On Wednesday at its Surprise and Shine event, Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The new Pro iPhones feature the most advanced camera system in any iPhone with a variable aperture, and are powered by the new A20 Pro chip.
The new Pro iPhones feature the same design as last year’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. They come in four colours – black, silver, glacier, and an all-new burgundy. Apple says the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max is smaller compared to its predecessor, but it’s even more useful now.
The new Pro iPhones feature an upgraded 48MP main camera with variable aperture. The main camera has six laser-cut blades that smoothly move when the aperture is adjusted to produce stunning photos with automatically adjusted depth of field and lighting. The camera also comes with upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and gain controls, giving users more power over the outcome. Cinematic effects can now be applied to videos after it is captured at up to 60 fps.
In order to prove the authenticity of photos taken on the iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple has introduced a new Reference Image, powered by the new sensor in the 48MP main camera that can sign every pixel it sees. “Reference images can be viewed in the Photos app alongside the main image, like a digital negative, to visually compare the two assets and determine if any edits were made,” Apple shared in a press release.
Apple says the A20 Pro chip on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has 50 percent more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro. The new Pro iPhones feature N1, Apple’s wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. They also debut with the C2, Apple’s next-gen cellular modem system, which brings AI-powered upgrades to cellular quality and reliability.
In terms of battery life, the eSIM-only models of the Pro iPhones deliver up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro, and up to 45 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro can deliver up to 50 percent battery in just 15 minutes of wired charging, or wirelessly in 30 minutes. On the iPhone 18 Pro Max, users will get around 7 hours of video playback with just 5 minutes of wired charging.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, and iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Pre-orders open on Saturday, September 12, while availability starts on Friday, September 18.
