iPhone 18 Pro Leaks Just Revealed Something Big and Apple Fans Are Already Excited
- Utshab Biswas
- 1 minute ago
- 6 min read
Apple will not launch the iPhone 18 series for a few months yet. But leaks and rumours are already painting a detailed picture. Here is everything we know about the iPhone 18 Pro so far from a smaller Dynamic Island to variable aperture cameras and a bigger battery.
This is where the pattern comes to an end. For this year, it appears that Apple will launch its flagship iPhones in two separate launch windows, which is very different from its pattern over the last couple of years.
Also Read: Meta Launches Forum App for Facebook Groups With AI-Powered Conversations and Community Discussions
The iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be launched in the month of September 2026.
iPhone 18 launch dates
Fall 2026 (September): iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Fold
Spring 2027 (Feb-March): iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2
This is confirmed by Bloomberg. If you’re one of those people who have been holding out on buying an iPhone because you don’t want to spend too much money on it, then prepare yourself to wait until early 2027.
Design changes: Dynamic Island, colours, and build
A smaller Dynamic Island
Among the notable changes in design is the Dynamic Island. Several sources, including Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Weibo user Digital Chat Station, claim that Apple would significantly reduce its size in the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series.
According to leaked images of a screen protector posted by X account Ice Universe, the new phone will have a much smaller notch. According to Ice Universe, the Dynamic Island may become about 35% narrower compared to the current iPhone 17 Pro.
The justification is that the company plans to integrate Face ID sensors below the display. Indeed, this information was confirmed by the website The Information, which reported that both iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will have under-screen Face ID sensors. Furthermore, some sources believe that the front-facing camera will move to the upper-left part of the screen.
At the same time, MacRumors notes that it might not be implemented completely. Namely, there may be a significantly reduced Dynamic Island cutout.
"Under-display cameras sound great in theory. The real test is whether Apple can finally make one that takes good photos."
Unified rear design, possible transparent finish
There might be a change in the rear dual-tone glass aesthetic of the iPhone 18 Pro. According to a rumor by a Weibo user based in China, Apple has plans to create a more consistent aesthetic for their devices. It has also been suggested that there would be a clear glass coating option for the back glass a trend that is becoming popular among Android flagships.
The sizes of the displays remain constant at 6.3 inches for the Pro variant and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max. The camera bump on the basic iPhone 18 will likely become slimmer, although the Pro variants keep their wide camera plateau to accommodate three rear cameras.
Some reports indicate that the Pro Max could have a higher weight and thickness than its predecessor.
New colours for iPhone 18 Pro
Mark Gurman points out that these could all be derivatives of the same red idea. It could turn out that only one of these ends up in production. Nevertheless, it is a huge departure from Apple’s recent theme of silver, black, and natural shades.
Camera upgrades: variable aperture and more megapixels
It could be here that the iPhone 18 Pro pulls off an epic move. One of the most notable camera spec leaks for the iPhone 18 is a variable aperture lens, which is something found in pro-level DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
The concept allows the user to adjust the amount of light hitting the camera sensor and the amount of blur. Variable apertures for cameras have already been reported by Digital Chat Station on Weibo for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The information was also given by The Information, stating that there would be at least one mechanical iris in the rear-facing cameras.
There has been some attempt at this idea by other phone manufacturers. In 2018, the Samsung Galaxy S9 had a variable aperture, while both the 13 Ultra and 14 Ultra smartphones from Xiaomi did too. Apple might become the company to successfully incorporate variable apertures into their phones.
iPhone 18 Pro camera rumours at a glance
Variable aperture on at least one rear camera (mechanical iris)
Faster telephoto aperture for better low-light zoom shots
24MP front-facing camera across all iPhone 18 models (except 18e)
Possible simplification of the Camera Control button to pressure-only sensing
For the selfie aspect, the rumor is that all of the iPhone 18 range except for the 18e will feature a front-facing camera at 24 megapixels. This is quite an increase compared to the present-day model. Currently, the iPhone 17 range has an 18-megapixel Center Stage selfie camera in portrait and landscape mode.
Battery: finally over 5,000 mAh
Apple took a big gamble on the iPhone 17 Pro’s battery. And the gamble paid off, as the 17 Pro won a 35-phone race for battery life. The iPhone 18 Pro is likely to follow suit.
According to a Weibo post noted by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 18 Pro may boast a battery capacity greater than 5,000 mAh. More precisely:
The eSIM-only variant allows for more space inside to be utilized with more battery cells. In addition, another tipster with a Twitter account called ApplesClubs on Threads says that the 18 Pro model will have superior battery life compared to its impressive predecessor.
A20 chip, RAM, and modem specs
The A20 chip and a new manufacturing process
iPhone 18 series is likely to come with a brand new A20 chip by Apple. However, the more intriguing aspect would be its manufacturing. Reports suggest that it will use something known as Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WLMCM).
In simple words, this approach ensures that CPU, GPU, neural engine, and memory are all on one single wafer. The benefit? Enhanced speed of data exchange between them and improved energy efficiency of the chip.
RAM and connectivity
According to analyst Jeff Pu, quoted by MacRumors, the iPhone 18 will likely include 12 GB of RAM. The new C2 chip for better cellular connection will also be launched alongside the upcoming iPhone 18 range.
However, perhaps the boldest move in the field of connectivity: According to The Information, Apple is getting ready for launching 5G satellites support. This means that the upcoming iPhone 18 range will actually become satellite phones, allowing you to make satellite calls.
A note on potential downgrades
This is not always the case; according to a rumor on Weibo, one of the new specs for the basic model, the iPhone 18, might even be cut down to keep the cost of production lower and make it more like the iPhone 18e. There have also been shortages of memory parts, making it possible that some of the parts might even end up being worse than before.
Price expectations
However, the situation is favorable in this case as there have been no leaks regarding any price hike on the iPhone 18 Pro. The reason behind this is the fact that Apple always releases Pro devices at a higher price point. This is not the same for the new foldable iPhone, which will likely be priced at over $2,000.
It looks like the iPhone 18 series will be among the most complex launches for the tech giant. From six models to be released within two windows, foldable iPhones to numerous hardware improvements all that comes while Apple gets ready for the 20-year anniversary of its first-ever iPhone.
The company dominates the US market but always fails to beat Samsung in worldwide smartphone sales. At the same time, Apple also starts to feel the increasing competition from Chinese brands such as Xiaomi. The upcoming iPhone 18 cycle, and specifically, rumors about foldable models, gives the company a reason to turn things around.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, it's worth mentioning that Apple already confirmed that the new generation of AI Siri will feature Google's Gemini technology. The iPhone 18 Pro is looking like it’s going to be an important step forward, with a downsized Dynamic Island, rumored variable aperture photography, a battery capacity above 5,000 mAh, and the new A20 processor. With the split release, the Pro models will still come out in September 2026, while everyone else will have to wait until spring 2027. More information will follow as we move toward Apple’s autumn event.