Apple Unveils iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max
Credit: Apple
At the “Surprise and Shine” presentation, Apple officially unveiled the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones, featuring a redesigned camera and the A20 Pro processor. The event was streamed on the company’s official website.
The iPhone 18 Pro still features a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch one. As widely expected, both devices sport a smaller Dynamic Island area capable of displaying up to three Live Activities simultaneously.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are powered by the new Apple A20 Pro chip, manufactured using a 2-nanometer process. The chip features a six-core processor (two high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores) that Apple claims is 20% faster than the previous A19 Pro. The GPU includes seven cores and delivers a 40% speed boost over its predecessor. Rounding out the package is the Neural Engine, which now boasts 32 cores—double the count of the previous generation—to deliver enhanced performance for AI tasks.
The new iPhone 18 Pro models also feature an improved cooling system with a vapor chamber that is three times larger than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro; Apple notes that this results in even more effective thermal management that prevents overheating. Direct contact between the processor and the vapor chamber is also highlighted as a factor ensuring better heat dissipation.
Apple has also extended the battery life of the new iPhones. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro matches the iPhone 17 Pro Max in battery performance, offering up to 24 hours of typical use on a single charge. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers the most significant leap in battery life in the history of Apple smartphones—up to 30 hours on a single charge.
Charging speeds have also increased—Apple claims the iPhone 18 Pro can charge to 50% in just 15 minutes.
Apple claims the iPhone 18 Pro features the “most advanced camera” the company has ever created. This refers to the model’s main camera—a 48-megapixel unit with a variable aperture. For the first time in iPhone history, the camera offers adjustable aperture settings and background blur, with a lens mechanism that opens like that of a professional camera.
New tools have also been added to the camera interface, including options to adjust shutter speed, aperture, and more. Artificial intelligence (AI) helps lock onto a moving subject while shooting and preserves details even if the subject leaves the frame and then returns.
This year, Apple slightly raised the prices of its devices—by $200. As the company previously explained, the global memory crisis affected Cupertino as well, making a price adjustment necessary. Here is how much the top-tier iPhones cost now:
iPhone 18 Pro — starting at $1,199;
iPhone 18 Pro Max — starting at $1,299.
The new models have been released in four colors: burgundy, silver, light blue, and black.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will open on September 12, and the smartphones will go on sale on September 18.
