Apple launches iPhone 18 Pro with upgraded camera

Apple launched its latest Pro phones, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, at its fall “Surprise and Shine” event. The design carries over from last year’s model, but the upgraded cameras are the headline feature.

The new Pro camera system uses a 48-megapixel sensor with a variable aperture built from six thin blades, which should improve low-light photo quality and speed. The camera software gains new pro controls — white balance, shutter speed, aperture, and histogram — plus new photographic styles with texture and grain controls that echo the “looks” feature on the Pixel 11 series for a more retro effect. The camera can also record 4K video in Dolby HDR Vision and apply cinematic effects after shooting.

Both phones get a smaller dynamic island on the front, now able to track three live activities instead of two, and are powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip alongside a redesigned vapor chamber for better cooling and an improved battery. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro supports 36 hours of video playback, and the 18 Pro Max reaches 45 hours. Apple also debuted a new burgundy color, replacing last year’s orange.

Apple showed off a new Siri with contextual on-screen intelligence; the new Siri will support English in beta at launch alongside the iOS 27 rollout this month, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish support arriving in October. The new devices also get an iPhone handoff feature with iOS 27 that lets a user run two iPhones on one eSIM and switch between them.

The iPhone 18 Pro costs $1,199, and the 18 Pro Max costs $1,299 — $100 more than last year’s models. Preorders open Saturday, with devices available September 18.

Why it matters

Apple is betting the camera, not a redesign, is what will justify a $100 price increase — a signal that photography and on-device AI, not new hardware form factors, are where it sees the next upgrade cycle.