Apple will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro on September 9, but rumors have already leaked a lot of what to expect. And there are two standout features that I’m excited to upgrade for.
#1: Major camera improvements
Mark Gurman says iPhone 18 Pro will bring “the biggest leap in camera hardware in a while.”
Apple improves the iPhone camera system every year, so that’s a big claim—and an exciting one.
Leaker Fixed Focus Digital says the Main camera is getting a lot of changes this year, with bulkier components that will increase the thickness of the plateau. Variable aperture is a long-rumored feature that’s expected to be part of the upgrades.
But it’s not just the Main camera getting better. The Telephoto, which improved a lot last year with 4x and 8x zoom options, is set for another upgrade. It reportedly will have a wider aperture, which could make a big difference in low-light settings.
Last year I bought an iPhone Air, which I largely love, but I’ve been missing having the best camera system possible. I can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for iPhone 18 Pro.
#2: A20 Pro chip with big leaps in key areas
Apple’s flagship iPhones always have a new chip, but this year’s A20 Pro is shaping up to be especially noteworthy.
A20 Pro will be built on the same 2-nanometer process used for the M6 that was unveiled this week. And per Apple, the move to 2nm brings with it “a major leap in performance and power efficiency.”
Here’s why that sounds so compelling:
- Performance: iOS 27 has tons of AI features, like Siri AI, that will work best with A20 Pro.
- Efficiency: Battery life is already great, but A20 Pro should make it even better.
Top comment by Publius
And I have a 17 Pro Max, and I don’t anticipate upgrading anytime soon.
Why would I upgrade my phone?
1) Painfully insufficient storage space.
2) Insufficient RAM to use a truly useful feature.
3) Significant degradation of the phone, such that it’s usability was compromised.
Cameras? The main camera has been great for many years. This year I feel the telephoto is sufficiently good that it would be difficult to persuade me to upgrade for camera capability. The battery life is incredible. The processor is plenty fast.
The anticipated changes are all very marginal for a $1,199 (and likely soon to be more expensive) device. My plan is to replace the battery next fall and then reevaluate in 2029, with a second battery replacement the default expectation as of today.
The M6 chip even has a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for double the AI performance. It’s unclear whether A20 Pro will get that upgrade too, but if so that would deliver a big boost for many iOS 27 features.
iPhone 18 Pro will have plenty of other features that factor into my upgrade decision. But cameras and the A20 Pro are my top two motivators right now.
Which iPhone 18 Pro features might push you to upgrade? Let us know in the comments.
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