iPhone 18 Pro may jump to $1,299 this fall

Apple is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 lineup in September 2026, and this year’s biggest change may be the one buyers notice first: price. According to reporting cited by Mashable, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,299, or $200 more than the iPhone 17 Pro, as Apple deals with a memory-chip cost increase tied to the ongoing RAM shortage.

Mashable says Apple’s annual launch cadence is unlikely to change, with late September or early October expected for the new phones. The company is also expected to introduce the lineup under new CEO John Ternus, whose term officially begins on Sept. 1. The expected range includes a base iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside a rumored foldable device possibly called the iPhone Fold or iPhone Fold Ultra.

iPhone 18 specs and design rumors

Design changes appear modest. Mashable, citing CNET, says display sizes will likely stay close to last year:

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• iPhone 18: 6.3 inches
• iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3 inches
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9 inches

Leaks suggest brighter displays, a potentially smaller Dynamic Island, and a smaller camera bump on the base model. For the iPhone 18 Pro, MacWorld reportedly points to four colors: silver, gray, light blue, and dark cherry.

Internally, the lineup is rumored to move to 12GB of RAM across all models, up from 8GB on prior base iPhones. Apple is also expected to use A20 and A20 Pro chips, plus a C2 modem, possible 5G satellite support, and a new N2 chip for WiFi.

iPhone 18 Pro camera and battery changes

The Pro models may get some of the most meaningful updates. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the iPhone 18 Pro will feature “some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup’s history.” Mashable says reports point to a larger-aperture telephoto lens and, more importantly, variable aperture — a change that could improve low-light performance and enable more natural background blur without relying as heavily on software.

Battery capacity is also expected to rise. The iPhone 18 Pro could exceed 5,000mAh, according to leaker Digital Chat Station, while several reports from China say the iPhone 18 Pro Max will get an even larger battery at the cost of a slightly thicker and heavier chassis: about 0.25 millimeters thicker and 7 grams heavier.

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On software, the phones will run iOS 27. Mashable says Apple’s revamped Siri will better understand on-screen context and be powered by Gemini. As Craig Federighi put it:

“Siri really wants to say, 'I can help you get things done. I can help you learn about the world.”

Apple is also still dealing with fallout from earlier Siri promises. Mashable notes the company settled a related class action suit for $250 million.