smartphone to support ACES, the Academy Color Encoding System. ACES is a global standard for color workflows, setting a new benchmark for color precision in smartphone technology.

Later this year, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max will bring a fresh approach to video recording by having the capability to record Spatial Videos for Apple Vision Pro. This means users can capture their special moments in 3D and enjoy a deep, immersive experience when they view them on Apple Vision Pro, which will be available in the U.S. early next year.

Performance and Storage

Beneath its sleek exterior, the iPhone 15 Pro Max houses the powerful 3nm Hexa-Core Apple A17 Pro processor and a 6-Core Apple GPU. These components deliver top-tier or industry-leaving performance, ensuring seamless multitasking, gaming, and content creation. 

Apple A17 Pro, a groundbreaking 3-nanometer chip, sets a new standard in smartphone technology. This chip boasts significant enhancements across the board, including the most extensive GPU redesign in Apple's history. The upgraded CPU delivers up to a 10 percent increase in speed due to architectural and design enhancements. The Neural Engine, now twice as fast, powers features like autocorrect and Personal Voice in iOS 17.

The pro-level GPU sees a remarkable 20 percent boost in performance and introduces a new 6-core design, enhancing both peak performance and energy efficiency. With hardware-accelerated ray tracing that's four times faster than software-based ray tracing, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers smoother graphics, immersing users in more realistic AR applications and gaming experiences. This brings console-quality gaming to the palm of your hand.

As for storage, Apple fans who are planning to purchase the iPhone 15 Pro Max can choose from three options: 256GB, 512GB, or a colossal 1TB of NVMe storage, accommodating various digital needs.

iOS 17

Right out of the box, the iPhone 15 Pro Max runs the all-new iOS 17 operating system, which ushers in a range of new and user-friendly features:

The Phone app receives substantial updates, introducing Contact Posters for personalized contact appearances and Live Voicemail, which utilizes the A17 Pro's power for real-time on-device transcription during voicemail messages. Users can even answer calls while the caller is leaving a message.

Messages enhances the user experience with new stickers, improved search functionality, audio message transcriptions, and Check In, a feature that automatically notifies friends and family of the user's safe arrival at their destination.

NameDrop simplifies contact sharing via AirDrop, allowing users to share contact information by merely bringing two iPhones together. This gesture can also be used for sharing content, even when users are physically apart, enabling the transmission of large files over the internet.

StandBy offers users a customizable full-screen display with easily readable information, ideal for when the iPhone is charging on its side. With the Always-On display of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, StandBy remains active, presenting useful information, making it perfect for placement on a desk, nightstand, or kitchen counter.

Interactive widgets are available on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and in StandBy, allowing users to take swift actions with a simple tap, simplifying tasks such as completing to-do lists or controlling music playback directly from the widget.

Safari introduces enhanced Private Browsing protection and the introduction of profiles, assisting users in maintaining separate browsing sessions for work and personal use.

iOS 17 also brings the Journal app, aiding iPhone users in reflection and gratitude journaling. Additionally, there are improvements to autocorrect and Dictation for faster and easier text input, password and passkey sharing through iCloud Keychain, and various other updates to enhance the overall iOS experience.

Connectivity and Security Features

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is well-equipped in terms of connectivity, featuring Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 4G LTE-A, and 5G capabilities. The combination of nanoSIM and eSIM provides flexible network option. 

If you're wondering, Wi-Fi 6E offers enhanced wireless performance with potential speeds up to twice as fast as the previous generation. Additionally, it powered the first Thread-enabled smartphones, paving the way for future possibilities in integrating the Home app for enhanced smart home functionality.

As for privacy and security, on top of the usual pattern and passcode unlock methods, Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max features Face ID that helps ensure secure authentication and provides protection against those who may want to check or get the user's handset content without permission.

Battery and Charging

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max offers impressive battery life, reducing the need for frequent charging. To be specific, coming from a full charge, this device can deliver up to 29 hours of video playback, enough to cover long flights.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max offers versatile charging options. It supports fast wired charging that delivers 50% charge in just 30 minutes, 15W wireless charging via MagSafe, and 7.5W wireless charging using Qi-compatible chargers. 

Just like all of its siblings in the Apple iPhone 15 Series, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has a USB Type-C 3.0 Charging Port, a welcome transition from the Lightning Port and a long-awaited feature on the Apple iPhone, adding convenience and sustainability to the mix. This change isn't only practical but it's also a response to regulatory requirements in Europe. With USB-C becoming the standard on the iPhone, it will be easier for consumers to use a single charging cable for their Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Durability and Endurance

Apple has gone the extra mile to ensure the iPhone 15 Pro Max is built to last. It boasts an IP68 certification for dust and water resistance, which means that it is capable of surviving depths of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. So you can definitely bring this handset with you if you're going to the pool and not worry about accidental splashes of water damaging it.

The Ceramic Shield Glass on both the front and back of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, along with the titanium mid-frame, not only add to its durability but also lend a premium look and feel.

Price and Availability Guesstimates

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is available in four elegant colors: Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium, and Blue Titanium. The official pricing for the Philippines is as follows:

256GB - PHP 84,990

512GB - PHP 96,990

1TB - PHP 108,990

Based on the launh of Apple iPhone 14 Series in 2022 here in the Philippines, I believe that Pinoy Apple fans and tech enthusiasts in the Philippines can anticipate the iPhone 15 Pro Max to grace their shores in mid-October 2023.

To wrap up, I'd say that the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is a true testament to Apple's commitment to innovation and excellence. With its remarkable display, stellar camera capabilities, top-tier performance, and unwavering durability, it is a testament to what a premium smartphone can achieve. As we eagerly await its release, one thing is clear: the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to redefine the smartphone experience for those who demand the very best.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Specs

159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm

221 grams

6.7 inches, 1290 x 2796 pixels, LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED

Dynamic Island

120Hz Refresh Rate

Ceramic Shield Glass

Triple Rear Pro Camera System:

48 MegaPixels, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.28", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Sensor-Shift OIS

12 MegaPixels, f/2.8, 120mm, Periscope Telephoto, 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, 3D Sensor‑Shift OIS,, 5x Optical Zoom

12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ Ultrawide, Dual Pixel PDAF

TOF 3D LiDAR scanner, Depth Sensor

Dual LED, Dual Tone LED Flash

Front-Facing Camera:

12 MegaPixels, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS

Video Recorder:

Back - 4K 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p 25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR - up to 60fps, ProRes at 4K 60fps, Cinematic Mode, Stereo Sound Recording

Front - 4K 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p 25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS

Apple iOS 17

3nm Hexa-Core Apple A17 Pro Processor

6-Core Apple GPU

256GB, 512GB, 1TB NVMe Storage Options

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e

Bluetooth 5.3

4G LTE-A

5G

nanoSIM + eSIM

Face ID

Stereo Speakers

No Fingerprint Scanner

No FM Radio

No 3.5mm Audio Jack

Wired Charging, 50% in 30 Minutes

15W Wireless Charging, MagSafe

7.5W Wireless Charging, Qi

USB Type-C 3.0 Charging Port

Non-Removable Battery Pack

IP68 Certified Dust and Water Resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes

Ceramic Shield Glass Front and Back, Titanium Mid-Frame

Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium, Blue Titanium

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Official Prices in the Philippines via Apple PH Online Store

256GB - PHP 84,990

512GB - PHP 96,990

1TB - PHP 108.990

Projected Released Date the Philippines - Mid-October 2023