Next year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max could be different from the 6.1″ “Pro” model

The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro series are the first to make a major internal hardware difference between Apple devices, as they are based on processors from different generations. But it seems that in 2023, Apple may be considering an even greater separation between the cheaper models in the range, the Pro and the Pro Max, which could even be separated from them by a new name, “Ultra”, as we’ve seen on the Apple Watch.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max could be different from the rest of the series, just like the S22 Ultra vs. the S22 and S22+

According to Taiwanese business analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could create even more performance segmentation between its phones at various price thresholds. The iPhone 15 models could be the first to adopt this strategy, with the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus variants with similar hardware at the entry level, the iPhone 15 Pro with extra performance and features, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra with an improved camera and perhaps more storage in the base variant.

Currently, prices increase by $100 between models, with the iPhone 14 listed at $799, the iPhone 14 Plus at $899, the iPhone 14 Pro at $999 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max at $1,099, all with 128 GB storage standard. Starting with the iPhone 15, the Pro Max model could use a 256 GB minimum configuration, priced from $1,199, probably with a more advanced zoom camera as well. The Pro models will still use a new-generation Apple A17 processor, presumably, while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will benefit from the A16 chip that just debuted on the 14 Pro series.

This wouldn’t be the first time the top model would have differences from the others. The iPhone 12 Pro Max adopted a similar strategy, using a sensor-stabilized camera for the first time, when the Pro and standard models still used the old optical stabilization. That model also had a 2.5x zoom compared to the Pro’s 2x zoom. Since the 13th generation Pro, the two variants again had similar capabilities.