Apple has long been rumored to drop the “Pro Max” title from the iPhone and replace it with “Ultra”. The rumors got stronger after the company launched the Apple Watch Ultra, its high-end adventure and endurance-focused smartwatch, last year.
Prior to the launch of the iPhone 15 series, there were speculations that Cupertino would rename its top-tier smartphone as the iPhone Ultra. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen after Apple continued with the “Pro Max” moniker this year.
Apple To Rename iPhone Pro Max As The iPhone Ultra From Next Year
However, a recent report by SamMobile suggests that a name change is on the horizon at Apple, with the company expected to rename the forthcoming ultimate iPhone as the “Ultra” and not the usual “Pro Max”, starting with the iPhone 16 series.
While some might argue the name change is just for show, that’s not the case. According to some credible tech sources like Apple Product Blog Reporter Majin Bu, the iPhone 16 “Ultra” will introduce three new camera modules that will not be available on the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, or the 16 Pro.
This year, Apple introduced a new 48-megapixel main camera and Tetraprism 5X optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which will be carried onto next year’s Pros.
iPhone Ultra Cameras To Be Compatible With Apple’s Vision Pro AR Headsets
Meanwhile, pictures and videos captured on the Ultra’s cameras are rumored to be compatible with the upcoming Vision Pro headset, suggesting that Cupertino is focused on making the best use of its augmented reality technology.
Another long-standing rumor is about the screens. Currently, Apple only offers a 120Hz refresh rate on its Pro series iPhones. This will be expanded to the standard iPhones from next year, thus implementing a much-needed change that has long been keeping iPhones on the back foot.
In terms of battery life, Apple is working on a “millimeter wave” mode that will allow the smartphone to conserve more battery. There is one more exciting detail that is to be expected with the iPhone 16 Ultra, and It’s called the “View Button”.
Although it is not clear what function the button will serve, rumors speculate that it will be similar to the “Glance Bar” found in Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2.
The View Button will likely be a capacitive touch button and not physical like the power or volume buttons that are found on iPhones.
Apple unveiled the latest iPhone 15 series on September 12, which includes the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The company brought massive changes to the lineup this year, starting with the addition of USB Type-C charging and Dynamic Island on all variants, a 48 MP main camera, and the configurable Action Button that replaced the mute switch on the Pro models to name a few.
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus start with 128GB of internal storage at $799 and $899, respectively, while the iPhone 15 Pro with 128 GB storage comes in at $999, and the 256 GB Pro Max variant will start at $1,199.
