Apple's upcoming fall launch may have iPhones that mirror their predecessors — at least in design. Contrary to some earlier rumours, which hinted at a refreshed front after years of the same look in Apple's Pro models, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are not expected to receive a major design overhaul. This means the overall design may remain largely unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro line.
Apple May Use iPhone 17 Pro Moulds For iPhone 18 Pro Devices
Multiple sources have now negated claims of significant design changes, and another prominent leaker has reinforced this view. According to Digital Chat Station via Weibo, Apple plans to reuse the manufacturing moulds from the previous generation. This essentially means the Dynamic Island will stay essentially the same in both size and shape, crushing hopes for a smaller pill-shaped cutout.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are not expected to receive a design overhaul.
Photo Credit: Digital Chat Station/Weibo
Some earlier reports had speculated that Apple might switch to a hole-punch camera design positioned in the top-left corner for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. This could have been paired with an under-display infrared Face ID sensor and the removal of the Dynamic Island. Still others mentioned an invisible infrared sensor in the upper left, along with a reduced-size Dynamic Island. The leaker writes that such changes have been pushed back to the iPhone 19 Pro generation.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max Expected Upgrades
While design will largely be routine, iPhone 18 Pro models are still expected to bring some improvements. At the heart of both the Pro and Pro Max will likely be the A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, with a novel packaging approach that places the RAM, CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine together on the same wafer — potentially improving performance, power efficiency, and heat management.
The camera is anticipated to get a larger aperture, which should improve low-light photography. Also, a battery exceeding 5,000mAh capacity is speculated for the Pro Max variant only.
Also read: Xiaomi 17 Ultra's Camera Is A Photographer's Bliss
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