Six nights until the iPhone 18 Pro: here’s what we know

We’re just six days away from Apple unveiling its next-generation iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, not to mention its first foldable iPhone.

Apple is expected to showcase these devices at its annual fall iPhone event, which this year has the tagline “Surprise and Brilliance.” The event takes place on Wednesday September 9. To help you get some sleep in the meantime, here’s a look at the features we’re expecting from Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models.

• Overall design: The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to stick to the general design of the iPhone 17 Pro, but they could feature a more seamless back housing with less contrast between the glass and aluminum frame.
• Battery life: The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to feature a larger 5,100-5,200 mAh battery and, therefore, a slightly thicker and heavier design.
• Smaller dynamic island: Apple is expected to reduce the dynamic island, made possible by moving some Face ID components below the screen.
• Improved display: The iPhone 18 Pro models are said to use a more energy-efficient LTPO+ display, supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display.
• A20 Pro chip: Apple’s next-generation chip will use TSMC’s advanced 2nm process, including Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, which is expected to deliver improvements in performance and power efficiency.
• C2 modem: Apple’s next-generation in-house cellular modem could feature in the Pro models, offering faster speeds and improved efficiency. However, it’s possible that the C2 still lacks mmWave capability and the devices use a Qualcomm modem in the US and Apple’s C2 modem in other parts of the world.
• New camera sensor: Samsung has reportedly developed a new three-layer stacked image sensor for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup that improves responsiveness, noise, and dynamic range.
• Variable aperture: The 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models should benefit from a variable aperture for better control over light and depth of field.
• 5G satellite internet: iPhone 18 Pro models could support full 5G connectivity via satellite, which would be a huge expansion of Apple’s existing satellite emergency features.
• Simplified camera control: Apple reportedly redesigned the camera control button to use pressure sensing without a separate capacitive layer, simply to reduce complexity and cost.
• New colors: Apple has reportedly tested several new finishes, but we are banking on these three: Light Blue, Dark Cherry and Silver. We no longer expect a black option.
• iOS27: The iPhone 18 Pro will ship with iOS 27 and its revamped Siri AI experience, which includes screen awareness, personal context, web awareness, and expanded Apple Intelligence features.

Apple has held its fall event during the first two weeks of September in each of the past years, with new iPhones typically going on sale the following Friday. Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are rumored to begin this year on Saturday, September 12 at midnight PT.

Note that Apple will not release a standard iPhone 18 in September 2026. The range will focus on its latest premium iPhones. The ‌iPhone 18‌, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 will instead be released in spring 2027. For everything we know about the foldable “iPhone Ultra”, be sure to check out our dedicated roundup.