Apple iPhone 18 Pro / 18 Pro Max

The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are Apple's 2026 flagships, available since 18 September 2026. They suit people on an iPhone 16 Pro or older; owners of a 17 Pro gain much less. The one thing to know: both models cost $100 more than last year's, and Apple has not released a standard iPhone 18 yet.

What is new on the iPhone 18 Pro?

• A20 Pro chip with a larger vapor chamber and a dual 16-core Neural Engine.
• 48MP main camera with a variable aperture (ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0), the first on an iPhone, plus new Pro camera controls.
• A smaller Dynamic Island and faster charging.
• Apple claims up to 45 hours of video playback on the 18 Pro Max.
• Siri AI, Apple's rebuilt assistant; availability varies by region and language.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: should you upgrade?

	iPhone 18 Pro	iPhone 17 Pro
List price from (Apple)	$1,199	$1,099
Main camera	Variable aperture	Fixed aperture

Reviewers who compared both say the jump from a 17 Pro is small. From a 16 Pro or older, the gains add up.

Is there a standard iPhone 18 or a foldable?

Not yet. Apple launched only the Pro pair; the foldable iPhone Duo opens for pre-order on 16 October 2026.

Research-based listing — not hands-on tested by Digital4All; details as of September 2026.

What reviewers say

• Tom's Guide calls the pair the fastest phones it has tested and measured battery life on its 5G web-surfing test at an average of 16 h 17 min for the 18 Pro (17 Pro: 15 h 21 min) and 18 h 27 min for the 18 Pro Max (17 Pro Max: 17 h 54 min); it lists the $100 price rise and heavier bodies as the drawbacks. (Tom's Guide, Sep 2026)
• TechRadar says the cameras are the biggest leap, with the variable aperture and new Pro controls adding creative freedom, and describes thermals as noticeably better; it adds that neither phone is a night-and-day upgrade from the 17 Pro generation. (TechRadar, Sep 2026)
• 9to5Mac found the variable aperture matters most at night and for close subjects and makes little visible difference in ordinary daylight scenes; its reviewer got about a day and a half from the Pro Max, judged the Pro Max too heavy, and noted the 1TB tier rose by $300. (9to5Mac, Sep 2026)

Consensus: All three agree on excellent battery life, a very fast chip and a useful camera upgrade, and both TechRadar and 9to5Mac say 17 Pro owners can skip this year. Weight is the split: Tom's Guide and 9to5Mac flag it, TechRadar does not list it.