According to rumors compiled by Tom's Guide, Apple's next iPhone launch will skip a standard iPhone 18 model, which is reportedly being pushed to a spring 2027 release alongside a lower-end iPhone 18e. Instead, an anticipated September 9 event would focus solely on the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a new foldable iPhone Ultra.
The Pro and Pro Max are expected to keep familiar 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch OLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, a shared A20 Pro chip, and 12GB of RAM. Design changes should be modest — both sources describe a shift away from the two-tone look, a possibly smaller Dynamic Island (one report cites a 35% reduction), and a continuation of the raised camera plateau. One report notes lingering questions about whether Apple will address durability issues, such as scuffing, seen on last year's aluminum Pro models.
Camera specs largely carry over the triple 48MP setup, but rumors diverge on zoom capability: one report lists a 6x optical zoom for the Pro Max versus 5x on the Pro, while another cites 4x optical zoom for both. Both sources agree that a new variable aperture camera feature may be exclusive to the Pro Max due to space constraints, and that Apple may redesign or reduce the physical Camera Control button on both phones.
Battery figures also vary between reports: one lists the Pro Max at 5,567 mAh and the Pro at 4,288 mAh, while another cites 5,321 mAh for the Pro Max with the same 4,288 mAh for the Pro. Both agree the Pro Max battery increase is more significant than the Pro's, continuing the existing gap in battery life between the two sizes.
The iPhone Ultra is described as a first-of-its-kind folding iPhone, with a 5.4-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch main display, built from titanium with a liquid metal hinge and structural glass frame. It's expected to run a slightly less powerful A20 chip (versus A20 Pro), skip Face ID in favor of a Touch ID power button, and include only two rear cameras (48MP main and ultrawide) without a telephoto lens. Reported battery capacity for the Ultra is around 4,833–4,883 mAh depending on the source.
Pricing is expected to rise across the board due to rising memory and storage costs, sometimes referred to in coverage as 'RAMageddon.' Estimates for the iPhone 18 Pro range from about $1,099–$1,399, and the Pro Max from roughly $1,199–$1,499, though exact figures differ between reports. The iPhone Ultra is expected to start between $2,000 and $2,500, which would make it more expensive than Samsung's $2,099 Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Reports also indicate the Ultra may face limited and staggered availability, starting in the U.S., due to production constraints, while the Pro and Pro Max are expected to follow Apple's typical launch and pre-order schedule in September.