Apple iPhone 18 Pro with 6 new features
Although the Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are still almost a year away from being released, there are already rumors about a handful of new features and changes for the devices. Below, we’ve summarized some of the rumors so far.
Smaller Dynamic Island
The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and Pro Max will switch to under-display Face ID, but will still retain a (slightly smaller) Dynamic Island. There were conflicting rumors about whether the iPhone 17 Pro models would have a smaller Dynamic Island, but their size didn’t change.
Now, thanks to tipster Instant Digital, the rumor for the iPhone 18 series is back on the table, and there’s a good chance it will come true this time. Under-display Face ID would be a step toward the rumored all-glass iPhone for the 20th anniversary. However, Face ID under the screen is not expected until the Apple iPhone 19 Pro models or even later.
Instant Digital has shared accurate information about future Apple products in the past, such as the iPhone 17 Pro models with vapor chamber cooling system or the yellow versions of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. However, there have already been a few bad attempts.
“Translucent” MagSafe area
Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a similar design to the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to Digital Chat Station, a normally reliable leaker with more than three million followers on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
DCS said the devices will have the same rear camera system design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, with a “plateau” housing three lenses in a triangular arrangement. They also expect the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes used since the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Specifically, the leaker claimed that the Ceramic Shield area on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a “slightly transparent design,” without elaborating. Perhaps this simply means that the Ceramic Shield cutout on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a more matte finish than on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Variable aperture
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro models also feature a significantly improved main camera with a variable aperture, as reported by the Korean website ETNews.
A variable aperture allows the camera to adjust the amount of light reaching the sensor. This means the aperture can be opened in dark environments to receive more light, while it can be closed in bright environments to avoid overexposure. It is also intended to give the user greater control over depth of field, i.e., how sharp a foreground subject appears compared to the background.
Apple is now moving forward with its plans to integrate the technology into the next generation of iPhones and is currently in discussions with potential suppliers about the components. The variable camera will reportedly be manufactured by LG Innotech and Foxconn, while the actuator will be manufactured by Chinese companies Luxshare ICT and Sunny Optical.
Apple has never used a variable aperture on an iPhone camera before. The main cameras of all models from the iPhone 14 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro have a fixed aperture of f/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and films at this aperture.
Samsung Electronics already introduced a variable aperture camera in its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 models in 2018 and 2019, but dropped this feature in 2020 due to the larger size and high price. The report confirms a rumor from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from December last year.
Other iPhone 18 Pro rumors
- A20 Pro chipset on TSMC’s latest 2nm process for significant year-over-year performance improvements
- Apple C2 modem with mmWave 5G support in the US
- Redesigned camera button with emphasis on pressure-sensitive controls instead of swipe gestures
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to be unveiled in fall 2026, along with the iPhone Air 2 and the first foldable Apple iPhone Fold.
