The iPhone 18 Pro Is Almost Here: 5 Big Upgrades to Expect
Concept render of a burgundy/red iPhone 18 Pro [FrontPageTech / YouTube]
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Apple’s next flagship iPhones are almost here. The company has officially scheduled its next major event, “Surprise and Shine,” for September 9, and the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to be the second-biggest announcements of the day. If the rumors are true, the foldable iPhone will be the biggest announcement this year, but that’s a story for another post.
And while getting a new Pro model is always nice, this year might be a bit underwhelming for iPhone fans. Based on everything we’ve heard so far, Apple isn’t planning another major redesign.
Instead, the company appears to be keeping the look introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro while focusing most of its attention on the inside.
This year will also be unusual because Apple reportedly won’t announce a regular iPhone 18 alongside the Pro models. Instead, the iPhone 18 and next-generation iPhone Air are expected to arrive next spring alongside the iPhone 18e.
Nothing about the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is official yet, but with only days left before Apple’s event, the rumors have become much more consistent. Here’s everything we currently expect to see.
New Colors, Same Design
If you were hoping Apple will completely change the appearance of the iPhone again, you should know better by now.
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to keep the iPhone 17 Pro’s general design. That means you should still see an aluminum frame and the large camera plateau stretching across the top of the back.
That said, Apple may still change a few details. The iPhone 17 Pro has a noticeable color difference between the aluminum frame and the glass rear panel, but reports suggest Apple has improved its manufacturing process to make those materials look more uniform on the iPhone 18 Pro. We’ll also get at least one new color, with most reports pointing to a sort of crimson red, but don’t expect black to make a return.
The camera bump could also get slightly thicker, especially if Apple introduces the larger camera components currently rumored (more on that later). Overall, though, the iPhone 18 Pro should look very similar to the current-generation models.
The Dynamic Island Should Finally Get Smaller
The Dynamic Island has been around since the iPhone 14 Pro, and it’s remained unchanged for the past four years. But it seems Apple may finally be ready for a small adjustment.
Reports suggest Apple will move some Face ID components under the OLED display. This change will let Apple reduce the size of the Dynamic Island without getting rid of it completely or hindering Face ID.
Granted, you’ll still have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island at the top of the screen. It will work the same as it does now, but this change could result in a reduced size, which should free up a little more room at the top of your screen. No, we’re not ready for an under-display Face ID (or rather, Apple isn’t ready), but we’re getting there.
Of course, we’ve heard about a smaller Dynamic Island a few times in the past, so it might not happen this year either. Still, making it smaller will make the Pro models stand out from the rest of the lineup, especially since Apple will probably keep the same display size for the iPhone 18 Pro models this year.
The Pro Models May Become Slightly Thicker
Apple spent years trying to make each new iPhone thinner, which is something fans never really asked for. Not only that, but a thinner body means a smaller battery. Luckily, it seems like Apple is focusing on battery life with these new iPhones.
Several rumors suggest the Pro models will become slightly thicker this year. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will probably see a bigger increase, with some rumors saying it might weigh around 240 grams. For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max weighs 233 grams.
And while it’s not confirmed, it’s believed that Apple is making this change to add a bigger battery. However, the new camera components might also be the reason why.
With these changes, rumors say that the iPhone 18 Pro might feature a 4,288 mAh battery, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max might come with a 5,567 mAh battery. If true, the smaller Pro model might not see a big change, but the iPhone 18 Pro Max might have a huge battery bump compared to the 5,088 mAh battery the iPhone 17 Pro Max has.
The A20 Pro Should Be a Huge Internal Upgrade
One of the easiest predictions to make is that Apple will introduce the A20 Pro chip with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. But more importantly, this should be Apple’s first iPhone processor manufactured using TSMC’s 2-nanometer process (the current A19 Pro still uses a 3 nm design).
This change allows Apple to fit more transistors into a smaller area. This could lead to a performance boost of around 15% to 18%, while power efficiency could improve by as much as 30% under certain conditions. This is a huge change and will make this year’s Pro models feel way faster and more powerful than before.
Of course, most of us don’t really care about the technical side of the iPhone, but this change will make the new device more powerful and energy efficient. Combine that with a larger battery and a better-optimized iOS 27, and we might see one of the snappiest, most powerful iPhones to date.
Variable Aperture Could Be the Biggest Change
If there’s one thing that sets the Pro models apart from the rest, it’s the camera system, and this year is no different. A variable-aperture camera has been rumored for the iPhone for several years, but this time it might actually happen.
Current-generation iPhone cameras use a fixed aperture, but an adjustable, variable aperture can physically control how much light reaches the sensor, giving the camera better images in different lighting conditions.
This means that you could, in theory, choose manually how much light you want in your photos and adjust it to make them look great, regardless of your environment. It could also provide more natural control over depth of field.
This would be a game changer for everyone who uses their iPhone Pro to take professional-level photos, and it would be a huge leap for the iPhone’s camera system. With that said, we’ve heard it before, so it’s best not to hold your breath until Apple actually announces this change.
Unfortunately, Prices Will Probably Increase
Of course, let’s address what’s probably the most accurate rumor of this whole article: pricing. Unfortunately, it seems like the iPhone Pro models will be more expensive this year.
Apple is dealing with much higher costs for memory and several other components. It’s actually been like that for a couple of years now, but Apple has managed to keep the price the same despite these issues. Now, however, things will most likely change.
The company has already raised prices on all its other devices this year, and analysts believe the iPhone will suffer the same fate. How much will this price increase be? No one knows for sure yet.
Recent reporting suggests a roughly $100 increase. That could move the iPhone 18 Pro from $1,099 to around $1,199 in the United States.
Some analysts have predicted considerably larger increases of $200 or even $300. Those estimates would push the Pro models into a territory that not many of us can afford.
However, since the foldable iPhone is rumored to cost over $2,000, and the base, more affordable iPhone 18 and “iPhone Air 2” won’t launch until next year, the Pro models will look like a much better deal. Of course, this is just speculation, so take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully, we’ll be wrong about this.
The iPhone 18 Pro Is Almost Here
Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro won’t be a groundbreaking device. Apple seems fine with making it a small upgrade, improving some things that the device already did well, while also giving center stage to its foldable iPhone.
That means that most current iPhone 17 Pro users will probably want to skip this year’s Pro lineup. On the other hand, if you’ve been looking for an upgrade, this might be your year. Unfortunately, you’ll probably have to pay a bit more this time around.
Apple will hold its Surprise and Shine event on September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. You’ll be able to watch it on Apple’s official website or YouTube channel, or the Apple TV app.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
