Apple’s fall iPhone lineup this year is rumored to revolve around the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. Here are the three biggest feature differences (not including price) that may influence your upgrade decision.
Form factor: traditional or foldable
This difference is the most obvious, but it deserves to be highlighted because it is also the most significant.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will offer the same basic form factor that the iPhone has had for years. They are rumored to have the exact same screen size and overall design as their predecessors. If you want a traditional iPhone feel, the iPhone 18 Pro will be the way to go.
The iPhone Ultra, meanwhile, will be Apple’s very first foldable model. It’s a radically different form factor, with an outer screen that’s shorter and wider than a traditional iPhone and an inner screen that resembles an iPad mini.
Cameras: Pro will remain the best
Apple has always packed its best and most innovative camera technology into its Pro models. And that will continue to be true this year.
The iPhone Ultra is expected to offer many of the same camera features as the iPhone 18 Pro, with one big exception: It won’t have a telephoto camera.
Rumors indicate that you’ll still get the same main, ultrawide, and front-facing cameras on the iPhone Ultra that the Pro line offers. But the telephoto lens will remain a Pro exclusive and should improve further this year.
Performance: A20 Pro chip in both cases, but materials matter
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra are expected to have the same A20 Pro chip at their core. However, the level of performance may differ due to differences in design and materials.
The iPhone 18 Pro will use the same aluminum unibody design as the iPhone 17 Pro and will also feature a vapor chamber for cooling. These two changes gave the iPhone 17 Pro better overall performance than its predecessor, since the iPhone is able to stay cooler for demanding tasks.
The iPhone Ultra, meanwhile, will have a sleek titanium-based design like the iPhone Air, and is not expected to have a vapor chamber. So even though it has the same chip, its performance might be lower in the sun or during intensive tasks.
Are you hesitating between an iPhone 18 Pro and an iPhone Ultra? What differences will influence your decision? Let us know in the comments.
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