While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already several early rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors.
Under-Screen Face ID
In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said he heard this change had been delayed until 2026. If so, that means that under-screen Face ID could debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year.
As a result of the under-screen Face ID, Young believes that the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a smaller Dynamic Island.
In May, The Information also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would likely be equipped with under-screen Face ID.
Variable Aperture
The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
With variable aperture, users would be able to control the amount of light that passes through the camera’s lens and reaches the sensor. The main cameras on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, users would be able to manually change the aperture, according to this rumor.
A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. However, given that iPhones have smaller image sensors due to size constraints, it is unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement would be.
Samsung Image Sensor
Samsung is developing a new three-layer stacked image sensor that Apple is expected to use for at least one camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to DigiTimes. This advanced image sensor would make the camera more responsive, and offer other benefits like reduced noise in photos, increased dynamic range, and more.
In July 2024, Kuo said he expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be released.
Just this week, the Financial Times said Samsung will manufacture the image sensors in Texas.
Currently, all iPhone image sensors are supplied by Sony.
Other Rumors
iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to have an A20 Pro chip (2nm) and Apple’s custom C2 modem.
