Apple has scheduled a 'surprise and shine' event for September 9, where it is expected to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro family and its first foldable, the iPhone Ultra. The standard iPhone 18 has reportedly been delayed until 2027. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to see a $100 price increase, which would put the 256GB model at $1,299, rising to $1,499 for 512GB, $1,699 for 1TB, and $2,099 for 2TB.
Design-wise, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, keeping a 6.9-inch OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion. Reported changes include a body about 0.25mm thicker and seven grams heavier to accommodate a larger battery, along with a Dynamic Island that could shrink by around 35%. An under-display Face ID system is not expected this generation, reportedly being saved for a future 10th-anniversary iPhone.
Performance is expected to jump with the new A20 Pro chip, rumored to use a 2nm manufacturing process that could deliver an 18% speed increase and 30% better power efficiency compared to the A19 Pro. The phone may also debut Apple's C2 modem, the company's first in-house modem used in a flagship iPhone, following the earlier C1 and C1X modems. Battery capacity is expected to grow substantially, with reports citing figures between 5,321 mAh and 5,567 mAh depending on SIM configuration, up from 5,088 mAh (eSIM) in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which lasted 17 hours and 54 minutes in Tom's Guide testing.
On cameras, leaks suggest the same 48MP triple-camera setup (main, ultrawide, telephoto) as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, though the telephoto lens may gain 5x/6x optical zoom versus 5x previously. The standout addition is a variable aperture on the main camera, a first for iPhone, allowing photographers to manually adjust light intake rather than rely on fixed presets.
Compared to Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra, which starts at the same $1,299 price and also has a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to have a larger battery (5,567 mAh eSIM / 5,491 mAh SIM tray vs. 5,000 mAh) and, once the A20 Pro's rumored 2nm gains are factored in, potentially stronger overall performance than the Galaxy S26 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which currently posts modest leads over the iPhone 17 Pro Max on multi-core and gaming benchmarks but a large lead in AI benchmarks. On cameras, Samsung's 200MP main sensor and four-lens array currently top Tom's Guide's rankings, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers a built-in S Pen and a new Privacy Display feature that narrows viewing angles per app -- features Apple's phone won't match.
Overall, reporting suggests the iPhone 18 Pro Max could offer faster performance and longer battery life than the Galaxy S26 Ultra, with the variable aperture appealing to more experienced photographers, even as Samsung likely keeps an edge in raw camera specs, the S Pen, and Privacy Display. All iPhone 18 Pro Max details remain based on rumors and leaks until Apple's official September 9 event.