Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are largely based on last year’s models with a series of specific updates rather than a major redesign. The most notable changes concern better performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and wired charging speeds. Several key specifications remain unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max retain the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screen sizes, 3,000 nits maximum outdoor brightness, and 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras with 4x telephoto and 8x optical-grade zoom. MagSafe and Qi2 charging also remain limited to 25W, while the overall industrial design, minus the dynamic island, remains largely unchanged. The main camera, however, receives substantial improvements, including the new variable aperture system. Here’s what you can expect if you plan to upgrade from an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max. The A20 Pro chip replaces the A19 Pro, with up to 20% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU performance. 7-core GPU, up from the A19 Pro’s 6-core GPU. Double the AI processing performance, with a new 16-core dual neural engine. Redesigned vapor chamber with three times more surface area, allowing up to 40% better sustained performance. Smaller dynamic island that can show up to three live activities at once. 48MP variable aperture main camera with ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4 settings, replacing the fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on iPhone 17 Pro models. About 50% better low-light performance of the main camera. New manual camera controls for aperture, shutter speed, white balance and histogram. New Apple Reference Image feature to create authenticated and unalterable reference photos. Photo Styles 3, with new texture and grain controls. Cinematic effects that can now be applied post-capture to videos recorded at up to 60 fps. Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps, compared to 30 fps on previous models. Time-lapse recording upgraded to 4K Dolby Vision. Improved audio mixing with higher quality speech processing and music isolation. New smart focus tracking for photos and videos. Improved video recording in low light conditions to 1080p. Up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro, versus 33 hours on the 17 Pro. Up to 45 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, versus 39 hours on the 17 Pro Max. Faster wired charging: Apple says 50% in about 15 minutes, up from about 20 minutes. 2TB storage option on the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro, up from a maximum of 1TB. New black, silver, glacier and burgundy finishes, replacing silver, cosmic orange and deep blue. Heavier design: The iPhone 18 Pro is 5g heavier than its predecessor, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is 16g heavier. Starting price $100 higher: $1,199 for iPhone 18 Pro and $1,299 for iPhone 18 Pro Max. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available for pre-order starting Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time/8 a.m. Eastern Time. The devices will be launched on Friday, September 18. If you want to be among the first to get your hands on one, we’ve got some tips on how to give yourself the best chance on launch day. Popular Stories Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and More Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we expect to see the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, the new AirPods 5 headphones, and maybe a few other announcements. Apple offers a live video stream on its website, YouTube, and the company’s TV app on several platforms. We… iPhone 18 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple’s September 9 Event Less than a week before Apple unveils new iPhone 18 Pro models, research firm TrendForce estimated device prices based on the latest hardware cost environment. TrendForce’s price estimates compared to last year’s models look like this: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Trade-in iPhone 17 Pro $1,099 iPhone 18 Pro $1.24… Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat Sheet Apple’s biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, rumors have been running at full speed, fueled by the biggest design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here’s a quick reference…
