The past few years have witnessed Apple adopt a typical launch timeline where it would unveil four top-end models targeting different pricing brackets. For 2026, the Cupertino firm is reported to take a different route, where the base model may not even be a part of the family. Additionally, there are expected to be a multitude of changes and upgrades that we should look forward to, so if you haven’t picked up an iPhone 17 model this year and are patiently waiting for next year, here is our rumor roundup that covers everything you wanted to learn about the iPhone 18 series.
How many iPhone 18 models are expected in 2026?
With the base iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone 18e slated to arrive in the first quarter of 2026, that leaves the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple’s first foldable flagship, the iPhone Fold. In short, the company wants its customers to spend the big bucks on making the more expensive handsets their daily drivers, which isn’t a bad strategy, as it’ll help boost the Average Selling Price (ASP) of Apple’s lineup.
Design and display
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max aren’t going to be exceptionally different from their immediate predecessors, but after checking out the other details, you’ll soon find out that there’s little reason for Apple to introduce a radical change. After all, the Camera Plateau just arrived on last year’s models, and it’ll likely remain on the new flagships. The camera bump could be increased due to a bigger physical sensor and the inclusion of a variable aperture lens.
If you take a look at the drop test video above, it doesn’t appear that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are all that changed from the outside. However, we’ve learned that the larger member will be thicker and heavier at 240 grams to accommodate a bigger battery. While no details have been divulged concerning the regular iPhone 18 Pro’s thickness and weight, it’ll probably be subjected to the same aforementioned treatment.
| iPhone's weight, material and battery capacity | Phone 14 Pro Max | iPhone 15 Pro Max | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Stainless steel | Titanium alloy | Titanium alloy | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Weight | 240 grams | 221 grams | 227 grams | 233 grams | 240 grams (rumored) |
A20 Pro - Apple’s first 2nm chipset
Instead of the standard and ‘Pro’ chipset models, Apple is only expected to introduce the A20 Pro later this year. Irrespective of this strategy, the latter will be the Cupertino firm’s first 2nm silicon that’s mass produced on TSMC’s latest and greatest architecture. We’ve discussed at length on everything there is to know about the chipset, from the departure of the old inFO-PoP packaging to the newer Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module Packaging (WMCM), so make sure to check out all the details here.
New C2 5G modem
Following the C1 and C1X, it was believed that Apple would bring the C2 5G modem as a standard to the entire lineup, cutting off Qualcomm completely. Instead, we’re greeted by an interesting surprise courtesy of the Tata leak, revealing that the San Diego firm’s Snapdragon X80 5G modem will continue to be used in regions that support mmWave networks.
This means that, despite Apple’s C2 being significantly more powerful and energy-efficient than the C1 or C1X, it probably won’t support mmWave 5G, so iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models sold outside the U.S. will ship with Apple’s new baseband chip.
N2 wireless chip
As we got closer to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launch, we assumed that Apple would bundle its new N2 wireless chip, which would succeed the N1. Unfortunately, the Tata leak revealed more hidden secrets, and based on what was unearthed, there’s no mention of a new N2 chip, suggesting that Apple will stick with the same N1.
Camera
For the first time in Apple’s history, its iPhone range will sport a variable aperture camera to bring more in-depth control to photography and video capture. The 48MP main sensor will likely be retained, but the physical size will probably be increased, leading to an enlargement of the bump as mentioned above.
Aside from one of the biggest upgrades to ever lay our eyes on, the telephoto camera could also be treated to a wider aperture, improving low-light photography, while bringing in software features that match professional-grade cameras. The remaining specifications are kept in the dark, but those details should arrive sooner rather than later.
Battery
Apple is gradually increasing the battery capacities on its iPhone models, but if you want the best possible runtime from the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, we highly recommend picking the bigger flagship. Another thing, the eSIM versions will have a slightly larger cell as opposed to the non-eSIM variants, just like how Apple planned with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
| Battery capacity | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Capacity difference (iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max) | Capacity difference (iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eSIM version | 4,288mAh | 5,567mAh | 4,252mAh | 5,088mAh | 479mAh or 9.41 percent increase | 36mAh or 0.85 percent increase |
| non-eSIM version | 4,056mAh | 5,391mAh | 3,988mAh | 4,823mAh | 568mAh or 11.78 percent increase | 68mAh or 1.71 percent increase |
Looking at the table above, the eSIM and non-eSIM versions of the iPhone 18 Pro will be outfitted with 4,288mAh and 4,056mAh batteries, respectively, whereas the iPhone 18 Pro Max will ship with 5,567mAh and 5,391mAh cells for the same variants. The tipster Ice Universe claims the iPhone 18 Pro Max can last for as long as Android flagships with a 7,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, but we believe that the runtime will be longer.
Colors
The rumors are all over the place about the paint jobs, but from what we’ve gathered, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will arrive in Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Silver, and Dark Gray finishes. Then again, Apple could decide at the last minute to remove one of these versions from the production line, so we’ll update readers accordingly.
Price
Apple recently announced a price bump for a multitude of products, but surprisingly, the iPhone series was left out of this change. However, don’t rule out the possibility that the company won’t make the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pricier because CEO Tim Cook has previously admitted that the DRAM shortage has made the current pricing structure unsustainable.
On one hand, we have TechInsights claiming that the iPhone 18 Pro needs to become $270 more expensive, launching for $1,399 in the U.S., with the iPhone 18 Pro Max likely retailing for $1,499 for the 256GB version. On the other hand, we have Counterpoint Research, which states that Apple’s BOM (Bill of Materials) for the iPhone 18 Pro Max has increased by $300, with its retail price expected to increase by $200.
Launch
September will once again be the month of choice for Apple, with its keynote possibly scheduled during the second week. Sadly, we don’t have the dates for the event, but that’s something we’ll keep our readers updated on.
