CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – Apple has unveiled the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, bringing significant enhancements in camera technology, performance, and battery duration. Both devices are equipped with a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera featuring a variable aperture. Additionally, they incorporate the latest A20 Pro chip and an upgraded vapor chamber. The company also redesigned the Dynamic Island to display a greater amount of information. Preorders will commence on September 12, with sales beginning September 18 across more than 65 countries and regions.
The revamped Main camera employs six laser-cut blades to switch between four aperture settings, giving users control over depth of field and light intake through the Camera app. Pro features include manual controls for shutter speed and white balance, alongside a histogram to assist in exposure management prior to capturing photos or videos. Photographic Styles now feature texture and grain adjustments, while the phones support Cinematic effects on videos recorded at up to 60 frames per second after capture.
A new tool called Apple Reference Image allows users to verify if photos have been altered post-capture. It records signed sensor data via Reference mode when a picture is taken with the Main camera, which is then processed into a reference image by Private Cloud Compute. Users can compare this reference with the original photo within the Photos app. Apple also intends to add support for SynthID later in 2026, with image metadata serving as an additional method to identify AI-generated or edited content.
Variable aperture expands camera versatility
The A20 Pro chip is built on a 2-nanometer process, combining a six-core CPU with a seven-core GPU. Apple claims the GPU offers up to 40% faster performance than the A19 Pro. The processor also features a Dual 16-core Neural Engine with 32 cores in total. A new thermal system connects the processor more directly to a larger vapor chamber, which provides three times the surface area of the previous version. Apple asserts that this design enhances sustained performance during intensive tasks.
Battery life has been improved on both models, particularly on the eSIM-only variants. The iPhone 18 Pro can deliver up to 36 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max offers up to 45 hours under similar testing conditions. Wired accessories can charge the Pro model to 50% in approximately 15 minutes. The eSIM-only versions, which eliminate the physical SIM tray to free up space, will debut in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Siri AI features introduced with iOS 27
Running on iOS 27, the iPhone 18 Pro series supports the latest Apple Intelligence features. Siri AI will enter beta on September 14 for supported devices set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish following in October. Siri AI can leverage personal context from messages, emails, and photos to assist with queries and can also respond to information displayed on the screen. Cloud-based tasks that are supported utilize Private Cloud Compute, while other functions operate directly on the device.
Pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the United States, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at $1,299. Buyers can select from storage options of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB, with finishes including black, silver, glacier, and burgundy. Preorders will open at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on September 12. The first wave of markets will see retail availability starting September 18, followed by another 20 countries and regions on September 25.