10 New Features Rumored for Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Ahead of September Launch Event This Year

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max within the first half of September, and a steady drumbeat of leaks throughout the summer has offered an increasingly detailed, if occasionally contradictory, picture of what the new devices will include. Here are 10 features currently rumored for this year’s Pro lineup, based on reporting compiled from supply chain leaks and industry tipsters.

1. A variable aperture camera — possibly exclusive to the Pro Max

Apple has been rumored since 2024 to be bringing a variable aperture lens to the iPhone Pro line for the first time, a feature that would allow the camera to physically adjust its aperture opening to control depth of field and light intake, similar to features long available on dedicated cameras. While earlier leaks suggested both Pro models would receive the feature, tipster Ice Universe claimed in a mid-August post on the Chinese platform Weibo that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will “exclusively feature a variable aperture,” a detail that would mark a new point of differentiation between the two Pro models. The leaker added a pointed observation about the tradeoffs involved: “Looks like even Apple can’t escape the reality that if you want the absolute best camera experience, you’ll have to put up with a phone that weighs like a brick.” That claim follows an earlier June leak of internal files from Apple supplier Tata Electronics, which had already pointed to a variable aperture lens coming to the larger Pro Max model specifically.

2. A larger battery for the Pro Max, with a thickness tradeoff

According to alleged Chinese regulatory database filings cited by MacRumors, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to receive a battery capacity nearly 10% larger than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. That improvement is reportedly not without cost: tipster Ice Universe has suggested the device could measure roughly 8.8 millimeters in thickness, making it marginally thicker than the 8.75-millimeter iPhone 17 Pro Max and noticeably bulkier than the 8.25-millimeter iPhone 16 Pro Max.

3. Reused manufacturing molds, keeping the front design largely unchanged

Despite months of speculation about a major front-of-device redesign, including rumors of under-display Face ID and a shrinking Dynamic Island, more recent leaks suggest Apple may simply reuse the manufacturing molds introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro series. According to a post from tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, that reused tooling would mean the Dynamic Island remains the same size and shape as the current generation, rather than shrinking or being replaced by a hole-punch camera cutout as some earlier rumors had suggested.

4. Retained 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays with new LTPO+ technology

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to keep the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screen sizes used in the current generation, according to AppleInsider’s tracking of the rumor cycle. However, the displays are reportedly set to adopt new LTPO+ panel technology, a refinement aimed specifically at improving battery efficiency rather than altering screen size or resolution.

5. Satellite-based 5G connectivity

Multiple reports, including from YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser, have pointed to satellite-based 5G support as one of the more significant connectivity upgrades under testing for this year’s iPhone lineup, expanding on Apple’s existing satellite features that have so far focused primarily on emergency messaging and location sharing in areas without traditional cellular coverage.

6. New color options, including a burgundy finish

Leaked imagery circulating among tipsters, including posts referencing under-display Face ID rumors, has also pointed to new color options for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, with a burgundy finish specifically spotted in leaked renders shared on social media, according to reporting compiled by Gulf News.

7. Apple’s next-generation in-house C2 modem — but possibly only outside the U.S.

Apple is widely expected to continue expanding its use of in-house-designed cellular modems, following the initial rollout of its C1 modem chip. According to discussion among device leakers, the newer C2 modem may be reserved for non-U.S. versions of the iPhone 18 Pro models, with U.S. units continuing to rely on Qualcomm modems, though this detail remains unconfirmed by Apple directly.

8. A largely unchanged rear camera plateau, with possible thickening

Most rumors continue to point to a rear camera system that looks nearly identical to the current generation, retaining the raised camera “plateau” housing three lenses arranged in a triangular pattern. However, some recently leaked device dummies have suggested the plateau itself may thicken slightly, with individual lens housings protruding somewhat more than on the iPhone 17 Pro, according to MacRumors’ review of the leaked hardware mockups.

9. A likely price increase of $200 to $300

Industry estimates cited by RollingOut suggest the starting price for iPhone 18 Pro models in the United States could rise by $200 to $300 compared with the iPhone 17 Pro lineup, a significant jump that has generated mixed reaction among longtime Apple followers weighing whether this year’s incremental hardware changes justify the added cost.

10. A shift to a staggered, two-phase annual release cycle

Perhaps the most structurally significant change this year involves Apple’s broader release strategy rather than any single device feature. According to MacRumors, Apple is planning to adopt a two-phase iPhone rollout beginning with the 18 series: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and an all-new foldable device, widely rumored to be called the “iPhone Ultra,” are expected to launch together in September, while the standard iPhone 18, a lower-cost iPhone 18e and a second-generation iPhone Air are expected to follow separately around March 2027, a departure from Apple’s traditional practice of revealing its entire iPhone lineup at a single event each fall.

As with all pre-announcement leaks, these details remain unconfirmed by Apple and subject to change ahead of any official reveal. Apple has not commented publicly on any of the rumored features, and the company is expected to confirm final specifications, pricing and availability only once its September event is formally scheduled and held.