Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September 2026, bringing a physical variable aperture lens and a 27% faster A20 Pro chip. Starting at £1,199 or $1,199, the new flagships face a crowded market of competitors amid rising hardware and memory costs.
Pricing and Availability Across Global Markets
Apple released the iPhone 18 Pro alongside the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the folding iPhone Duo in September 2026. The devices arrived carrying a £100 or equivalent price increase over previous generations, driven in part by ongoing component and flash memory scarcity.
The base iPhone 18 Pro starts from £1,199 (€1,449/$1,199/A$2,099), while the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at £1,299. Storage capacities range from 256GB up to 2TB, with high-end configurations for the Pro reaching $2,399.
A20 Pro Chip Boosts CPU and GPU Performance
Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro series runs on Apple’s A20 Pro chip.
Benchmark performance shows the Apple A20 Pro achieving roughly 30% higher CPU scores and a 30%+ GPU boost over the A19 Pro.
Main Camera Adds Physical Variable Aperture
The rear camera arrangement consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor. Reviewers note that Apple has always done a good job at ensuring colours are similar when you’re at 0.5x or 8x.
The primary addition is a physical variable aperture on the main camera. While the previous generation maxed out at f/1.78, the new system opens fully to f/1.48 and can be adjusted through settings including f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4. Users can manually select their preferred aperture or leave the system on Auto.
For selfies, the front-facing camera features an 18-megapixel Center Stage sensor.
Pro Models Support Faster MagSafe Wireless Charging
Battery performance sees a notable bump across both Pro models.
For wireless charging, both the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 17 Pro Max support fast wireless charging up to 25W via MagSafe when using a compatible Qi2 charger and a 35W+ power adapter, hitting about 50% charge in half an hour.
Super Retina XDR Displays Face High-End Competition
The Super Retina XDR displays span 6.9 inches (2868 x 1320 resolution) with a refresh rate of 120Hz.
Available colour options for buyers include Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy. Competitors in the high-end smartphone market include the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Google Pixel 11 Pro, and foldable alternatives such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra.
