The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are coming in September, potentially with significantly higher prices. For months, rumors and leaks have been providing us information on what to expect from them, and the picture is getting clearer as we speak.
Here are all the hottest upgrades that the iPhone 18 Pro is getting, according to leaks and rumors.
Familiar design with hot new colors and improved durability
The four potential colors of the iPhone 18 Pro. | Image by Sonny Dickson
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are reportedly getting the same design on the back that Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro. The camera plateau is here to stay, but Apple is equipping the models with some new colors, reportedly.
The hottest one may be the new Dark Cherry that's extensively leaked. Apart from it, we also expect a light blue, a dark blue, and a silver colorway. Durability is reportedly improving with a new manufacturing process for the aluminum body, which should strengthen the iPhone's corrosion resistance and make discoloration less likely (which was an issue some iPhone 17 Pro models suffered from).
Almost 50% smaller Dynamic Island
The reported difference in the Dynamic Island between the iPhone 17 Pro and 18 Pro. | Image by Weibo
The Dynamic Island on the front of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is reportedly shrinking this year. Rumor has it that it could be around 50% smaller than what the element was in the iPhone 17 Pro, which should make the display more elegant and immersive.
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The Dynamic Island is said to be around 13.49 mm wide (it was 20.76 mm wide on the iPhone 17 Pro). Apart from the visual change, the functionality of the Dynamic Island is reportedly staying the same as last year's.
A20 Pro chip
The iPhone 18 Pro Max and Pro are reportedly going to be powered by Apple's next-gen 2nm chip, the A20 Pro. Expect significant increases in power and efficiency thanks to the new 2nm build process.
Meanwhile, the A20 Pro is reportedly getting paired with the C2 modem, Apple's second-generation connectivity chip, which is also rumored to bring satellite 5G abilities. Moreover, the phone is also reportedly featuring Apple's N2 wireless networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and Bluetooth 6. AirDrop and Personal Hotspot performance should improve, as well as download and upload speeds.
Variable aperture on main camera
Render of the iPhone 18 Pro's camera bump. | Image by Fpt.
The main 48 MP camera of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and Pro may be gaining a variable aperture feature this year. A variable aperture would allow the camera to adjust the amount of light that enters the sensor based on the lighting conditions and give users control over the depth of field for a DSLR-like blur in portrait photos.
Before this change, iPhone cameras have always come with a fixed aperture. This change could noticeably elevate the photo quality and overall look of the images produced by the Pro-branded iPhone 18 models.
Siri AI, Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence features at a glance. | Image by Apple
Apple unveiled Siri AI during WWDC 2026 not too long ago, and it's coming with iOS 27. The long-anticipated generative AI Siri upgrade is finally arriving, and the assistant is getting serious AI features including the ability to see what's on your screen, to process natural language and to learn your personal context. Also, it will be able to take actions in apps on your behalf.
A lot of iOS 27 apps are getting Apple Intelligence integrations, Image Playground is gaining new capabilities such as tackling more complex scenes and creating wallpaper backgrounds based on your prompts, and the Camera app is getting a brand-new Siri AI mode, as well as two new features to elevate your photographs: extend and reframe.
LTPO+ display upgrade
iPhone 17 Pro Max's display for reference. | Image by PhoneArena
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are reportedly going to feature LTPO+ displays, which should ensure lower power consumption and higher refresh rates. Standard ALOMED screens use LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon) for their backplane transistors, while LTPO panes use IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide).
The newer LTPO+ technology gives the phone finer control over the electrical current sent to each OLED pixel, so the device is capable to adjust dynamically to on-screen content. Moreover, there's reportedly going to be a new M16 material for the displays of the two Pro-branded models for greater color accuracy.
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Iskra Petrova is a news writer at PhoneArena, where she covers mobile tech news and maintains the site’s device hubs with the latest leaked specs, rumors, and official details for upcoming phones. She joined PhoneArena in 2020 after three years in technical support for Microsoft Exchange, giving her practical experience with software infrastructure and troubleshooting. Iskra holds a Master’s Degree in Literature, which helps her translate complex tech details into clear, reader-friendly coverage. She is a daily Apple ecosystem user, while also closely following Sony Xperia’s camera-focused phones and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.
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