CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – Apple has introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with upgrades to cameras, battery life and processing power. Both models use the new A20 Pro chip and a redesigned vapor chamber for sustained performance. Apple also added a smaller Dynamic Island and new camera controls for professional users. Preorders open September 12, while sales begin September 18 across more than 65 countries and regions.
The biggest camera change is a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture. Six internal blades allow the lens to move between four aperture settings. Users can adjust aperture, shutter speed and white balance directly inside the Camera app. A histogram can also display exposure levels while a scene is framed. The updated imaging system adds new texture and grain controls to Photographic Styles, while video users can apply Cinematic effects after capture.
Apple is also introducing Reference Image for people who need to check whether a photograph has been altered. The opt-in feature records signed sensor data when a picture is captured in Reference mode. Private Cloud Compute develops that data into a reference image for comparison inside the Photos app. Apple plans additional support for the SynthID standard through a software update later this year. Image metadata will provide another way to identify AI-generated or edited content.
Variable aperture gives photographers more control
The A20 Pro chip uses a 2-nanometer process and combines a six-core CPU with a seven-core GPU. Apple says the GPU can run up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro. The chip also carries a Dual 16-core Neural Engine with 32 total cores for artificial intelligence processing. A new thermal design places the processor closer to a larger vapor chamber. Apple says the system can deliver up to 40% higher sustained performance than the previous generation.
Battery capacity also increases, particularly on models that rely only on eSIM. Apple rates the iPhone 18 Pro for up to 36 hours of video playback. The iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches up to 45 hours under the same test. The Pro can reach 50% charge in about 15 minutes with compatible wired equipment. eSIM-only versions will reach markets including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with several countries outside the region.
iOS 27 brings Siri AI to the new Pro models
The iPhone 18 Pro lineup runs iOS 27 and supports the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Siri AI enters beta on September 14 for supported devices set to English. Apple plans French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support in October. The assistant can use information from messages, emails and photos when users request help. It can also respond to on-screen content and work with the Camera app. Apple Intelligence combines on-device processing with Private Cloud Compute for supported cloud tasks.
Apple will sell both models in burgundy, glacier, silver and black, with storage from 256GB to 2TB. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the United States. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Apple will begin taking preorders at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on September 12. Retail availability starts September 18 in the first group of markets. Another 20 countries and regions will receive the iPhone 18 Pro lineup beginning September 25.