The launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max is about a month away. Should you be saving up? Or maybe jump on an iPhone 17 model before the price rise instead? What you need is early info on Apple’s next flagship handsets to help you decide.
The biggest changes are reportedly happening inside the phones, but Apple may also shrink the Dynamic Island, add a major camera upgrade and give the Pro Max a much bigger battery. And there might be a new color option!
Here’s everything the rumor mill is saying about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as Apple’s September launch approaches.
Potential iPhone price hikes must be factored in
Ordinarily, late summer is a terrible time to buy a new iPhone. New models launch in September, and often debut at the same price as their predecessors. And at the same time, the previous models get more affordable.
But 2026 isn’t a normal year. The iPhone 18 series will almost certainly come in at a significantly higher price thanks to the rising cost Apple must pay for memory chips. And the iPhone 17 models are unlikely to drop in price. It’s not impossible Apple will even raise the prices for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
Plus, there’s another reason this will be a weird year. This is the first time the Pro models are expected to launch in fall while the standard iPhone model won’t arrive for another six months.
So knowing what’s coming in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max before the launch is important. Here’s what to expect.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: A very familiar design
A major revamp of the iPhone is coming… next year. 2027 will mark two decades since Apple launched its first smartphone, and a redesigned device — possibly called the iPhone XX — will be a big part of the celebration.
But for this year, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max should look broadly similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models, with 6.3-inch or 6.9-inch displays, flat sides, an aluminum frame and a large rear camera plateau. But there are some rumored changes.
The Dynamic Island could finally shrink
Concept image: Apple/Cult of Mac
One of the most visible changes could be right at the top of the display. Multiple reports claim Apple will shrink the Dynamic Island on both Pro models.
The company reportedly plans to move some Face ID hardware underneath the display, allowing the cutout to become considerably narrower. The IR flood illuminator is supposedly going under the LCD, but the front selfie camera lens will remain visible.
One leak claimed the Dynamic Island could be roughly 35% narrower, shrinking from about 0.81 inches wide to approximately 0.53 inches (20.7mm to 13.5mm).
Thicker… but for a very good reason
Both iPhone 18 Pro versions are rumored to be thicker, potentially by as much as 0.08 inches (2mm). The iPhone 18 Pro Max could measure around 0.35 inches (9mm) thick and weigh about 0.53 pounds (240 grams), which would make it one of the heaviest iPhones ever.
But the extra heft is apparently because Apple is about to give the iPhone 18 Pro Max one of the biggest battery upgrades ever.
Chinese regulatory filings reportedly list a 5,567mAh battery for the U.S. version of the handset. That’s nearly 500mAh more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The smaller iPhone 18 Pro reportedly gets a 4,288mAh battery in the U.S., only a modest increase over its predecessor.
New colors could make the Pro models stand out
Apple reportedly has a new color scheme for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The rumored lineup includes dark cherry, light blue, dark gray and silver. Dark cherry is expected to be the signature color, replacing the Cosmic Orange finish that made the iPhone 17 Pro unusually colorful.
Plus, sources indicate that the rear of the two 2026 Pro models will look more uniform, dropping the two-tone appearance found on the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple supposedly updated its backplate glass and processing methods to minimize the visual color difference between the aluminum frame and the MagSafe charging area.
A20 Pro processor could be the star of the show
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to get Apple’s A20 Pro chip, manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 2-nanometer process. Moving from 3nm to 2nm should allow Apple to squeeze more performance into the same space while improving power efficiency.
The performance boost is particularly important considering all the new AI features coming in iOS 27. These depend heavily on powerful on-device processing.
Both Pro models are expected to stick with 12GB of RAM. That’s the same amount found in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, but rumors suggest Apple will integrate the memory more closely with the A20 Pro chip to improve performance and efficiency.
There could also be a significantly larger vapor chamber cooling system in the handsets. Apple introduced this cooling system with the iPhone 17 Pro, and reports indicate the company will expand it in its next generation of devices.
Alongside the cooling hardware, leaks indicate Apple is changing how components are packaged on the motherboard. Instead of stacking the RAM directly on top of the A20 Pro chip (which concentrates heat), the RAM is reported to sit adjacent to the processor.
Bring on the variable aperture camera
The rear camera system is reportedly getting one of its most significant changes in years. Both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will sport a variable-aperture main camera, according to industry analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu.
That would allow the physical aperture of the lens to change, giving the camera more control over how much light reaches the sensor. In practical terms, that would mean better control over depth of field and improved photography in different lighting conditions.
The main camera is expected to remain a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, with the variable-aperture system potentially making the camera bump slightly larger.
And a 24MP selfie camera
The front camera in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could also get a resolution boost. Leaks from supply-chain sources suggest Apple will bump the selfie camera resolution up to 24 megapixels. The iPhone 17 Pro models have 18MP selfie cams, while earlier Pro models use 12MP ones.
This provides around a 33% increase in detail over the previous generation, giving more detailed selfies and crisper-looking video calls.
Apple’s C2 modem could make its debut
The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to take another step toward Apple’s long-term goal of replacing Qualcomm’s cellular hardware.
Apple’s second-generation C2 modem is rumored to offer better performance and efficiency than the C1 and C1X modems already used in some Apple devices. It could also bring support for more advanced 5G capabilities and satellite connectivity.
That said, there are questions about where the C2 will show up. Given the rumors, it’s possible Apple will use Qualcomm modems in U.S. models while using its own C2 modem in other markets, potentially because of differences in 5G requirements.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max release date in September
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to debut in the first half of September, maintaining Apple’s traditional fall launch schedule. Given that September 7 is Labor Day in the U.S., the most likely date is Wednesday, September 9.
That’s also expected to be the debut of the first folding iPhone, possibly called the iPhone Ultra.
But there’ll be a break with long-held tradition: the standard iPhone 18 reportedly won’t arrive in the fall. Buyers will need to wait until the first half of 2027. The iPhone 18e and second-generation iPhone Air are also expected to follow next year.
That means customers looking for a new iPhone this fall will apparently have a choice between three premium models. It’s a major change for Apple and could make the iPhone 18 Pro more important than ever.
Expect a price hike
There’s one more rumor that could overshadow all the hardware upgrades: a substantial price increase.
The cost of memory, processors and other components has risen sharply as the AI boom puts pressure on semiconductor supplies. That could force Apple to raise iPhone prices to cover its increasing costs.
There are the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could see price hikes of $250 to $300 versus the current versions.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
