Apple Announces the iPhone 18 Pro

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro at its surprise and shiny September event. While the iPhone 17 Pro Max introduced a new design with an improved camera shelf and a vapor chamber last year, the iPhone 18 Pro largely retains the same appearance. Instead, Apple is emphasizing enhanced specifications.

The iPhone 18 Pro now comes equipped with the new Apple A20 Pro processor, built on 2nm technology. Apple claims this processor offers 40% faster gaming performance compared to last year's model. The phone also includes a second neural engine, effectively doubling its AI workload performance. During the announcement, Apple highlighted Siri's capabilities, demonstrating tasks such as email composition, system dictation, and camera integration.

This allows users to ask questions about their surroundings or extract event details from flyers and add them to their calendar.

The iPhone 18 Pro features an improved vapor chamber for better thermal management. The device's battery is expected to match that of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, providing around 36 hours of video playback. However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is projected to reach up to 45 hours. Apple asserts that a 5-minute charge will provide 6 hours of video playback.

When it comes to the camera, the iPhone 18 Pro introduces a new 48MP main camera with a physical shutter. This allows for manual adjustment of the aperture beyond what's possible through software effects, making it particularly well-suited for low-light photography. While this camera improvement may not be the most exciting feature, it does represent a significant technological advancement.

However, the iPhone 18 Pro does come with a higher price tag, starting at $1,199, compared to $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at $1,299.

Despite the higher price, Apple has managed to avoid raising prices on the existing iPhone 17 Pro throughout the ongoing RAM crisis, suggesting that the company was waiting for this new model. While the $100 price jump from the previous model may seem significant, it is less extreme than some other devices, indicating that Apple might be absorbing some of the cost of RAM for now. Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro will commence on September 12, with the device available in stores on September 18.