What are the biggest upgrades for iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max

• Unveiling at Apple’s September 9 event
• Smaller Dynamic Island, potentially with some Face ID components under the display
• Variable-aperture main camera
• A20 Pro chip built on TSMC’s 2nm process
• Apple C2 cellular modem
• New N2 wireless/networking chip
• Larger battery, particularly on the Pro Max
• Simplified Camera Control
• Revised, more seamless rear Ceramic Shield design
• Possible 5G satellite connectivity
• Likely price increase due to soaring memory and component costs

How is iPhone 18 Pro/Max different from iPhone 17 Pro/Max?

• Split release schedule (Pro first, base later)
• Smaller or modified Dynamic Island
• Some Face ID components moving under-display
• New C2 modem
• Camera experimentation (rumored variable aperture on Pro Max)

When will the new iPhones launch?

Apple has confirmed that it will hold an event on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, and new iPhones are highly likely to headline the event.

However, Apple is widely expected to change its usual release strategy this year. Multiple reports suggest suggest that only the premium models will arrive in September 2026: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a new foldable iPhone Ultra.

The standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e and a second generation iPhone Air are instead expected in spring 2027. If accurate, this would represent the biggest shake-up to Apple’s iPhone launch schedule in years, creating separate autumn and spring release windows.

Evidence in iOS 27 beta 5 adds weight to those reports. System files reportedly reference six unreleased iPhones: the iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2, and foldable iPhone Ultra. The references don’t reveal specifications, but they support the idea that Apple is preparing all six models while staggering their release dates.

Availability could also be a problem. During Apple’s Q3 earnings call, then-CEO Tim Cook, now executive chairman, warned that the impact of supply constraints would “increase significantly.”

Apple is reportedly struggling to secure enough DRAM for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra, potentially limiting production ahead of launch. Processor wafers are said to be ready, but some are reportedly waiting for memory before they can be packaged and assembled.

That could leave the iPhone 18 Pro in short supply when it goes on sale, with longer shipping estimates possible. The lower-volume iPhone Ultra may be somewhat less affected.

Most likely: The iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra will launch in September 2026, while the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will follow in early 2027.

What will the iPhone 18 Pro/Max look like and what are the color choices?

The design of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is said to resemble the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, but some changes are predicted.

One possible change, shared by a Weibo leaker in September 2025, is a “slightly transparent” ceramic shield section on the back of Pro models. This glass/Ceramic Shield area around MagSafe is now rumored to become more frosted and visually seamless.

Macworld contributor Filipe Esposito reported that a trusted source had revealed one of the new colorways for the iPhone 18 Pro to be Dark Cherry, replacing the iPhone 17 Pro’s Cosmic Orange option.

Recent rumors claimed that the new phones will be significantly thicker than previous models, but all the evidence we have seen says that’s not the case, including case maker Otter Box confidently listing their iPhone 17 Pro cases as fitting the iPhone 18 Pro. Instead, we expect the body to have about the same thickness as the iPhone 17 Pro/Max but with a thicker camera bump area.

Another report suggests that the Camera Control on the side of the iPhone will be pressure sensing instead of a touch-sensing layer. This redesign is said to be aimed at reducing the cost and complexity.

A recent ransomware attack against an Apple parts supplier included images from an iPhone 18 Pro “drop test” and other parts, and they corroborate prior rumors about the overall shape and design of the phone, which is broadly the same as the iPhone 17 Pro.

Other shades are said to include: Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver. There was also a coffee shade rumored (via Digital Chat Station).

As with the iPhone 17 Pro, there will be no black option, according to Instant Digital.

Screen sizes are expected to remain at 6.3 and 6.9 inches. The Pro models will also retain the wider three-camera raised plateau.

If you are hoping for a more dramatic redesign, the iPhone Ultra may have more appeal. Alternatively, you could wait for the 20th anniversary iPhone which is rumored to have a “radically different design“. Reports point to a curved, near-bezel-free display, possible solid-state haptic buttons, a thinner and brighter OLED panel, and potentially under-display Face ID and camera hardware coming in fall 2027.

Most likely: Design changes will be minimal, with the biggest visible differences limited to colors and subtle refinements.

What’s new with the iPhone 18 Pro/Max camera?

Eugen Wegmann

Apple may introduce variable aperture technology to the 48MP main camera on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max (potentially only the Pro Max), allowing mechanical control over light intake and depth of field. This has long been a perk limited to high-end professional cameras.

If the rumor (from Digital Chat Station on Weibo) is true, iPhone users will be able to mechanically control how much light reaches the sensor for the first time, allowing more control over depth of field and sharpness. This could elevate portrait shots by improving the applied depth of field effect, as well as minimizing overexposure.

Wider telephoto apertures on the Pro models should also result in better low-light performance.

For some time (since January 2025) Samsung has been said to be working on a new three-layer stacked camera sensor called ‘PD-TR-Logic,’ and this could appear in the iPhone 18 series. This image sensor is expected to enhance the camera’s responsiveness, while also offering advantages such as reduced photo noise, improved dynamic range. The main Wide camera sensor is expected to be larger than usual, which offers many benefits.

The front-facing camera may also get an upgrade beyond the rumored changes to the housing (as discussed elsewhere the selfie camera may be housed in a smaller hole-punch cut out, reducing the size of the Dynamic Island). The iPhone 17 generation features 18MP sensors for the selfie camera, but this may increase to 24MP in the next generation, according to leaker WhyLab on Weibo.

More megapixels would lead to improved video calls and better low-light performance. 

Most likely: Incremental improvements, with a new variable aperture feature on the Pro Max.

Will the iPhone 18 Pro/Max Dynamic Island or front camera change?

Britta O’Boyle

Apple hasn’t changed the Dynamic Island since the iPhone 14 Pro, but the iPhone 18 Pro may introduce some adjustments.

Some reports suggest Apple could move certain Face ID components under the display, allowing the Dynamic Island to shrink. This is not expected to mean that the entire Face ID system will be hidden beneath the screen. 

A report in December 2025 from Weibo account “Smart Pikachu” claimed that Apple was testing an under-display “micro-transparent glass panel” for some Face ID sensors. That could allow Apple to reduce the size of the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro.

Later reports, however, suggest that full under-display Face ID is not expected yet. Instead, Apple may move only some of the sensors or emitters used by Face ID beneath the display, while other components remain visible within a smaller Dynamic Island.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has also reported that Apple plans to “shrink” the Dynamic Island on future iPhone models, adding weight to the idea that Apple is redesigning or relocating some of the components currently housed within it.

A spy shot published in March by noted leaker IceUniverse on X gives us a view of how much smaller the Dynamic Island could be.

IceUniverse/X

There have been conflicting claims that the position of the front-facing camera may also change: 

• In December 2025 The Information claimed Apple will put the Face ID sensors under the display, and move the front camera to the upper left corner in a punch-hole design. This would make the iPhone 18 Pro/ Max the first iPhones with a front camera in the corner.
• However, Prominent leaker account Instant Digital said on Weibo in January 2026 that front camera claim was based on a mistranslation, and only the infrared sensor moves under the display. Leakers ShrimpApplePro and Ross Young of DSCC corroborated Instant Digital’s claims.

Most likely: A smaller Dynamic Island, with some Face ID hardware moved under the display, rather than fully under-display Face ID.

Will the iPhone 18 Pro/Max display change?

Stephan Wiesend

Screen sizes should be consistent with the 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays on the current models, but reports suggest a massive jump in brightness from the current 1600 nits HDR and 3,000 nits peak.

According to Weibo leaker, Instant Digital, Chinese supplier BOE has revealed that Apple is targeting unprecedentedly high brightness requirements for the display. The Elec corroborated this, claiming BOE is struggling with iPhone OLED production so panel orders have been shifted to Samsung Display.

Most likely: An increase in brightness is expected, but there are no details yet on the extent of the improvement.

How powerful will the A20 chip in the iPhone 18 Pro/Max be?

The iPhone 18 series is expected to use a new A20 chip, built on TSMC’s N2 (2nm) process. The move to a smaller manufacturing process should allow Apple to pack in more transistors, with TSMC claiming up to 15% better performance or 30% lower power consumption compared with its previous-generation technology.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to get an A20 Pro variant. A September 2026 leak suggests the A20 Pro could feature a 7-core GPU, up from six cores in the A19 Pro, while retaining a six-core CPU with two performance and four efficiency cores.

Perhaps more significant is the rumored move to a 96-bit LPDDR5x memory interface, 50% wider than the A19 Pro’s 64-bit interface. Combined with possible clock-speed and architectural improvements, we estimate that GPU performance could rise by around 20–30%, benefiting local AI workloads, 3D games and other graphics-intensive apps.

The A20 is also rumored to use Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging, integrating the RAM more closely with the SoC. That could improve memory bandwidth and latency, while potentially reducing power consumption.

Apple could also borrow ideas from its M-series chips, with speculation that the A20 may introduce higher-performance “super cores” similar to those used in the M5.

Most likely: A substantial underlying upgrade in performance, graphics and efficiency, although many of the improvements may be more noticeable in demanding games and AI features than in everyday use..

Will iPhone 18 Pro/Max battery life improve?

Apple works to make battery life as long as possible every year, especially in the Pro model iPhones.

A July report claimed that the battery capacity of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,235 mAh on the Nano SIM model and 5,425 mAh on the eSIM-only version. That’s about 6-8% more capacity than the current model. Further reports have puts the U.S. eSIM iPhone 18 Pro Max at 5,567mAh.

The “Pro Max” variant of the iPhone gets a higher-capacity battery nearly every year, usually a couple hundred mAh more, thanks to better internal design and improving battery chemistry and manufacturing techniques. But battery life is a function of more than just battery capacity—the power use of the processor, display, and wireless radios all play an important point.

We think it’s likely the iPhone 18 Pro/Max will have higher-capacity batteries, and battery life at least as long as the iPhone 17 Pro/Max. But a significantly longer battery life is hard to predict.

Will connectivity improve (5G, Wi-Fi, satellite) with iPhone 18 Pro/Max?

• C2 and N2 chip rumors.

iPhone 18 Pro models are rumored to feature the second generation of Apple’s in-house 5G modem, the C2 chip. 

The C2 hasn’t launched yet, but it is expected to replace Qualcomm modems in at least some iPhone 18 Pro models. Qualcomm hardware may still be used in certain markets, depending on regional and carrier requirements:

• Better power efficiency
• Faster and more reliable 5G performance
• Improved mmWave support

There are also reports that the new iPhone will gain full satellite internet support, expanding beyond emergency use. In October 2025, The Information claimed that Apple is gearing up to support 5G networks that are served from satellites.

While the iPhone has offered satellite connectivity for emergency situations for years, if this rumor is true it would allow the iPhone 18 models to have full internet access via satellite, not just emergency services.

As of April 2026, Apple and Amazon have agreed to team up to provide future satellite service support. Early in April, Amazon announced that it had agreed to acquire Globalstar, who was the provider of iPhone and Apple Watch satellite connectivity (that merger is expected to close in 2027) So now iPhones and Apple Watches will now fall under Amazon Leo, Amazon’s satellite internet network.

The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip is less certain. Apple debuted its N1 local networking chip in the iPhone 17 line, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread networking.

Earlier in 2026, analyst Jeff Pu said that the iPhone 18 Pro models will introduce a next-generation N2 chip, but leaks of a iPhone 18 Pro motherboard in July 2026 suggested Apple could retain the N1 for another generation. There is little information about what an N2 would add beyond the capabilities of the N1.

Most likely: An incremental upgrade to wireless performance, reliability and efficiency rather than a major new connectivity feature.

How much will the iPhone 18 Pro/Max cost?

With Apple increasing prices for Macs and iPads in June due to high memory and chip costs, and the iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to become more expensive.

In August, Mark Gurman described iPhone price increases as “inevitable” as Apple faces rising memory and component costs.

A roughly $100 increase may be the most plausible outcome. Google and Samsung have both raised flagship prices by about $100, potentially setting a benchmark Apple may be reluctant to exceed. That could put the iPhone 18 Pro at around $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299.

Apple could also absorb some of the higher costs itself. Recent warnings about pressure on gross margins suggest the company may accept lower profitability rather than pass the full increase on to customers.

More pessimistic estimates are higher. IDC has suggested increases of up to $200 for the Pro models, while analyst Jeff Pu has indicated that prices could rise by as much as $250 to $300.

The rumored folding iPhone could further reshape the top end of Apple’s pricing, with reports suggesting a starting price of $1,999 or more.

Most likely: A price rise of around $100 for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, although larger increases remain possible if component costs stay elevated.

Current pricing is as follows: