Apple unveils iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with new A20 Pro chip and variable-aperture camera
Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring a 2 nm A20 Pro processor, a 48-MP variable-aperture main camera, larger vapor-chamber cooling and longer battery life, with prices starting at $1,199.
Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the successors to last year’s iPhone 17 Pro models. Both devices run on the new A20 Pro chip built on TSMC’s 2 nm process, offering a 6-core CPU with two performance cores, a 7-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine that Apple says is up to 40 % faster than the previous generation. A redesigned vapor-chamber cooling system provides up to 40 % higher sustained performance.
The flagship camera system now includes a 48-megapixel Fusion Main sensor with a four-stop variable aperture ranging from f/1.48 to f/4.0, along with new Pro controls for manual aperture, shutter speed and white balance. Apple’s description notes that the variable aperture and computational imaging pipeline improve low-light performance by about 50 % and add optical depth-of-field control.
Battery capacity has been increased, giving the iPhone 18 Pro up to 36 hours of video playback and the Pro Max up to 45 hours, the largest gain in iPhone history. Fast-charging speeds have been improved, with a 60 W-compatible adapter reaching 50 % charge in roughly 15 minutes.
The Dynamic Island has been reduced in size but can now support three simultaneous Live Activities. The devices retain the aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2 and are offered in four colors. Storage options range from 256 GB to 2 TB, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299. Pre-orders begin on September 12, with shipments slated for September 18.