Inside is the A20 Pro, Apple’s first iPhone chip made using a 2nm process. It has a new six-core CPU, seven-core GPU, Dual 16-core Neural Engine and 50% more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro. A larger vapor chamber and new M-series-inspired chip packaging also improve heat dissipation, with Apple claiming up to 40% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.
The other major changes are battery life of up to 36 hours on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max, faster wired charging, the new Apple-designed C2 cellular modem, and a redesigned Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities simultaneously.
iPhone 18 Pro/Max vs iPhone 17 Pro/Max: Top 10 changes at a glance
The five biggest changes are the variable-aperture camera, A20 Pro, improved cooling, longer battery life and redesigned Dynamic Island/connectivity system. Here is an overview of what’s new compared to the previous generation.
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max | What’s changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP, variable ƒ/1.48–ƒ/4 aperture | 48MP, fixed aperture | Major new photographic control |
| Processor | A20 Pro, 2nm | A19 Pro | New manufacturing process |
| GPU | 7-core, up to 40% faster | 6-core | Significant graphics boost |
| Neural Engine | Dual 16-core / 32 cores total | 16-core | Around 2x AI compute |
| Cooling | Vapor chamber with 3x surface area | First-gen vapor chamber | Up to 40% better sustained performance |
| Pro Max battery | 45 hours video | 39 hours | +6 hours |
| Pro battery | Up to 36 hours video on eSIM model | 33 hours | Up to +3 hours |
| Wired charging | 50% in around 15 minutes | 50% in around 20 minutes | Faster charging |
| Modem | Apple C2 | Qualcomm modem | Apple-designed modem, lower power use |
| Dynamic Island | Redesigned, 3 Live Activities | Previous design, up to 2 | More information displayed simultaneously |
Apple has added a 2TB option to the smaller Pro for the first time, while retaining 256GB as the entry-level capacity.
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Max release date: When will the new iPhones go on sale?
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max were announced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Pre-orders start at 5 a.m. Pacific on Saturday, September 12. That’s 1pm in the U.K.
Both models will then go on sale on Friday, September 18, 2026 in more than 65 countries and regions. Another 20 countries will get the phones from September 25.
You will be able to buy the phones directly from Apple online or at Apple Stores, as well as through mobile networks and authorized Apple retailers. Apple sells unlocked iPhones directly through its website and stores.
iPhone 18 Pro/Max design: What does it look like?
This is the Burgundy variant (we think Deep Cherry was a much nicer name).
Apple
The iPhone 18 Pro retains the aluminium unibody introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, as well as the Ceramic Shield on the rear and Ceramic Shield 2 over the display. The camera system remains arranged on the large raised plateau across the upper part of the rear casing.
Screen sizes are unchanged at 6.3 inches for the iPhone 18 Pro and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, both using Super Retina XDR OLED displays with ProMotion up to 120Hz.
Apple offers four finishes this year:
- Burgundy
- Glacier
- Silver
- Black
That means Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue disappear, while black returns to the Pro line despite pre-launch reports suggesting it would not.
The pre-event leaks suggested the basic chassis dimensions would remain very close to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, with the camera plateau rather than the body itself becoming thicker.
The new iPhones share the same screen sizes and overall form as their predecessors, but both models are slightly heavier this time.
- iPhone 18 Pro dimensions: 150 x 71.9 x 8.75mm / 5.91 x 2.83 x 0.34 in
- iPhone 18 Pro weight: 7.44 ounces / 211 grams (17 Pro was 7.27 ounces / 206 grams)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max dimensions: 163.4 x 78 x 8.75mm / 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.34 in
- iPhone 18 Pro Max weight: 8.78 ounces / 249 grams (17 Pro Max was 8.22 ounces / 233 grams)
Changes to the Dynamic Island
Apple has redesigned the Dynamic Island. Apple says new display technology creates additional usable space and allows the Dynamic Island to display up to three Live Activities at once, for example navigation, music and a sports score.
Apple has not announced fully under-display Face ID. Pre-launch reports suggested that one or more infrared Face ID components could move beneath the OLED panel, allowing the notch to shrink, but Apple hasn’t confirmed the underlying sensor arrangement.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cameras: Are the cameras the same?
The iPhone 18 Pro cameras.
Apple
Both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have the same three-camera rear system. The main change is not resolution—all three remain 48MP—but the new variable-aperture Main camera and new computational imaging pipeline.
The three most notable camera upgrades are:
- Variable aperture on the 48MP Main camera.
- A new Main camera sensor and imaging pipeline, improving low-light performance and detail.
- More extensive manual Pro controls, including aperture, shutter speed, white balance and histogram.
Rear cameras
| Camera | Resolution | Focal length | Aperture | Pixel information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fusion Main | 48MP | 24mm / 48mm, 1x / 2x | ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, ƒ/4 variable | 2.44μm quad-pixel / 1.22μm individual |
| Fusion Ultra Wide | 48MP | 13mm, 0.5x / macro | ƒ/2.2 | 1.4μm quad-pixel / 0.7μm individual |
| Fusion Telephoto | 48MP | 100mm / 200mm, 4x / 8x | ƒ/2.8 | 1.4μm quad-pixel / 0.7μm individual |
The Main camera’s six-blade mechanical aperture can automatically open to ƒ/1.48 in low light or close as far as ƒ/4 for increased depth of field. Apple says the widest setting improves low-light performance by around 50%. Photographers can also select aperture manually.
Both Pro models also offer up to 8x optical-quality zoom from the Telephoto camera. Contrary to some earlier rumors, the variable-aperture camera is not exclusive to the Pro Max.
