Apple's iPhone 11 Pro And Pro Max: 10 Things To Know

Apple unveils two new OLED models as part of its 2019 iPhone lineup, with a number of new features and updated specs.

The Next iPhones

According to Apple, 2019 is the year that iPhone users go Pro. Apple's iPhone announcement Tuesday included the unveiling of two new models with OLED displays—the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The 2019 iPhones are the successors to last year's iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, and feature no change in display sizes from the 2018 models. However, the new iPhones do include significant updates around the camera, processor, Face ID and more. They were introduced alongside one new LCD model on Tuesday, the iPhone 11.

In the following slides, the CRN Test Center rounds up 10 key things to know about Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max on specs, price and release date.

Display: iPhone 11 Pro

The iPhone 11 Pro offers a display size on par with that of the iPhone XS, at 5.8 inches, and identical resolution as well, at 2,436 x 1,125 pixels. The iPhone 11 Pro features a nearly edge-to-edge screen (and camera notch), up to 1,200 nits of brightness and OLED display technology.

Display: iPhone 11 Pro Max

The iPhone 11 Pro Max will also stick with the same 6.5-inch display size as its predecessor, the iPhone XS Max. The nearly edge-to-edge OLED display will remain at the same resolution of 2,688 x 1,242 pixels, as well, and will offer up to 1,200 nits of brightness.

Camera

Perhaps the biggest change in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max from last year's models is on the rear camera system. The new iPhones move up to a triple-camera setup on the rear—with a noticeably different external design that has been described as a "camera square." For the cameras themselves, Apple is introducing an ultra-wide camera to join the wide and telephoto cameras. The ultra-wide camera will feature a 120-degree field of view for taking expansive shots. All three cameras offer 12 megapixels, while key camera features include portrait lighting; dual optical image stabilization (on the wide and telephoto cameras); and night mode.

Authentication

Like last year's iPhones, the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will only offer Face ID facial recognition as a biometric method for unlocking the phone. Apple indicated it’s been working to perfect Face ID. Facial authentication will now be 30 percent faster on the iPhone 11 Pro models, while Face ID will also feature better performance "at varying distances and support for more angles," Apple said.

Processor

The iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max will be powered by Apple's next generation of processor, the A13 Bionic. The six-core CPU in the A13 Bionic includes two high-performance cores (offering up to 20 percent faster CPU and GPU than the A12 Bionic), along with four low-power cores (featuring up to 40 percent improved energy efficiency over the A12). Apple is calling the A13 Bionic "the fastest chip ever in a smartphone." In addition, the A13 Bionic is outfitted with enhanced capabilities for enabling machine learning, with new machine-learning accelerators that let the CPU “deliver more than 1 trillion operations per second," Apple said.

Battery

Apple also announced improved battery life for the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 11 Pro "lasts up to four hours longer" than the XS does, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max can run up to five hours longer than the XS Max, according to Apple. However, Apple did not release specifics on how much internet use you can expect to get with the iPhone 11 Pro models. (The iPhone XS had promised up to 12 hours of internet use, while the XS Max had promised up to 13 hours of internet use.) The iPhone 11 Pro models will also be able to charge wirelessly with a Qi charging pad, and Apple said it will include a fast-charging 18-watt adapter—which offers up to a 50 percent charge in a half-hour—in the box with the devices.

Durability

For the inevitable iPhone accident, Apple said the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will include enhanced water resistance. The devices should be able to withstand a plunge into waters as deep as four meters for a half -hour. That's twice as deep as the previous rating, of two meters, for the iPhone XS and XS Max. The new iPhones also feature the "toughest glass ever in a smartphone," Apple said.

Body And Colors

Along with a frame made from "surgical grade" stainless steel, the iPhone 11 Pro models will feature a new design on the backside with a textured matte glass back. A new color is being added for the iPhone Pro models as well—with the addition of a "midnight green" color option alongside the gold, space gray and silver options.

Storage

Apple is keeping the storage configurations the same on the iPhone 11 Pro models as they were on the iPhone XS models. That means iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max buyers can choose between variants with 64 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB of internal storage.

Price And Availability

The iPhone 11 Pro models won't see a change in starting pricing from the previous generation of OLED iPhones. The iPhone 11 Pro will feature a starting price of $999, the same as the original starting pricing for the iPhone XS. And the iPhone 11 Pro Max will follow suit, with a starting price of $1,099, mirroring the original pricing for the XS Max.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will begin on Friday (Sept. 13), and the release date for the iPhone 11 Pro models is Sept. 20.