Apple today unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, two models that closely resemble last year’s iPhone 17 Pro designs but introduce a series of internal and camera upgrades.
The iPhone 18 Pro retains a 6.3‑inch display while the iPhone 18 Pro Max keeps a 6.9‑inch display. As widely rumored, both phones have a smaller Dynamic Island that can display up to three Live Activities simultaneously.
iPhone 18 Pro performance and battery
Both devices are equipped with the A20 Pro chip and offer longer battery life. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro matches the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, delivering up to 24 hours of typical usage per full charge, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max achieves what Apple calls the largest generational leap in battery life ever, with up to 30 hours of usage per charge. Apple also says the iPhone 18 Pro can charge to 50% in just 15 minutes.
Apple describes the A20 Pro as having a 6‑core GPU, a 7‑core GPU, and a 32‑core Neural Engine. The company says sustained performance is up to 40% faster compared to the A19 Pro chip. To improve thermal management, the vapor chamber cooling system in the iPhone 18 Pro models is three times as large as in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Camera upgrades and imaging
Both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max feature a 48‑megapixel Fusion main camera with a variable aperture that gives greater control over depth of field. Six laser‑cut blades transition between apertures to automatically adjust for depth of field and lighting, and a new sensor is said to improve image quality. Apple says the updated main camera and a new computational imaging pipeline produce sharper, more detailed shots, with better low‑light performance and crisper detail in the back of group photos. Upgraded Photographic Styles add new texture and grain controls.
Color options for the iPhone 18 Pro include Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy, and Apple says the rear aluminum and Ceramic Shield glass area are now more closely color matched.
In the U.S., the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. For the first time, a 2TB storage capacity is available. Pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12, ahead of a launch on Friday, September 18.
