The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to arrive in September with a string of changes that could make them among Apple’s most significant iPhone upgrades in recent years.

Based on the latest leaks, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could be unveiled within weeks. While their overall appearance is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is widely expected to introduce substantial changes to the internal hardware, along with several design refinements.

Here are 12 upgrades rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Smaller Dynamic Island

One of the most immediately noticeable changes could come at the top of the display. Apple is reportedly working to move the Face ID flood illuminator beneath the screen.

If successful, the change could significantly shrink the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro. It would mark another step in Apple’s efforts to reduce the space occupied by Face ID components, increasing usable screen area without changing the display’s overall dimensions.

More power-efficient LTPO+ display

The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to retain much of its predecessor’s overall design, with a 6.3-inch display on the Pro and a 6.9-inch panel on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The triple rear cameras are also expected to remain within the familiar plateau-style camera area.

The new displays, however, are rumored to use LTPO+ technology. The technology is expected to improve energy efficiency, reducing power consumption and potentially extending battery life.

That could be particularly important as Apple increasingly seeks to optimize energy consumption across the display, processor and connectivity hardware.

48MP main camera with variable aperture

One of the most notable potential camera upgrades is a variable aperture for the 48MP Fusion main camera on at least one iPhone 18 Pro model.

A variable aperture allows users to control how much light passes through the lens to the sensor. Beyond helping the camera adapt to different lighting conditions, it can also offer greater control over depth of field.

How much difference this will make in practice remains uncertain. Smartphone image sensors are significantly smaller than those in dedicated cameras, meaning the benefits of a variable aperture may not be equally noticeable in every shooting situation.

2nm A20 Pro chip promises a major leap

The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to run on the next-generation A20 Pro processor, reportedly built using TSMC’s first-generation 2nm manufacturing process. The current A19 Pro, by comparison, is based on a 3nm process.

The shift to a 2nm architecture, combined with a new chip-packaging design, is expected to deliver meaningful gains in both performance and energy efficiency.

It could become one of the most important upgrades in the iPhone 18 Pro, particularly as on-device AI workloads demand increasingly powerful processing capabilities.

C2 modem

After introducing its custom C1 modem with the iPhone 16e, Apple continued the development with the C1X in the iPhone Air. Apple has said the C1X is twice as fast as the C1 and is the most power-efficient modem ever used in an iPhone.

With the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple is reportedly preparing to move to its third-generation C2 modem. The chip could bring further improvements in connection speeds, power efficiency and mobile network stability.

Satellite 5G connectivity

More significantly, the C2 is rumored to pave the way for 5G connectivity via satellite, potentially allowing the iPhone 18 Pro to access the internet in areas without conventional Wi-Fi or cellular coverage.

If the technology arrives as rumored, it could represent a substantial step forward for connectivity in remote areas.

N2 chip

Alongside the C2 modem, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature Apple’s next-generation N2 chip. The iPhone 17 models and iPhone Air currently use the Apple-designed N1, which supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread while improving the reliability of Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

Apple has yet to reveal what specific improvements the N2 might deliver, but the chip is likely to further enhance the iPhone’s wireless connectivity.

Dark Cherry color

On the design front, Dark Cherry is rumored to be a signature color option for the iPhone 18 Pro, alongside Light Blue, Dark Gray and Silver.

Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue, meanwhile, could disappear from the new lineup.

Redesigned Camera Control button

Apple is also reportedly planning to simplify the Camera Control button by removing touch sensitivity and haptic feedback.

The redesigned version would rely solely on pressure sensing, reducing the complexity of the button’s construction.

Redesigned rear panel

The Ceramic Shield area on the back of the phone, which houses MagSafe, could also receive a redesign.

Leaks suggest Apple may opt for a more seamless matte finish, moving away from the current two-tone appearance.

Larger battery

The iPhone 18 Pro Max in particular could receive a significant internal change. According to documents reportedly found in a Chinese regulatory database, the device may feature a battery almost 10% larger than the one inside the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

A larger battery could provide another boost to endurance, especially when combined with the expected efficiency gains from the 2nm processor and LTPO+ display.

Thicker body

The trade-off may be a thicker handset. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to be thicker than both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro.

The added thickness could be directly related to the larger battery as well as new hardware components inside the device.

With upgrades reportedly ranging from a 2nm processor and C2 modem to satellite connectivity, a variable-aperture camera and LTPO+ display, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are shaping up to be among Apple’s most substantially upgraded iPhones in recent years.

For now, however, most of these details remain based on leaks and industry predictions. The full picture will only become clear when Apple officially unveils its new devices.

Hai Phong