Apple introduced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Apple Announces iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Apple has introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, placing a key emphasis in the new generation on the camera, performance, battery life, and artificial intelligence features.

The main upgrade is the 48MP Fusion main camera with an adjustable aperture. According to Apple, this is the most advanced professional camera in iPhone history. Both models also received the new A20 Pro chip, a next-generation vapor chamber cooling system, and an updated Dynamic Island.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max received the most significant increase in battery life in iPhone history. Apple claims this was achieved thanks to new developments in Apple silicon and increased battery capacity.

Both models run on iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI. The company describes the smartphones as personal intelligent systems where artificial intelligence features combine with personal context while maintaining a priority on privacy and security.

"With iPhone 18 Pro, we have refined the exact areas that matter most to our users: the camera, performance, battery, and intelligent features. And we didn't stop at incremental improvements — we made a huge leap forward, creating the best iPhone Pro we have ever released," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

### Camera with Adjustable Aperture

The 48MP Fusion main camera has received an adjustable aperture for the first time. Six laser-cut blades allow for smooth changes to its value, while automatic adjustment helps select the depth of field and shooting parameters based on lighting.

The new sensor is designed to improve low-light photo quality, enhance background detail in group photos, and expand creative shooting possibilities.

In the Camera app, iPhone 18 Pro owners will be able to manually select one of four aperture values. Apple has also opened an API for third-party developers, giving additional control over the aperture range.

A new image processing computational pipeline delivers sharper and more detailed photos. Updated Photographic Styles have received additional texture and grain adjustments.

Apple has also expanded video recording capabilities. Cinematic effects can now be applied to video at up to 60 frames per second after recording. Time-lapse mode supports recording in 4K and Dolby Vision HDR.

The updated Audio Mix uses new algorithms to enhance voices and separate them from music.

For professional shooting, Apple introduced the Pro controls interface. It provides quick access to frequently used parameters and allows manual adjustment of aperture, shutter speed, and white balance. The interface also features a histogram to monitor exposure in different areas of the frame.

The new Apple Reference Image feature is designed to verify the authenticity of photos taken on the iPhone 18 Pro. The main camera's new sensor is capable of signing every visible pixel.

When using Reference mode, the camera saves the signed sensor data, after which Private Cloud Compute converts it into an unalterable reference image.

This image can be viewed in the Photos app alongside the original shot, using it as a digital negative for visual comparison and verification of potential changes.

Apple is providing an API for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27, which will allow third-party developers to integrate support for viewing reference images into their apps.

Image metadata and future support for the SynthID standard should also help identify images created or modified using artificial intelligence. Apple believes that the combination of these technologies is particularly important for photojournalists, photographers, and everyday users.

### New Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island has received a new design and has become more functional while being reduced in size. It is now capable of displaying up to three Live Activities simultaneously.

At the same time, support for Face ID is maintained, including secure device unlocking, purchase confirmation, and app login.

### A20 Pro and Performance

At the heart of the iPhone 18 Pro is the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2nm process.

The six-core processor delivers 50% more memory bandwidth compared to the A19 Pro. Neural Accelerators are integrated into the chip.

The seven-core graphics processor, according to Apple, is up to 40% faster than the GPU in the A19 Pro. For artificial intelligence and computational photography tasks, a new dual-block 16-core Neural Engine is used.

In total, the A20 Pro contains 32 cores, which Apple says doubles the computing power for AI tasks compared to the A19 Pro.

Both models are also equipped with the Apple-designed N1 wireless chip with support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.

The iPhone 18 Pro features the new Apple C2 cellular modem, which uses artificial intelligence to improve connection quality and reliability. It delivers significantly faster download speeds compared to the C1X while reducing power consumption by 15%. In the US, support for mmWave has been added.

### Cooling System

To maintain high performance, Apple designed a new cooling system structure for the A20 Pro, inspired by the M-series Apple silicon processors.

The die and memory are placed side-by-side, which removes the memory from the chip's thermal path, and the A20 Pro connects directly to a next-generation vapor chamber.

The surface area of the new vapor chamber is three times larger than that of the previous generation in the iPhone 17 Pro. According to Apple, this provides up to a 40% increase in sustained performance and is the best indicator in iPhone history.

### Battery Life and Charging

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max received new battery designs and more efficient utilization of chip capabilities.

eSIM-only versions of the devices provide up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro and up to 45 hours on the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The iPhone 18 Pro is capable of charging up to 50% in about 15 minutes via cable or in 30 minutes with wireless charging.

For the iPhone 18 Pro Max, five minutes of wired charging provides about seven hours of video playback. According to a new energy consumption assessment methodology based on real-world usage data, the device can run for up to 30 hours on a full charge.

### iOS 27 and Siri AI

The new Siri AI will be available in beta alongside iOS 27. Apple calls it an all-new version of Siri built on Apple Intelligence.

Siri AI has gained the ability to use the user's personal context and find the necessary information in messages, emails, photos, and other data.

The on-screen awareness feature allows the assistant to perform actions related to the displayed information and answer questions on almost any topic.

Siri will also be able to work with objects that the user sees in front of them through the Camera app, providing information and performing relevant actions. The task can be formulated in natural language.

Apple Intelligence expands the capabilities of other apps. In particular, photos can be edited using Spatial Reframing, Extend, and an updated Clean Up. Image Playground has gained the ability to create photorealistic images.

In Safari, the Notify Me feature will allow tracking changes on web pages, including items coming back into stock or price drops.

iOS 27 will also feature an updated design with Liquid Glass and additional personalization options. New parental control tools will allow managing content, contacts, and screen time available to children.

The iPhone Handoff feature will allow users of supported carriers to switch between two iPhone models with a single phone number.

### eSIM and Connectivity

Apple is placing an extra emphasis on eSIM, which the company claims offers greater flexibility and security compared to physical SIM cards and helps increase device battery life.

eSIM is supported by more than 500 carriers worldwide.

eSIM-only models of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be sold in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US, and the US Virgin Islands.

The absence of a physical SIM slot allows for a larger capacity battery and provides up to two additional hours of video playback.

### Colors and Accessories

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in four finishes: black, silver, glacial, and a new burgundy.

For the smartphones, Apple introduced silicone and clear cases, TechWoven cases, Crossbody Strap and Wrist Strap, as well as FineWoven Wallets.

The clear case received an updated design and compatibility with the Crossbody Strap and Wrist Strap.

The Wrist Strap is designed for hands-free carrying of the iPhone, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3. The strap is made from 100% recycled polyester yarn and features flexible magnets.

It will be available in black, taupe, olive, bright blue, purple, and burgundy.

### Environmental Characteristics

In manufacturing the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple continued to implement its plan to achieve carbon neutrality across the company's entire footprint by 2030.

In total, 40% of the materials in both models are recycled. In particular, the battery contains 100% recycled cobalt, and the enclosure is made of 85% recycled aluminum.

Across the supply chain, 50% renewable energy is used, including wind and solar power. The devices also meet Apple's requirements for energy efficiency and safe chemical use.

The iPhone's paper packaging is 100% fiber-based and can be recycled at home.

### Pricing and Release Dates

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available with storage capacities of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB.

The price of the iPhone 18 Pro in the US starts at $1,199, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299.

Pre-orders in more than 65 countries and regions will begin at 5:00 AM Pacific Time on September 12. Sales will start on September 18. In another 20 countries and regions, the devices will appear on September 25.

iOS 27 will become available as a free update on September 14. Apple Intelligence will also begin working with iOS 27 for supported devices and languages.

Siri AI will launch in beta on September 14 for supported devices set to English. Support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish will appear in October.

Apple separately notes that the availability of individual features may vary depending on region, language, local laws, and regulatory requirements.

The company is also extending free access to satellite features for another year for existing users of iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 who activated their devices in countries supporting the respective features before midnight Pacific Time on September 9.

For new iPhone owners, Apple offers various service options through AppleCare and cloud storage through iCloud+. In addition, eligible new buyers of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be able to get three months of Apple One for free. The offer is valid in selected countries and regions starting September 17.