What's wrong with the iPhone 18 Pro Max? At first glance, nothing. Apple bragged about its long battery life, its upgraded thermal management system, its super advanced, bright and efficient display… and don't get me started on the 2nm A20 Pro chipset: this silicon looks so advanced it's not even funny.
Sure, the new iPhone Pro duo it's a bit more expensive now, but Samsung and Google have also "blessed" their 2026 flagships (like the Galaxy S26 and the Pixel 11) with a $100 price hike.
There's a reason for that and the struggle to buy gas or pay rent (in other words, the general worldwide inflation) is just a smaller factor in the greater equation. No, this time, Apple has to blame itself.
Problem #1: the foldable iPhone
The new foldable is pretty funky. | Image by Apple
The first problem is called the iPhone Duo, Apple's first-ever foldable. This was the real star of the September 9 unveiling event. Apple may have arrived seven years late to the foldable party, but that didn't hurt our curiosity and hype.
So if I'm a hardcore Apple fan and I've decided I'm getting a new iPhone in 2026, why would I automatically choose the familiar-looking iPhone 18 Pro Max when I could get Apple's brand-new foldable instead? Duh!
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There is also the bragging-rights factor, and I wouldn't underestimate it. People who spend a lot of money on technology don't always buy it because they desperately need better technology. Sometimes, they simply want the newest, most interesting thing in the room. The Duo is precisely that.
Of course, there's another rather obvious problem: buying both isn't possible for most people. The iPhone Duo starts at $2,000 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,300; we're talking about roughly $3,300 for two iPhones. At that point, even the most hardcore Apple fans click the big X button on the iPhone 18 Pro Max tab.
Problem #2: the delayed iPhone 18
The iPhone 17 for reference. | Image by PhoneArena
Moving on: Apple's decision to delay the regular iPhone 18. This one makes the iPhone 18 Pro harder to recommend today because I know a lot of potential buyers will be thinking about what happens when the cheaper model finally arrives. It doesn't need to match the Pro feature for feature. It just needs to get close enough for them to stay with the baseline iPhone 18.
If Apple gives the vanilla iPhone 18 enough of the things people actually care about, some may (reasonably) decide that paying $1,300 or more for the Pro Max isn't necessary.
Problem #3: the iPhone 20
20 years passed by just like this. | Image by PhoneArena
The iPhone 20 is coming in 2027, folks. We're talking about the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone (the phone that changed it all).
Apple knows how significant that milestone is and I find it very difficult to believe that the company will treat the iPhone 20 like just another yearly refresh (I've probably jinxed it now, but anyway).
I don't know what Apple has planned, and neither does anyone else outside the company, but I fully expect it to make a big deal out of the occasion. We've got some pretty cool rumors about the iPhone 20, but don't get your hopes too high yet.
All of this creates an awkward situation for the iPhone 18 Pro Max today. Why spend $1,300 today when I can keep my current iPhone for another year and see what Apple does for the 20th anniversary? If the iPhone 20 turns out to be something genuinely special, I'll be glad I waited. If it isn't, I can still buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max which will be cheaper by then.
Don't write it off yet
I wouldn't write off the iPhone 18 Pro Max just yet and neither should you. Preorder numbers are low, but overall sales can be fine and the Pro could still have a very good run once the initial excitement settles down (it could be a late bloomer).
But right now, I feel like Apple has given its own customers several solid reasons not to buy its newest flagship immediately.
Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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