iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max: New chip and improved camera
For the first time, Apple is using a 2-nanometer process for the A20 Pro processor.
(Image: Apple)
At its special event, Apple introduced successors for some of its smartphones. While the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air will remain in the portfolio unchanged for the time being, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are being replaced. You can find news about the new iPhone duo here.
New A20 Pro with an additional GPU core
The further development for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max is primarily under the hood. First and foremost is the A20 Pro processor, which TSMC manufactures using the new 2-nanometer technology. Like the A19 Pro, it has two performance cores – now called Super Cores – and four efficiency cores, plus a raytracing-capable GPU with seven instead of six cores. The latter again contain their own AI units. The separate Neural Engine now has 2x16 cores and is, according to Apple, faster at calculating local AI tasks. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max support proprietary on-device AI models. Memory bandwidth is said to have increased by 50 percent. The battery is said to last 34 and 43 hours (Pro/Pro Max) respectively for video playback. Fast charging has also been improved: with the appropriate power adapter, the charge level should reach 50 percent in 15 minutes. Previously, it was 30 minutes.
iPhone 18 Pro und 18 Pro Max (17 Bilder)
Apple
)Camera with variable aperture
The biggest innovation in the rear main camera is a variable aperture. Unlike the fixed aperture of previous iPhones, the camera can mechanically regulate the amount of incoming light. This improves exposure in low light. It also allows for more control over background blur, which (e.g., in portrait shots with bokeh) no longer needs to be calculated. Apple uses laser-cut lamellae and special lenses to ensure all aperture ranges are sharp. For ultra-wide angle and telephoto, the aperture remains fixed.
“Apple Reference Image” in photos from iPhone 18 Pro/Max is intended to allow the image to be recognized as an original that has not been edited by AI. The main camera sensor signs photo data at the pixel level. With a kind of digital negative in iCloud, the photographer can prove the authenticity at any time. Apple supports the SynthID standard.
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New colors
Externally, little has changed with the Pro models. The iPhone with a 6.3-inch display still measures 15.0 by 7.19 centimeters, with a thickness (without camera bump) of 8.75 millimeters. For the Max with a 6.9-inch display, it remains 16.34 by 7.80 centimeters and also 8.75 millimeters thick. Instead of Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue, there are now Burgundy, Glacier, and Black – Silver remains.
The cutouts for the front camera and sensors in the display have become smaller. The oval Dynamic Island can therefore occupy less pixel width. It can now display up to three live activities.
Apple has also updated the chip for mobile communications. The manufacturer is using the C2 chip, primarily developed in Munich, which requires less power and offers broader 5G support. In Europe, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max will retain their slot for classic nano-SIM cards.
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Increased prices
As predicted for a long time (as has long since happened for all other product categories with storage at Apple), prices for iPhones are now increasing. While the base variants of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max with 256 GB of flash previously cost 1299 and 1449 Euros, the prices for their successors are now 1449 and 1599 Euros. Doubling the storage to 512 GB still costs an additional 250 Euros; quadrupling from 256 GB to 1 TB used to cost 500 Euros, and will now cost 750 Euros. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max can be pre-ordered starting Saturday, September 11th, and will be delivered from September 18th. Mac & i will publish a review of the new models in the next issue and online beforehand.
The cheapest offers for the previous models in the heise price comparison:
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