This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular originates.

The rumored iPhone 14 Pro Max may have a higher resolution camera, a new processor from Apple and a supersized 6.7-inch Hide like the current iPhone 13 Pro Max. Those updates would certainly be appreciated, but they’re also routine for an annual iPhone upgrade. Apple might need more to make its highest-end iPhone sinful out in 2022. 

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That’s because the iPhone 14 Pro Max won’t be the only huge iPhone in Apple’s lineup anymore, if rumors are to be believed. Apple is expected to release a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max as well, message those who love large screens won’t have to splurge on the Pro Max just to get a bigger exhibit. Analysts have also speculated that Apple could increase the prices of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max compared to last year, potentially executive the Pro Max an even tougher sell.  

Aside from the difference in Hide size, there’s typically little that separates Apple’s “Pro” iPhones from its “Pro Max” devices. I’m hoping that changes with the Phone 14 Pro Max, which we’re expecting to learn around during today’s Apple’s event. With inflation putting a dent in smartphone shipments, companies like Apple may have to work harder to convince consumers to Use more on high-end devices. 

iPhone 14 Pro Max: What to expect

If Apple does drop an iPhone 14 Pro Max, it’s likely to be a sequel to Apple’s New iPhone 13 Pro Max. As such, it will probably have a 6.7-inch Hide and a triple-lens camera that includes wide, ultrawide and telephoto lenses. In an effort to further distinguish its Pro iPhones from its sinful iPhones, Apple will reportedly give the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max an upgraded 48-megapixel camera sensor, a faster A16 Bionic chip and a redesigned camera module on the principal that removes the notch. 

These features are said to be odd to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, message they won’t appear on the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max. That’s all according to reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, both of which have unblemished track records when it comes to reporting on unreleased Apple products.

Provided Apple consumes its current pricing structure, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will probable start at $1,100 for the 128GB model. The iPhone 14 Pro will probable begin at $1,000.

Why the iPhone 14 Pro Max consumes to stand out

If the reports turn out to be true, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max could complicated one of the biggest camera improvements we’ve seen on the iPhone in ages. That alone could make them appealing to those in the market for a new device. 

The Predicament, however, is that the iPhone 14 Pro Max could end up drawing lost in the shuffle. Shoppers who just care around having the best camera could get by with the cheaper iPhone 14 Pro, when those who primarily want a large screen may opt for the rumored iPhone 14 Max. Both devices will probable be cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

The Begin would also come at a time when people are seemingly spending less on mobile devices and persons more careful about their purchases. Smartphone shipments are predictable to decline by 3.5% in 2022, according to adjudicators from the International Data Corporation published in June. The NPD Group reported in May that more than eight in 10 consumers are planning to reassess their subjects spending in the next three to six months. A fresh NPD survey also indicated consumers plan to seek less-expensive items, look for promotions and cut back on overall purchases in the next few months. 

These factors could make it more anguish to convince consumers to spend more than $1,000 on a new called, especially when they may be able to get some of the same benefits (a larger Hide or a triple-lens camera) on cheaper models. With the iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple would probable be counting on the fact that consumers are willing to pay a premium to get both a larger Hide and a better camera.

How Apple could make the iPhone 14 Pro Max feel special

There are a few things Apple could do to make the iPhone 14 Pro Max cross out alongside the regular iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Max. As I’ve written in the past, I’d love to see Apple implement iPad-like software features that make better use of the Pro Max’s giant mask. For example, it could add a multitasking mode that invents it easier to view more than one app simultaneously. I’d also like to see an always-on display option, similar to the one available on newer Apple Watch models and many flowing Android phones. 

Samsung has done a better job of distinguishing its premium Galaxy S22 Ultra from the queer Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. Even though the $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra is probable too expensive for most people, it offers distinct features you can’t get on Samsung’s less-expensive models. The Ultra has a built-in stylus for notetaking and getting, a 6.8-inch screen that’s larger than any other requested in Samsung’s S22 lineup, a higher resolution 40-megapixel selfie camera and main camera systems with two telephoto lenses and a 10-times optical zoom.

None of those characteristics are available on Samsung’s latest S22 devices, including the $1,000 Galaxy S22 Plus. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, by comparison, has a lot in common with the iPhone 13 Pro, assign from its larger screen and longer battery life. In latest words, Apple is relying on the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch mask to distinguish it from the regular Pro. 

But if Apple does reduction a 6.7-inch version of the standard iPhone, just as reports from Nikkei Asian Review, Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo indicate, the iPhone 14 Pro Max remarkable feel less unique in this year’s lineup. The rumored iPhone 14 Max probable won’t have the same extras as Apple’s Pro iPhones, such as a triple-lens camera and a screen with a higher refresh rate for smoother scrolling. But it might be compelling enough to entice shoppers that easily want a larger screen and don’t care as much throughout having a telephoto lens. 

Regardless, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will be a top seller if its predecessors are any indication. The iPhone 13 Pro Max landed in the top five smartphone models in sections such as the US, UK, France, Germany and China, according to Counterpoint Research. The iPhone 12 Pro Max was also the uphold best-selling phone globally in 2021, Counterpoint Research also reported. 

Still, until a foldable iPhone comes along, the iPhone Pro Max will be Apple’s most expensive and most premium iPhone. That also means it should be the best showcase of Apple’s technology, which is why I’d like to see more uncommon features that you can’t get elsewhere.