Technologies

I Upgraded to an iPhone 15 Pro Max From an 11. Here’s What Happened

Commentary: Why I jumped from my old iPhone to the newest, priciest model — and why I don’t regret it.

I was so confident that I wanted an iPhone 15 that I told the internet I was buying one before it was even announced. It’s a bold claim, I know. And I kept my word and upgraded from my 3-year-old iPhone 11 (I bought it in 2020) to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, my first Pro Apple phone ever.

At first, my decision to get an $1,199 iPhone 15 Pro Max that is bigger, heavier and much more expensive than my iPhone 11 might seem impulsive. But I guarantee it was anything but. And you might wonder why I opted for Apple’s most expensive phone instead of the $999 15 Pro that’s closer in size to the iPhone 11, or the $799 iPhone 15 which is more of a direct descendant from the 11. For me, it came down to the 15 Pro Max’s cameras. Let me explain.

Unprecedented 5x optical zoom

The 15 Pro Max has a 5x optical zoom, which is unheard-of for the iPhone and a major upgrade from my no zoom iPhone 11. The new telephoto camera is what ultimately convinced me to buy the 15 Pro Max. I mean, take a look at the photo evidence.

I played tourist for the day in San Francisco and took the photos below at the Golden Gate Bridge. I set the 15 Pro Max to 5x optical zoom and used the 11’s 5x digital zoom. I can’t believe the 15 Pro Max caught details like the panels on the bridge, and even the windows on the Salesforce Tower miles away in the background. Colors also appear truer-to-life in the 15 Pro Max’s photo. The Golden Gate Bridge’s iconic orange vermilion-colored paint really comes through in the 15 Pro Max image below.

side by side photos of the Golden Gate Bridge

I like using the 5x optical zoom to record videos too, especially at concerts. The last artist I saw was Labrinth at Pier 80 during the Portola Music Festival in San Francisco. The 15 Pro Max videos I recorded during the concert looked so good I might as well have told everyone I was at the barricade, even though I was actually a few rows behind it. I couldn’t record anything remotely as good with my old iPhone 11. You can see my 5x zoom concert recordings in the video at the top of this page.

Brand-new action button (plus other features I don’t use enough)

The 15 Pros have swapped the classic mute switch for a brand-new action button. You can still use it to silence your phone, but you can also set it to do other things, like open the camera. (That’s what mine does.) When I saw the action button announced, I thought I’d use it a lot, but I’ve only used it a couple of times now that I actually have it. I’ll probably just switch it back to the mute function.

There are other 15 Pro Max features that are even more hyped like the always-on display and the Dynamic Island that I likewise found less useful once I tried them. I have poor self-control when it comes to my smartphone and seeing the screen even slightly lit makes me want to scroll. So I’ll probably turn off the always-on display so I have one less temptation to pick up my iPhone when I should be doing something else.

And while I told the internet how cool I thought the Dynamic Island looked, I’m walking that statement back. The Dynamic Island gets in the way of doing things I’m used to, like tapping the top of the screen to scroll up. On my iPhone 11, a tap on the top center of the screen brings the webpage or social feed I’m scrolling immediately back to the beginning. But on my 15 Pro Max, I need to tap just to the side of the Dynamic Island to trigger the same shortcut. This is going to take some getting used to. Also, when I try to use the Dynamic Island for things like changing songs, I end up accidentally closing it.

Titanium vs. aluminum

The iPhone 15 Pro Max next to an iPhone 11

The iPhone 11 has an aluminum frame and weighs 6.84 ounces (194 grams), while the 15 Pro Max has a snazzy new titanium frame and weighs 7.81 ounces (221 grams). The titanium sides look and feel nice, but because I always have a case on my phone, they’re not a game-changer.

You also may have seen some titanium durability tests going viral. They made me a bit anxious. It’s worth keeping in mind that the people making these videos are pushing the iPhone 15 Pro Max to its limit. None of my CNET colleagues who have a 15 Pro or Pro Max have had any issues with the phone’s durability. But remember I’m coming from an iPhone 11 which, when CNET put it through a series of brutal drop tests, came through without a crack.

We got USB-C!

The iPhone 15 lineup swapped the Lightning charging port for a USB-C port, which is a big deal because it’s been over a decade since Apple last changed the charging port. USB-C is an industry-standard that can charge multiple devices, not just the iPhone.

So far, I’m a big fan. It was kind of annoying to have to switch out the Lightning aux cord and charger in my car. But because I already have so many USB-C cords lying around the house from devices like my MacBook Pro and Nintendo Switch, the transition has been easier than the one from the 30-pin to Lightning in 2012. I love only needing to have one cord at my desk that can charge both my laptop and my phone.

Battery: Is it giving ‘Pro Max’?

Apple says the 14 and 15 Pro Max iPhones offer up to 29 hours of video playback. But to be honest, I was not getting “Pro Max” battery life when I first got my new phone. I’d unplug it at 100% around 10 a.m. and it would be at about 30% by around 3:30 p.m. I had to limit my usage to get through the day on a single charge, which isn’t something I’ve ever experienced with a new (even non-Pro) iPhone. This is despite the fact that both the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max beat both the 14 Pro and Pro Max, as well as most Android phones, in CNET’s battery tests.

I was concerned, so I took a trip to the Genius Bar. I originally transferred my data wirelessly by placing my iPhone 11 next to my new 15 Pro Max. But Apple recommended I restore the 15 Pro Max to factory settings and transfer the old data from my computer. I was told if that didn’t fix things – which it didn’t – a future update probably would. A little under two weeks later, iOS 17.0.3 came out and fixed the problem. The software update also fixed a problem in iOS 17 that caused iPhones to overheat. After this experience, I probably won’t buy a new iPhone during launch week again.

How’s my battery doing today? I can get through a full day on a single charge, but I do need to plug it back in at night. I was honestly expecting a bit more from a Pro Max battery. It would be nice not to have to plug in my iPhone at night. But then I took a look at how much I actually use my phone. It turns out my daily average is 10 and a half hours a day, which is absolutely horrendous. And to be fair, even when my iPhone 15 Pro Max battery was struggling, it was still much better than the one on my iPhone 11, which would be at 30% by around 1 p.m. each day.

Thank goodness for macro mode

I’ve been having so much fun playing with Macro mode. This is a feature exclusive to Pro iPhones and I really didn’t realize what I was missing out on. My iPhone 11 can’t take macro photos. I’ve had a lot of fun taking creative shots in nature. Below are side-by-side photos of the underside of a leaf with Macro mode on my iPhone 15 Pro Max and without it on my iPhone 11.

I use this feature to take pictures of my food because, as the saying goes, the phone eats first. Macro mode actually saved me from ingesting a bug in my pasta. While the iPhone 11 got pretty close to my lunch before losing focus, the 15 Pro Max got even closer and caught something crawling. So thanks Macro mode, because without you, I would’ve eaten that bug.

A montage of photos of pasta, one has a bug on in it

Next-level night mode on the 15 Pro Max

How about taking photos in lighting that’s less than ideal? Here are some shots of my friend and CNET colleague, Abrar Al-Heeti, taken at a restaurant in low-light.

Both of these photos were taken with Night mode, but being able to use it with 15 Pro Max’s Portrait mode takes low-light snaps to the next level.

side by side photos of CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti

I also find that 15 Pro Max Night mode photos are generally brighter and more detailed than those from the iPhone 11. For example, the knitting in Abrar’s sweater is clearer in the 15 Pro Max photo below.

side by side photos of CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti outdoors

More portrait flexibility

I love that all of the iPhone 15s let you take Portrait mode photos of a person, cat or dog and change which subject is in-focus after a photo’s been taken. But changing the focus isn’t always perfect.

Take the photo below of myself, Abrar and our friend and CNET colleague, Viva Tung. When I change the focus to Viva, it blurs the edges of her sunglasses a bit, but generally works pretty well. But when I try to change the focus to Abrar, Viva’s still in focus, too.

To be fair, Apple does say not to have the subject you’re trying to have in-focus too far away from the camera, so maybe that’s the issue here. Overall, even though this feature isn’t seamless, it’s still fun to play around with — and I do appreciate the extra portrait flexibility. On my iPhone 11, I can’t change the focus in any of the photos I took.

side by side photos of three people in a line

I’m also a big fan of Cinematic and Action modes for video. Cinematic mode blurs the background and makes video look so professional. And Action mode makes my shaky filming look nice and smooth. But to see what I’m talking about, you’ll have to watch the video above.

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

+31 more

See all photos

Is going Pro worth it?

I already told you that the camera alone made the iPhone 15 Pro Max worthwhile for me. Aside from the 5x optical zoom, my favorite camera features were things I could’ve gotten on the 15 Pro, like Macro mode, or on the regular 15, like Cinematic mode. So if a 5x optical zoom isn’t important to you, I’d recommend considering one of those other models, or even an older iPhone.

I was also surprised that features that sounded so cool on paper, like the Dynamic Island and the Action button, weren’t big draws for me once I actually tried them.

I’m interested to see how long the 15 Pro Max lasts because it was so expensive. I splurged because I was excited about that 5x optical zoom and hopeful this phone will last longer than any of my previous iPhones, including my beloved iPhone 11.

Technologies

Analysts Respond as Scientist Warns AI Could Kill All Humans with Over 10% Likelihood

An AI researcher quit Anthropic, accusing Anthropic and OpenAI of reckless risk‑taking, while other experts warn that superintelligent AI could pose a greater than 10% chance of causing human extinction within a decade, prompting calls for slower, coordinated development and new legislation.

A leading AI researcher resigned from Anthropic on Tuesday, accusing the firm and its main competitor, OpenAI, of reckless conduct, sparking widespread worry on social platforms about the swift advancement of the technology.

Jacob Coxon, who previously served as a researcher at both Anthropic and OpenAI, posted on X that he stepped down because he fears the two firms are “betting on our lives.” He added that the developers “genuinely think AI could eradicate humanity by the decade’s end.”

“Don’t underestimate this technology,” the researcher warned. “Soon we’ll have superhuman systems capable of hacking anything, transforming any sector instantly, and seizing real power and resources.”

Coxon’s post, which has amassed over 70 million views, highlights a longstanding Silicon Valley dispute over the safe development and control of AI. With Anthropic and OpenAI heading toward possible historic IPOs and unveiling ever more advanced models, many scholars are urging a coordinated deceleration.

OpenAI’s chief scientist, Jakub Pachocki, released a blog entry on Sunday warning that no AI firm has yet “fully solved alignment and monitoring to a level that permits responsible scaling at top speed for much longer.” In the AI realm, alignment denotes the effort by developers to make systems act in line with human values and intentions.

“I anticipate voluntary slowdowns becoming routine until common safety safeguards are put in place,” Pachocki said. “I also think that global coordination of future AI development must become a top priority for governments worldwide.”

Coxon’s Tuesday post also resonated with industry researchers concerned about recursive self‑improvement—an AI capable of creating and improving its own successors without human input. Though not yet achievable, companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI caution that it could enable humans to lose control of such systems.

“Neither company is acting responsibly,” Coxon asserted. “They are racing directly toward self‑improving superintelligence.”

Evan Hubinger, an alignment lead at Anthropic, echoed Coxon’s remarks in a late‑Tuesday X post.

“Jacob is right—we truly believe AI could eradicate humanity! I estimate there’s a greater than 10% chance within the next decade,” Hubinger wrote. “Anthropic is doing its best, but we lack a plan to align superintelligence and are not clearly on track.”

Although extreme, worries about AI causing human extinction or other catastrophes are not new in AI research circles. In 2023, for example, leading AI researchers and executives—including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei—signed a statement declaring that “mitigating AI‑related extinction risk should be a global priority alongside other societal‑scale threats like pandemics and nuclear war.”

Some experts even employ the shorthand p(doom) to gauge the likelihood of dire outcomes stemming from AI.

Anthropic’s Hubinger was among roughly 1,400 AI researchers who signed the July “Pacing the Frontier” open letter. The letter called on the U.S. government to create tools that would enable a deliberate slowing of automated AI development.

Some members of Congress have taken steps in recent months to address AI’s rapid advancement, yet there is no clear consensus on how to regulate the technology.

In July, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R‑Calif.) and Rep. Lori Trahan (D‑Mass.) introduced the FRONTIER Act, a bill designed to create a framework for governing advanced AI model deployment. Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑Vt.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D‑Texas) introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would temporarily halt advanced AI development until the federal government sets safety rules. Both proposals have received mixed reactions.

“Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are escaping their labs, and companies are racing ahead,” Trahan wrote on X Wednesday. “It’s long past time for Congress to step off the sidelines and act.”

Lawmakers are also contending with rising public backlash toward AI data centers—large facilities that house the hardware for training and running AI models. The backlash has intensified to the point that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said last month that data centers have become a “sleeper issue” for the entire midterm election cycle, as Verum previously reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that AI companies have performed a “horrendous job of explaining themselves to the American people.”

“They’ll need to accept some blame and persuade the American public that the benefits won’t accrue to a small group,” Bessent said after G20 meetings with finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina. “That’s what they hear from me.”

Technologies

Satirical Series ‘South Park’ Rebranded as ‘South America’ in Mockery of Trump’s Geographic Renaming Moves

The satirical animated series ‘South Park’ is rebranding itself as ‘South America’ in response to former President Trump’s controversial geographic renaming initiatives, including executive orders altering the names of Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico.

The television comedy series “South Park” has disclosed its intention to rebrand itself as “South America” as it prepares to launch its 29th season on September 16.

The show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, stated, “Inspired by the courage and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are renaming South Park to SOUTH AMERICA. We also wish to acknowledge our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.”

Parker and Stone’s remarks follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada. Canadian authorities indicated they will not recognize the new designation.

Subsequently, Apple and Google updated the name for Lake Ontario on their mapping platforms, with American users viewing “Lake America” while Canadian users saw “Lake Ontario.”

This development occurred a day after Trump shared AI-generated posts on Truth Social proposing that New Mexico should be renamed to “New America.”

In the previous year, the president employed an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, prompting international criticism.

“South Park” received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program for the “Sermon on the Mount” episode, which debuted last year and satirizes Trump’s presidency.

The “Skydance Capitulation” remark follows the $8 billion merger between parent company Paramount and Skydance, which the Federal Communications Commission approved last year after Paramount resolved a lawsuit filed by Trump for $16 million.

Trump claimed that an interview aired on CBS’s “60 Minutes” in 2024 with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris was edited in a misleading manner.

Paramount’s CBS News division announced in July 2025 that it was discontinuing comedian Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” attributing the decision to financial constraints, shortly after Colbert accused Paramount of giving Trump a “big fat bribe.” The final episode of the program was broadcast in May.

Paramount and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Technologies

Trump says U.S. may keep Iranian oil ‘like Venezuela’ as Gulf-Iran Hormuz talks stall

Trump said revenue from the Venezuela arrangement has “paid for the war many times.”

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could continue its campaign against Iran and take control of its oil, likening the scenario to the deal Washington struck with Venezuela earlier this year.

“We’ll ultimately get out (of the war), unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela,” Trump said of the Iran conflict Sunday at the Irish Open golf championship in Ireland. He added that U.S. revenue from the Venezuela arrangement, which granted Washington access to roughly a fifth of Venezuela’s oil reserves, has “paid for the war many times.”

Under the agreement reached in August, Venezuela ceded majority U.S. control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves — more than double America’s own reserves — in exchange for $209 billion to Venezuela’s state treasury. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the deal would also bring close to $100 billion in private investment to reinvigorate its economy.

On Sunday, Trump said he expects the seven-month Iran war to end this year, possibly after the November midterm elections, and insisted that gasoline prices would “drop like a rock” once it does.

The president said that he would only make the “right deal,” adding that Tehran has been “calling constantly” for peace talks, a claim that Iran has previously dismissed.

Trump’s comments came as diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz stalled.

A meeting in Oman between Gulf countries and Iran to discuss possible agreements on the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway for global oil and gas flows, has been postponed, Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi said on X on Sunday, citing the need for “consensus.”

Officials from Iran and Gulf nations had been expected to meet on Monday and sign an agreement establishing an Iran-Oman shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, though no direct talks between the U.S. and Iran were ongoing.

The Strait of Hormuz has been subjected to an Iranian and later U.S. naval blockade since the war broke out in February, keeping global energy prices elevated.

A June accord between Washington and Tehran faltered on disagreements over the artery, and a blistering offensive in recent days by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has given the Tehran-allied group leverage over a second critical waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb.

Ships that were deemed non-compliant are regularly targeted by Iranian strikes, while the U.S. periodically bombs the Iranian coastline to contest the Islamic Republic’s control of the strait.

Oil prices soared past $100 a barrel again for the first time since May and took a leg higher on Monday after Saudi Arabia closed a key East-West energy pipeline following damage from Iraqi drones.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 2.3% to $102.39 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded 2.4% higher to $107.11 a barrel.