Pro iPhones get subtle refinement

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max look almost identical to last year's model, but Apple has made substantial internal improvements. The company also launched its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, which offers more novelty despite lacking some Pro features.

Not everyone should upgrade

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max lack the flashy upgrades that make phones must-haves. Whether you need the more expensive Pro Max depends entirely on what kind of user you are.

“Not everyone should upgrade their phone this year.”

Key specs at a glance

The Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display, A20 Pro chip with dual 16-core Neural Engine, 48-megapixel triple camera, and up to 45 hours of video playback. Storage goes up to 2TB, and it charges to 50 percent in 15 minutes with a 60W adapter.

Design stays mostly the same

The new Pro iPhones look nearly identical to the iPhone 17 Pro. You get four colors including new burgundy and glacier blue, and the Dynamic Island is slightly smaller. The phone is noticeably heavier due to internal changes.

Dynamic Island gets a makeover

Apple hid the infrared sensor underneath the display and rearranged pixels to roughly halve the Dynamic Island's size. The image quality in that area is slightly lower, but the difference is imperceptible to the human eye.

Glacier blue is the standout color

The iPhone 18 Pro in Glacier is an icy blue that shines even in low light and is the most striking color in the lineup. Burgundy is beautiful but more subdued than last year's cosmic orange.

A20 Pro chip powers everything

The new A20 Pro chip features a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and dual 16-core Neural Engine. It makes the phones blazing fast, especially for AI tasks, though real-world differences depend on the specific task you're running.

Vapor chamber keeps it cool

Apple's new cooling system includes a massive vapor chamber covering nearly the entire phone. During an hour of PUBG on highest settings, the phone barely got warm, a major improvement over previous models.

Battery life is the real winner

The iPhone 18 Pro Max now offers up to 45 hours of video playback, up from 37 hours on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple rearranged internals to fit a massive new battery, which is why the phone weighs 249 grams instead of 231.

“With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, you don't have to worry about battery life at all.”

Variable aperture is a first

For the first time on an iPhone, the main camera has a physical variable aperture with six hair-thin blades. It automatically adjusts to let more light in dark conditions and less light in bright daylight, but you can also adjust it manually.

Pro camera controls come to iPhone

iOS 27 brings manual white balance, focus, and shutter speed settings directly to the Camera app. These features were previously available only through third-party apps, making the iPhone 18 Pro a more capable tool for photographers.

New sensor improves low light

The new main camera sensor has a maximum aperture of f/1.48, up from f/1.78 on the iPhone 17 Pro. Night Mode now needs only 1 second instead of 3 seconds, producing sharper photos with less noise and far more detail.

AI photo editing tools for everyone

New AI features like spatial reframing and picture clean-up appeal to all users, not just pros. These tools let you reframe photos after the fact and remove unwanted objects from your images.

Pro features are for actual pros

The manual aperture, white balance, and shutter speed controls are genuinely useful for photographers and videographers, but most regular users will try them once and leave settings on auto. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is truly aimed at professionals.