Six Sleeps Until iPhone 18 Pro: Here's What We Know

Thursday September 3, 2026 7:25 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick

We are just six sleeps away from Apple's unveiling of its new-generation iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, not forgetting its first foldable iPhone.

Apple is expected to introduce the devices at its annual iPhone fall event, which is this year carrying the tagline "Surprise and shine." The event takes place on Wednesday, September 9. To help you get some shuteye in the meantime, here's a rundown of the features we're expecting from Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models.

• Overall Design: The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to stick to the overall iPhone 17 Pro design, but they could feature a more seamless rear casing with less contrast between the glass and aluminum frame.
• Battery Life: The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to feature a larger 5,100–5,200 mAh battery and a slightly thicker, heavier design as a result.
• Smaller Dynamic Island: Apple is expected to shrink the Dynamic Island, made possible by moving some Face ID components beneath the display.
• Upgraded Display: The iPhone 18 Pro models are said to use a more power-efficient LTPO+ display, supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display.
• A20 Pro Chip: Apple's next-generation chip will use TSMC's advanced 2nm process, including Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, which should bring improvements to performance and power efficiency.
• C2 Modem: Apple's next-generation in-house cellular modem could feature in the Pro models, offering faster speeds, and improved efficiency. However, it's possible the C2 still lacks mmWave capability, and that the devices will use a Qualcomm modem in the United States and Apple's C2 modem in other parts of the world.
• New Camera Sensor: Samsung is believed to have developed a new three-layer stacked image sensor for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup that improves responsiveness, noise, and dynamic range.
• Variable Aperture: The 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models is expected to gain a variable aperture for greater control over light and depth of field.
• 5G Satellite Internet: The iPhone 18 Pro models could support full 5G connectivity via satellite, which would be quite an expansion of Apple's existing satellite-based emergency features.
• Simplified Camera Control: Apple is said to have redesigned the Camera Control button to use pressure sensing without a separate capacitive layer, simply to reduce complexity and cost.
• New Colors: Apple has reportedly tested several new finishes, but we're betting on these three: Light Blue, Dark Cherry, and Silver. We no longer expect a Black option.
• iOS 27: The iPhone 18 Pro will ship with iOS 27 and its overhauled Siri AI experience, which includes onscreen awareness, personal context, web knowledge, and expanded Apple Intelligence features.

Apple has held its fall event in the first two weeks of September in each of the last several years, with new iPhones typically going on sale the following Friday. It has been rumored that iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders will begin on Saturday, September 12 at 12 a.m. Pacific Time this year.

Note that Apple isn't going to release a standard iPhone 18 in September 2026. The lineup will focus on its latest premium iPhones. The ‌iPhone 18‌, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will come out in spring 2027 instead. For everything we know about the foldable "iPhone Ultra," be sure to check out our dedicated roundup.