While the iPhone Duo is deservedly taking all the spotlight, Apple has also announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and for the first time ever, the non-Pro models are absent in the annual September keynote. Consider the new Pro line a refresh despite upping the model number by one, with new variable aperture camera, A20 Pro chipset, and improved battery being what’s new.
iPhone 18 Pro Series: Highlights
Variable Aperture Camera, Pro Controls & Apple Reference Image
The new 48MP Fusion Main camera introduces variable aperture to iPhone for the first time, using six laser-cut blades that adjust automatically for depth of field and lighting conditions; four steps are available, from f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, to f/4.0. It is paired with a new sensor that once again improve low-light performance, and in a new Pro mode feature (which we’ll discuss in a bit), pro users can manually adjust between four aperture settings within the Camera app, and Apple said an API will be made available for developers to access the aperture range within their own apps.
A new computational imaging pipeline is also included as part of the upgrade, aimed at producing sharper images, alongside upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls to give it a more classic “original iPhone” look (which has been the trend as of late). Video capabilities have been expanded as well, with the ability to apply Cinematic effects after recording at up to 60 fps, 4K Dolby Vision HDR support in Time-lapse mode, and updated Audio Mix algorithms to improve voice clarity and isolate music tracks.
One glaring omission in the camera app of the past (even in the iPhone 17 Pro which I have tested as an Android user) is the lack of a dedicated Pro mode, and Apple has finally addressed it this time around: it’s called Pro controls, and it offers a customizable interface that allows users to adjust settings such as aperture, shutter speed and white balance, along with a histogram tool for checking exposure.
Additionally, Apple introduced a new featured called Apple Reference Image, which uses the main camera’s new sensor to sign captured sensor data, then send the raw data to Private Cloud Compute to processes into a reference image that users can compare against edited versions in the Photos app. Apple said this, along with image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard, is intended to help verify whether an image has been altered or AI-generated.
Apple A20 Pro Chipset Runs The Show
Both models are powered by the Apple A20 Pro chipset, built on TSMC’s 2-nanometer (N2) process and featuring 50% more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro. The chip includes a 6-core CPU with integrated Neural Accelerators, a 7-core GPU said to be up to 40% faster than its predecessor, and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine intended to double AI processing capacity. A redesigned vapor chamber, three times larger in surface area than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro, is paired with new chip packaging to support sustained performance gains of up to 40%.
Battery life has also been extended, with the iPhone 18 Pro offering up to 34 hours of video playback and the iPhone 18 Pro Max offering up to 43 hours. The iPhone 18 Pro supports wired charging up to 50% in around 15 minutes, or wireless charging to the same level in 30 minutes. Connectivity upgrades include Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, along with the new C2 cellular modem chip, which Apple said offers faster uploads and 15% lower energy consumption compared with the previous C1X modem.
Same Design, New Colors
With this new lineup largely being iterative, Apple has shuffled its color options to introduce three new colors for a total of four color options: Black, Silver (the only one carried over from iPhone 17 Pro range), Glacier, and Burgundy. Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue is no more, so you’ll have to stick to 17 if you want that attention-grabbing shade of orange or the not-quite-black shade of blue.
The chassis is otherwise completely unchanged, meaning the same camera bump (or “plateau” in Cupertino speak), same screen size, same thickness, same materials, and mostly the same cameras (aside from the one with variable aperture). It is slightly heavier in the new model, reaching a rather hefty 249g for the Pro Max model despite unchanged dimensions. Oh, small detail – the dynamic island has shrunk by a little bit too, which is now 35% narrower than before.
Pricing & Availability
In Malaysia, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at RM5,499, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at RM5,999, both available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options (up to RM11,999 for the top spec) across all four finishes. Apple is offering 0% interest instalment payments for up to 24 months, and customers trading in an iPhone 13 or later can receive between RM700 and RM5,250 in credit through Apple Trade In. Pre-orders open in more than 65 countries and regions, including Malaysia, at 5:00am PT (8:00pm MYT) on Saturday, 12 September, with availability beginning Friday, 18 September.
Pokdepinion: Am I correct in saying variable aperture is making a comeback now that Apple has done it?
