The iPhone 13 Pro Max and 12 Pro Max are Apple’s biggest smartphones to date. Both devices have 6.7-inch screens, making them significantly larger than the standard 6.1-inch iPhone 13, 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini and 4.7-inch iPhone SE. While hardware varies, all iPhones generally run the same software regardless of their size. If only there were more ways to use the Pro Max’s bigger screen.
Fortunately, there is. Apple should draw inspiration from the iPhone’s bigger cousin, the iPad. Apple’s tablets are packed with extra features that make it easier to use apps on the bigger screen. The company renamed the iPad software to “iPadOS” in 2019 to differentiate it from the iPhone’s iOS. By that time, the iPad’s interface had developed so much that it made no sense to mix the two operating systems together.
I’m not suggesting something as drastic as a rebranding of “Pro Max OS”. But I think both Apple and its customers could benefit from iOS 16, the next major iPhone software version, with new features that are exclusive to the sizable iPhone.
It will not be easy to do so. Modifications will need to be made to bring iPad-specific features like multitasking to the iPhone Pro Max. But Apple already has a history of tailoring apps and software to specific products, as it proved with the original iPad and Apple Watch. So I would count on it to do the same in this case.
Here are iPad features that I think will translate well to the iPhone Pro Max.
multitasking
Slide Over lets you open another iPad app in a column on the side of the screen.
Jason Cipriani / CNET
The iPhone Pro Max’s large screen is great for focusing on one app, like reading or watching TV. But I’d love to see a version of the iPad’s multitasking capabilities on the iPhone Pro Max as well. Being able to see more than one app on the screen prevented me from repeatedly switching between apps.
Apple offers two main options for running multiple apps on the iPad’s display: Split View and Slide Over. The first is self-explanatory; It lets you split the screen between two apps. Android phones have also offered split-screen mode for years. Slide over is a little different. Instead of splitting the screen, you can open an app in a floating panel that can be positioned on either side of the screen.
If Apple brings any of these features to the iPhone Pro Max, I think Slide Over will be the most useful. Compared to split view mode, this is a better way to use a smartphone-sized screen. You’ll be able to devote most of the screen to one app while quickly checking out another. I’d love to see my Slack messages in a column on the side of my screen while using most of the iPhone’s display to catch up on email.
It’s an example of an iPad feature that Apple would have to significantly tweak for the iPhone, rather than bring the current version. The iPhone Pro Max is big for a phone, but it’s still small compared to the iPad – even the iPad Mini.
Widgets on the iPhone can show a lot of information at a glance.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
One way Apple can do this is by formatting interactive widgets like slide over apps that you can view while another app is running. Widgets are already designed to display a lot of information in a space that only occupies a fraction of your phone’s screen. As such, it’s easy to imagine widget-like slide over apps that you can pin to any corner of the iPhone Pro Max’s display.
Still, getting the multitasking features of the iPad on the iPhone Pro Max is a long shot. Part of the appeal of the iPhone is that the software is consistent no matter what model you own, so I doubt Apple would jeopardize it. In the meantime, we’ve stuck with some of the current iPhone Pro Max-specific features that were actually introduced for the iPhone 6 Plus. For example, default apps like Mail and Messages take advantage of the iPhone Pro Max’s larger display in landscape mode to show a column of message previews with the message currently viewed.
a mini apple pencil
The Apple Pencil is not compatible with the iPhone, but it should be.
Sarah Tu/CNET
Yes, I know Steve Jobs scoffed at the idea of ​​using a stylus with a mobile device. But listen to me The Apple Pencil has proven itself to be a valuable iPad companion over the years. Now, it’s time to bring it to iPhone Pro Max as an optional accessory.
I’m not the only one wanting an iPhone-compatible Apple Pencil. My colleague Patrick Holland has been begging for an Apple Pencil since reviewing the iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2020, saying a MagSafe Apple Pencil would be “a killer accessory.”
First, consider the audience of the iPhone Pro Max. It’s for those who are willing to pay top dollar for the biggest screen and best camera available on the iPhone. The Apple Pencil seems like a natural addition to the Pro Max for both photographers and those who just want a huge screen.
I imagine that people who frequently touch up on photos on their phones would benefit from editing with a stylus more precise than a finger, especially when popular apps like Adobe Lightroom and Pixelmator have Apple Pencil support. An iPhone-friendly Apple Pencil may also appeal to those who frequently take notes or mark up documents with their phones. The rumored iPhone 14 Max, which will be a 6.7-inch version of the standard iPhone, will also benefit from the optional Pencil accessory.
The success of Samsung’s Galaxy Note line (which has now been consolidated into the Galaxy S Ultra family) also suggests that there is an audience for the stylus. I have to admit that I don’t find myself using the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s S Pen very often. But it is useful for writing notes during a meeting or for quickly capturing ideas when I am writing a review And away from my computer.
Again, it would make no sense to extend the compatibility of the current Apple Pencil to the iPhone Pro Max. Instead, Apple should design a smaller version of the Pencil with a smaller tip that is better suited for a phone-sized screen.
A win for Apple and its customers
The iPhone 13 Pro Max (far left) is Apple’s biggest iPhone ever.
Patrick Holland/CNET
With or without these features, the iPhone Pro Max is already a hit. According to data from Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 12 Pro Max was the second best-selling phone in the world in 2021.
There’s clearly a demand for sizable iPhones, as rumors suggest Apple will replace the iPhone mini with another 6.7-inch iPhone this year.
But why not do more with the Pro Max? This would be a great way for Apple to further differentiate the Pro Max from its smaller and less expensive iPhones. Additional software features will also provide owners with more for the price, while a Pencil will provide another opportunity for Apple to make money from current iPhone Pro Max owners. It seems like a win-win scenario.
The lack of multitasking and Apple Pencil support aren’t necessarily drawbacks in the iPhone Pro Max. But it looks like Apple is missing an opportunity.
