New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Apple on Wednesday unveiled its latest flagship smartphones, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, at its fall “Surprise and Shine” event, with major upgrades focused on camera capabilities, performance, battery life and artificial intelligence.
While the overall design of the new Pro models remains largely unchanged from the previous generation, Apple has significantly upgraded the camera system. The iPhone 18 Pro series features a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture mechanism built using six thin blades.
Apple has also introduced new professional controls within the Camera app, giving users greater control over white balance, shutter speed, aperture and histogram settings.
On the video front, the new Pro models can record 4K footage in Dolby HDR Vision. Users will also be able to apply cinematic effects to recorded footage after shooting, giving them greater flexibility during the editing process.
Apple has made changes to the front of the devices as well. The new Pro models feature a smaller Dynamic Island, which can now display up to three Live Activities simultaneously, allowing users to monitor more information without leaving the current screen.
Under the hood, both smartphones are powered by Apple's latest A20 Pro chip and feature a redesigned vapor chamber aimed at improving heat management during demanding tasks. Apple has also redesigned the battery system to improve endurance. The company claims the iPhone 18 Pro can deliver up to 36 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max offers up to 45 hours.
Artificial intelligence was another major focus of the launch. Apple demonstrated its new Siri AI with contextual on-screen intelligence, allowing the assistant to better understand information and actions displayed on the user's screen.
With iOS 27, Apple is also introducing an iPhone handoff feature that allows users to use two iPhones with a single eSIM and switch between the devices.
The iPhone 18 Pro series also gets a new burgundy colour option, replacing the orange finish offered with the previous generation.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, representing a $100 increase over last year's models. Pre-orders will begin Saturday, with both devices scheduled to go on sale on September 18.
