CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – Apple has announced the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, featuring a camera with adjustable aperture, extended battery life, and the latest A20 Pro chip. These flagship devices also introduce enhanced manual camera controls and a redesigned Dynamic Island. Both models operate on iOS 27 and support Siri AI via Apple Intelligence. Preorders will commence on September 12, with shipments beginning September 18 in over 65 countries and regions.
The 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera now provides users with four different aperture options. Six laser-cut blades regulate the lens opening, allowing control over depth of field and light intake. Users can also modify shutter speed and white balance directly within the Camera app. The new Pro controls feature a histogram to monitor exposure levels. Video capabilities include Cinematic effects at up to 60 frames per second after recording, and time-lapse recording now supports 4K resolution with Dolby Vision HDR.
The camera system also introduces Reference Image, which captures signed sensor data when users activate Reference mode. Private Cloud Compute then processes this data into a reference image for comparison within the Photos app. This function aims to help users determine if an image has changed since capture. Support for SynthID will be added through a software update later this year. Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, stated that the new lineup enhances camera capabilities, performance, battery life, and intelligence.
Enhanced manual control features in the new camera system
The A20 Pro chip employs a 2-nanometer manufacturing process and comprises a six-core CPU paired with a seven-core GPU. It also includes a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, totaling 32 cores. Apple claims the GPU achieves up to 40% faster performance than the A19 Pro. A redesigned vapor chamber increases the cooling surface area, and the updated thermal system, combined with new chip packaging, sustains higher performance during intensive tasks.
Battery life improves across both Pro models, with the most significant gains seen in eSIM-only variants. The iPhone 18 Pro offers up to 36 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max extends that to 45 hours. Fast wired charging can reach 50% in approximately 15 minutes. eSIM-only models will launch in countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, as well as several other nations outside the Middle East.
Siri AI enhances Apple Intelligence features on iOS 27
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max come with iOS 27, enabling access to the latest Apple Intelligence functionalities. Siri AI enters beta on September 14 for supported devices set to English. Support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish is scheduled for October. Siri AI can draw information from messages, emails, and photos when users request it. It can also respond to content displayed on the screen and assist with tasks via the Camera app.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the United States, with the Pro Max beginning at $1,299. Customers can select from storage options of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB. Available finishes include black, silver, glacier, and burgundy. Orders will open at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on September 12. Sales begin on September 18 in the initial wave of markets, with an additional 20 countries and regions receiving the iPhone 18 Pro lineup from September 25.