iPhone 18 Pro launch next month, full specs leak: How it compares with iPhone 17 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro is rumoured to launch next month with a faster A20 Pro chip, variable-aperture camera and possible battery improvements. Here's how the leaked specs compare with the iPhone 17 Pro.

In Short

• iPhone 18 Pro may get a 2nm A20 Pro chip and 12GB RAM
• Variable-aperture 48MP main camera could be the biggest upgrade
• Price could rise to $1,300, up from $1,100 for the iPhone 17 Pro

Apple’s next iPhone Pro model could be only weeks away, and leaked specifications are giving us a good idea of what the iPhone 18 Pro may bring to the table. Apple is widely rumoured to announce its new iPhone lineup on September 9. While the company has not confirmed the launch date or the specifications, we have compiled all the 18 Pro leaks to give you a detailed comparison between the upcoming iPhone and last year’s iPhone 17 Pro version.

The leaked details suggest that Apple is not planning a major visual overhaul this year. Instead, the iPhone 18 Pro could focus on the areas users may notice in everyday use — performance, cameras, connectivity and battery efficiency. There is also one major catch that the Pro model is expected to cost significantly more. Here is everything the leaks suggest about the iPhone 18 Pro and how it could differ from the iPhone 17 Pro.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: Design

If you were expecting Apple to completely redesign the Pro iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro may disappoint. The phone is expected to retain the 6.3-inch form factor and the large camera plateau introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple is also tipped to continue using an aluminium frame, which replaced titanium on the previous generation.

There could be small changes to thickness and new colour options, with Deep Red reportedly among the four colours planned for the iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro, in comparison, launched with three colours, including Cosmic Orange.

One potentially noticeable change could be around the front. Apple may reduce the size of the Face ID hardware, resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island. However, leaks remain divided on whether the company will be able to make that change in time.

The Camera Control button could also become simpler. According to the leaks, Apple may remove its gesture functionality, including swipe-based controls for zoom and other camera settings.

Same 6.3-inch display, but possibly a better panel

The display size is expected to remain unchanged at 6.3 inches. The iPhone 18 Pro should continue to offer an OLED panel with ProMotion and refresh rates of up to 120Hz. There is speculation that Apple could use a newer display panel capable of delivering higher peak brightness. However, that detail has not been confirmed.

The more interesting display-related change could again be the smaller Face ID module. If Apple manages to shrink the hardware, the Dynamic Island would occupy less space while watching videos or playing games.

A20 Pro could be biggest performance upgrade

Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to make a much bigger jump than its exterior suggests. The phone is tipped to run on Apple's A20 Pro chip, reportedly manufactured using TSMC's 2nm process. The iPhone 17 Pro uses the A19 Pro chip based on a 3nm process.

The move to a smaller manufacturing process could bring both higher performance and improved efficiency. Current leaks point to a possible 15-25 per cent increase in CPU performance, although real-world gains will only be known once the phone is released.

The iPhone 18 Pro is also expected to have 12GB of RAM, compared with 8GB on the iPhone 17 Pro. Storage could continue to start at 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB and potentially 2TB options.

The phone should launch with iOS 27, although much of the new software will also be available on older compatible iPhones.

Camera upgrade could be more important than megapixel count

The iPhone 18 Pro is not expected to add another camera. Instead, Apple could change how its main camera works. The leaked specifications point to a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture, potentially ranging from f/1.4 to f/4.0. The iPhone 17 Pro has a fixed f/1.78 aperture.

That sounds technical, but it could make a meaningful difference to photography. A wider aperture can allow more light into the sensor and create stronger background blur for portraits. A narrower aperture can help increase depth of field and potentially produce sharper-looking images in scenes such as landscapes.

The ultra-wide and telephoto cameras are expected to remain broadly similar. The phone could retain a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 48-megapixel 4x telephoto camera. The front camera is also expected to remain an 18-megapixel unit.

Interestingly, earlier speculation suggested Apple could use a 200-megapixel Samsung-made stacked sensor for the main camera. More recent information suggests that this may not happen with the iPhone 18 Pro.

Battery may get a small boost

Battery capacity could increase slightly on the iPhone 18 Pro. Certification information reportedly points to a 4,056mAh battery in the global model with a physical SIM slot and a 4,288mAh battery in the US eSIM-only version. The corresponding capacities tipped for the iPhone 17 Pro are 3,988mAh and 4,252mAh.

That is not a dramatic increase, so Apple's A20 Pro efficiency improvements and iOS 27 optimisation could be more important for actual battery life. Charging speeds, meanwhile, are expected to stay at 40W wired and 25W wireless charging.

Apple could change the modem strategy

Connectivity is another area where the iPhone 18 Pro could differ from its predecessor. Apple is reportedly preparing its own C2 modem for some markets, while modem configurations could vary by region. The US version is expected to retain a Qualcomm modem because of its support for mmWave 5G.

The iPhone 18 Pro is also tipped to offer 5G satellite internet capabilities, which would be a major step beyond the satellite connectivity currently used primarily for emergency features.

The biggest problem may be the price

For all the hardware changes, the biggest talking point around the iPhone 18 Pro could end up being its price. The leaked specifications point to a starting price of around $1,300, compared with $1,100 for the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has reportedly been dealing with rising memory costs, and the higher component prices could eventually be passed on to buyers.

That would make the iPhone 18 Pro a much harder upgrade to justify for existing iPhone 17 Pro owners.

Should you upgrade from the iPhone 17 Pro?

On paper, the iPhone 18 Pro looks more like an evolution than a revolution. The A20 Pro chip, additional RAM, variable-aperture camera and potentially better battery efficiency are meaningful improvements. A smaller Face ID system and new connectivity features could also make the phone more appealing.

But the basic experience appears likely to remain familiar: the same 6.3-inch size, similar design, three-camera setup and identical charging speeds. For someone using an iPhone 17 Pro, there may not be an urgent reason to upgrade unless the camera improvements or performance gains are particularly important.

There is another reason some buyers may want to wait. Apple is expected to make a much bigger push with the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, when a significant redesign is rumoured. So while the iPhone 18 Pro could still be Apple's most powerful Pro iPhone yet, the leaked specifications suggest that this year's upgrade may be about refinement rather than reinvention.

What to keep in mind?

Apple has not confirmed these specifications. The iPhone 18 Pro details above are based on leaks and reports available ahead of the expected September launch, and final specifications may differ.

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