Apple unveils iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with upgraded processor, camera and battery life

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max retain the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, 3,000-nit peak brightness and 48-megapixel Ultra Wide and Telephoto lenses found on the iPhone 17 Pro models. The overall design, including MagSafe and Qi2 charging limited to 25 W, remains largely unchanged apart from a smaller Dynamic Island that can now show up to three Live Activities simultaneously.

The devices are powered by a new A20 Pro processor, which Apple says delivers up to 20 % faster CPU performance and 40 % faster GPU performance compared with the prior A19 Pro. The chip includes a 7-core GPU, a dual 16-core Neural Engine that doubles AI processing capacity, and a redesigned vapor-chamber cooling system that offers roughly 40 % better sustained performance.

A major camera upgrade is the variable-aperture 48 MP main sensor, offering ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4 settings and about 50 % improved low-light performance over the fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture of the earlier model. New manual controls, an Apple Reference Image feature, Photographic Styles 3 with texture and grain options, and post-capture cinematic effects are also added. Video capabilities now include 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps in Cinematic mode, 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse, and enhanced low-light recording at 1080p.

Battery life is extended to up to 36 hours of video playback on the iPhone 18 Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max, while wired charging is claimed to reach 50 % charge in about 15 minutes. Storage options now top out at 2 TB for the 6.3-inch model, and the lineup introduces new color finishes—Black, Silver, Glacier and Burgundy. The phones are slightly heavier, by 5 g and 16 g respectively, and start at $1,199 and $1,299, a $100 increase over the prior generation. Pre-orders begin on September 12, with the devices shipping on September 18.