Apple has revealed its latest iPhones, with the monolithic iPhone 14 Pro Max sitting atop the range. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has all the new features you'll find in the iPhone 14 Pro, but with a much larger 6.7-inch display.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is now available. If you're looking to nab the iPhone 14 Pro Max on a plan, you'll find it at the usual suspects: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
How much does the iPhone 14 Pro Max cost in Australia?
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the most expensive new iPhone you can buy, and it is slightly more expensive than last year. Both models are up by $50, with the 14 Pro Max starting at $1,899 in Australia.
Here's the complete pricing for the iPhone 14 family:
| iPhone Model | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 | 128GB | $1,399 |
| iPhone 14 | 256GB | $1,579 |
| iPhone 14 | 512GB | $1,899 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | 128GB | $1,579 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | 256GB | $1,749 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | 512GB | $2,099 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | 128GB | $1,749 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | 256GB | $1,899 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | 512GB | $2,249 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | 1TB | $2,599 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 128GB | $1,899 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 256GB | $2,099 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 512GB | $2,419 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 1TB | $2,769 |
iPhone 14 Pro Max features
The iPhone 14 Pro got more than its fair share of upgrades this time around, including a redesigned notch, an always-on display, and a big bump in primary camera resolution.
Apple has also integrated safety features such as 'Crash Detection', and 'Emergency SOS' using satellites. Crash Detection uses a gyroscope and other sensors to track if you've been part of a car accident, automatically sending a push notification to your phone to allow you to call for help in one tap.
Emergency SOS uses custom components for the iPhone antenna to connect to a satellite's unique frequency and allow you to send more compacted text messages - more suitable for satellite bandwidth - for help. This is only possible if the phone is pointed directly at the satellite, which Apple has accounted for using a clever UX. For now, this feature will only be available in the US and Canada.
While the US models will be eSIM only, Australia's devices will still have a physical SIM slot.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are available in four colours: Space Black, Silver, Gold, and Deep Purple.
iPhone 14 Pro Max design
With one significant difference, the iPhone 14 Pro Max looks fairly similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple rebuilt the notch and gave it the new name 'Dynamic Island', but kept the 6.7-inch size and 120Hz refresh rate. The point of call for alerts has changed from being the top-notch of the phone to a pill-shaped cut-out in the top portion of the screen.
The Island is ultimately an adaptive pill that expands and contracts to highlight extra information, such as what you're listening to, any timers you've got running, or navigation directions.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max also benefit from an always-on display. When you're not using your phone the display will dim, but never fully turn off to make it easier to keep tabs on what is happening on screen. The screen itself is also brighter than what you'd find on the iPhone 13 Pro family.
What is the camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max?
The iPhone 14 Pro has undergone a significant camera upgrade and is now furnished with a 48MP primary lens in addition to the two extra 12MP lenses.
The latest iPhone 14 Pro Max lens has 48MP, a significant improvement over the 12+12+12MP combination from the previous year. The emphasis has once again been on raising lowlight quality. Every lens in the iPhone 14 series has received computational photography improvements, as is customary for Apple. With the introduction of the Photonic Engine software pipeline, every lens now operates better in low light.
The new primary lens on the iPhone 14 Pro has a quad-pixel sensor which is 65% bigger than the iPhone 13 Pro making for 2x better performance in lowlight. The ultra-wide 12MP also has a larger sensor which makes for a 3x improvement in lowlight as compared to the previous model.
Additionally, the refreshed selfie camera comes with autofocus for the first time ever.
Video capture has improved also, with upgraded stabilisation using 'Action Mode'. The more advanced stabilisation makes for smoother-moving shots, further mimicking a gimbal.
How long does the battery last on the iPhone 14 Pro Max?
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has the best battery on a phone we've tested this year, hitting around seven hours of screentime - so easily over a full day.
But when compared to other iPhone models the iPhone 13 Pro Max usage time comes in at around 1.5 - 2 days per charge compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max at 1.5 days per charge.
While the 13 Pro Max supports up to 28 hours of video playback and 95 hours of audio, the 14 Pro Max has 29 hours of video playback and the same 95 hours of audio. Based on these stats, the iPhone 14 Pro Max should last slightly longer. However, in our testing, we found the battery life a slight downgrade - presumably due to the new Always-On display.
iPhone 14 Pro Max processor
The iPhone 14 Pro is powered by the all-new A16 processor, just like the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Once again Apple claims that the A16 chip is the fastest on the market, but didn't provide any data on how it compares to the A15. It did however say that it is 40% faster than competitors and compared competitors to the A13 from three years ago. So we can assume that the A16 should be around 40% quicker than the A13.
iPhone 14 Pro Max 5G
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has 5G connectivity, just like its predecessors.
WhistleOut's coverage checker tool has 5G coverage maps, making it easy to see whether you can get 5G. All you need to do is pop in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.
This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, but unticking 4G and 3G can help make it clearer. The drop-down menu lets you choose between telcos.
Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.
| iPhone 14 | iPhone 14 Plus | iPhone 14 Pro | iPhone 14 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.7-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.7-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Super Retina | Super Retina | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 2x 12MP | 2x 12MP | 48MP + 2x 12MP + LiDAR | 48MP + 2x 12MP + LiDAR |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Processor | A15 | A15 | A16 | A16 |
| Storage | 128GB - 512GB | 128GB - 512GB | 128GB - 1TB | 128GB - 1TB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 |
IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 |
| Price | From $1,399 | From $1,579 | From $1,749 | From $1,899 |
How to choose the best iPhone plan for you
Since customers only have the Big Three telcos - Telstra, Optus and Vodafone - to choose from, there are a few main considerations to keep in mind when picking an iPhone plan:
- Answering "how much mobile data do I use" can help you avoid overspending. Don't pay for more data than you need
- Decide whether you want to pay off your phone shorter on a 24-month plan or get a smaller bill over a longer period of time on a 36-month plan
- If you're a frequent overseas traveller consider any international roaming inclusions
- You may also want to make international phone calls so check if the destinations you may be calling are included in your plan
For a breakdown of the best iPhone plans - from unlimited data plans to plans with international calls - check out our guide.
iPhone 14 Pro Max plan providers
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are all ranging the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Telstra iPhone 14 Pro Max plans
Telstra iPhone plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a host of perks.
Telstra lets you pay your iPhone 14 off over 12 or 24 months, and all plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.
Optus iPhone 14 Pro Max plans
Optus iPhone plans come with solid data inclusions.
Higher-end Optus Samsung plans also come with unlimited international calls to selected destinations included with the plan.
All Optus plans are contract-free, and devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months.
In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.
Vodafone iPhone 14 Pro Max plans
Vodafone iPhone plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they have perks when it comes to bundling.
If you have a Vodafone mobile plan, you can get most of the telco's internet plans - NBN, 5G home internet, and 4G home internet - at a discounted rate.
Vodafone customers also save 5% on their total mobile bill for each postpaid mobile plan on their account after the first. This discount maxes out at 20% and doesn't include handset repayments.
Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped at 2Mbps and 10Mbps, depending on how much you're spending per month. The higher your bill, the higher your capped data speeds. Vodafone also has a truly unlimited plan, with one slight catch - you'll only get 30GB of data for hotspotting each month.
You'll also get access to Vodafone's famous $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.
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