Apple has released the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as its primary smartphone offerings for 2026, omitting a standard base model. The devices, priced at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, feature a $100 price increase over last year’s Pro lineup. While they stand out as excellent phones with significant camera and performance upgrades, they are currently overshadowed by the upcoming foldable iPhone Duo.
Battery life remains a strong point for the Pro series. The iPhone 18 Pro Max, equipped with a denser battery, delivered approximately five hours of screen-on time before dropping to 50 percent, with the potential to last two days on a single charge under average usage. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro similarly maintained comfort through a full day, ending with roughly 40 percent charge remaining.
Under the hood, both models run on the A20 Pro chip, which benchmarks indicate is a substantial leap from the A19 Pro found in the 17 series. Apple has also tripled the surface area of the vapor chamber cooling system. This thermal management improvement allows for sustained gaming performance, such as playing the demanding title _Control_, without the device developing uncomfortable hot spots or throttling quickly.
The most notable hardware change is the introduction of a variable aperture in the main camera, a feature previously seen on devices from Samsung and Huawei. Users can now physically adjust the aperture between four f-stops: f/1.48, f/1.78, f/2.8, and f/4. Opening the aperture to f/1.48 allows more light into the sensor, resulting in cleaner low-light shots and natural optical bokeh, reducing the need for software-simulated Portrait modes. The cameras default to “Auto,” but manual controls can be enabled within the Camera app for greater customization.
On the software side, the phones launch with iOS 27, featuring the new Siri AI. While Siri AI represents a significant capability upgrade over previous iterations, it still lacks the versatility of some competing assistants. However, it can provide satisfactory answers to most queries. Additionally, the Dynamic Island has been shrunk, allowing users to view three simultaneous live activities, such as navigation, calls, and food delivery updates, compared to the previous limit of two.
Design updates include a new burgundy color option, though some users may miss the brighter hues like Cosmic Orange from the previous generation. Apple has not yet confirmed when the base model iPhone 18 will arrive, with expectations pointing to spring 2027 alongside a rumored mid-tier iPhone 18e. For users satisfied with their iPhone 15 Pro, 16 Pro, or 17 Pro, the article suggests holding onto their current devices rather than upgrading immediately.
I just want to know: will it run Cyberpunk 2077 without melting? The cooling talk is promising though.
Holding onto my 17 Pro. The upgrades are nice, but not enough to justify the price jump this year.
No base model? That seems incredibly greedy. $100 price hike with no entry-level option is a tough pill to swallow.
Finally, a variable aperture on iPhone! This is huge for low-light photography enthusiasts like me.
Great camera tech, but I’m still waiting to see the foldable Duo before spending extra cash.