Apple Launches iPhone 18 Pro With 48MP Variable-Aperture Camera

Apple has launched the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, introducing a major camera upgrade, its new A20 Pro chip and longer battery life while keeping the overall design largely unchanged.

The headline camera feature is a 48-megapixel sensor with a variable aperture built around six thin blades. Apple is also adding manual-style camera controls for white balance, shutter speed and aperture, along with a histogram and new photographic styles that include texture and grain adjustments.

Camera and video upgrades lead the changes

The iPhone 18 Pro series can record 4K video in Dolby Vision HDR and apply cinematic effects after capture.

Apple has also reduced the size of the Dynamic Island on the front of the devices. The smaller design allows users to track three Live Activities at once instead of two.

Both Pro models run on Apple’s A20 Pro silicon and include a redesigned vapour chamber to improve cooling. Apple also updated the internal battery design.

The company says the iPhone 18 Pro can provide up to 36 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches up to 45 hours.

Siri AI arrives with iOS 27

Apple also demonstrated an upgraded Siri with contextual on-screen intelligence. The new Siri AI will launch in beta with English support as part of the iOS 27 rollout this month.

French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support is scheduled to arrive in October.

iOS 27 will also introduce an iPhone handoff feature that lets users operate two iPhones with one eSIM and switch between devices.

Pricing increases by $100

Apple is introducing a new burgundy finish for the Pro lineup, replacing the orange colour offered with the previous generation.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both models are priced $100 higher than their predecessors.

Preorders open Saturday, with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max scheduled to become available Sept. 18.