The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch at an Apple event on September 9, 2026 featuring several cutting-edge hardware advancements, including the debut of Apple’s C2 modem, and a shift to a 2nm manufacturing process for the A20 Pro chip.
Other key rumored upgrades include a smaller Dynamic Island with under-display Face ID components and camera improvements that may include variable aperture on the Pro Max and enhanced sensors.
Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Apple is said to be planning to launch the ultra-premium folding iPhone. However, in a change to the usual schedule, the company is expected to shift the launch of the iPhone 18 spring 2027 to keep the spotlight on the Pro series during its traditional September debut. Here’s a quick summary of what all the rumors and leaks say to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in 2026.
Apple has confirmed that it will hold an event on Wednesday September 9, 2026 and it is highly likely that new iPhones will launch at that event.
However, multiple reports suggest Apple could significantly change its release strategy that year. Rather than launching the entire iPhone 18 lineup at once, Apple is reportedly planning to release only its premium models in September 2026: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a new foldable iPhone are widely expected to headline the event.
According to these reports, the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e and a second generation iPhone Air will follow in spring 2027. If accurate, this would mark the biggest change to Apple’s iPhone launch schedule since the lineup expanded beyond a single annual release.
A staggered rollout would allow Apple to focus attention on its highest-end devices during the holiday shopping season while giving the company a second major iPhone launch window in the first half of 2027. It would also mean that every new iPhone introduced in September 2026 would likely start at $999 or more.
As always, Apple has not confirmed these plans, and the release schedule could change before launch.
During Apple’s Q3 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that “the impact from the supply constraints (will) increase significantly.” That means supplies of new products, such as the iPhone 18 Pro, could be severely limited at launch. It may take longer than usual for orders to be fulfilled.
The design of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is said to resemble the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, but some changes are predicted.
One possible change, shared by a Weibo leaker in September 2025, is a “slightly transparent” ceramic shield section on the back of Pro models. This glass/Ceramic Shield area around MagSafe is now rumored to become more frosted and visually seamless.
Macworld contributor Filipe Esposito reported that a trusted source had revealed one of the new colorways for the iPhone 18 Pro to be Dark Cherry, replacing the iPhone 17 Pro’s Cosmic Orange option.
Recent rumors claimed that the new phones will be significantly thicker than previous models, but all the evidence we have seen says that’s not the case. Instead, we expect the body to have about the same thickness as the iPhone 17 Pro/Max but with a thicker camera bump area.
Another report suggests that the Camera Control on the side of the iPhone will be pressure sensing instead of a touch-sensing layer. This redesign is said to be aimed at reducing the cost and complexity.
A recent ransomware attack against an Apple parts supplier included images from an iPhone 18 Pro “drop test” and other parts, and they corroborate prior rumors about the overall shape and design of the phone, which is broadly the same as the iPhone 17 Pro.
