Just as expected, Apple announced the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max today – the more advanced (and expensive) alternatives to the iPhone 11. Apple notes its serious about the ‘Pro’ name. It’s a device for people to get work done, though most of the improvements seem to center around the camera.
The device comes in the same sizes as the iPhone Xx and Xs Max – that is, 5.8 and 6.5 inches – but is available in snazzy new matte glass finishes, including a surprising ‘midnight green.’ Apple says the glass is the most durable on a smartphone too. On the front, the phone features a new ‘Super Retina XDR; OLED panel capable of brightness up to 1,200 nits and 15 percent higher efficiency.
Combined with the more efficient processor, the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max deliver up to four and five hours more of battery life over their respective predecessors. Better yet, they finally come with a fast charger, at 18 Watts.
As with the cheaper iPhone 11, the main upgrades appear to be in the camera department. You now have a wide-angle camera joining the telephoto lens and primary camera, allowing you to capture images from multiple perspectives; you can even capture images from all three at the same time. Apple has introduced a new high-key monochrome mode, as well as a proper Night Mode to compete with the Google Pixel.
Apple says image quality will improve further when it launches its ‘Deep Fusion’ processing later this fall. The technology uses on-device machine learning to perform ‘pixel-by-pixel’ processing in order to improve the texture, detail, and noise of photos.
More changes have happened on the video front. Aside from being able to change between multiple perspectives on the fly – at 4K and 60fps no less – Apple has improved the dynamic range, showing off captures in high contrast scenes without blowing out too many highlights or crushing the shadows. Meanwhile, the selfie camera can now capture slow-mo as well as 4K footage at 60fps.
Better yet, you can now perform video edits right from the camera app, including rotation, cropping, adjusting exposure or applying filters. And of course, the iPhone also has an extensive ecosystem of camera apps that add features without degrading image quality, as happens on some Android devices.
As with the cheaper iPhone, the 11 Pro and Pro Max are powered by Apple’s new A13 Bionic chip. Apple says the A13 includes the fastest processor and GPU on any smartphone. It’s 20 percent faster than the A12, which already outperformed the processors on competing Android phones.
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will start at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, and phones will be available September 20.
For more on everything Apple announced today, check out our event page here.
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