Apple iPhone 18 Pro Series Launch: Apple has officially unveiled the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, bringing major upgrades to the camera, processor, battery, display and artificial intelligence features.
The new Pro models were announced at Apple’s September 2026 event and will be available for pre-order in India from September 12 at 5:30 PM IST, with sales beginning September 18.
iPhone 18 Pro Price in India
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 in India for the 256GB version. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900 for 256GB storage.
| Model | Storage | Price in India |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro | 256GB | ₹1,64,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro | 512GB | ₹1,89,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro | 1TB | ₹2,54,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro | 2TB | ₹3,14,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | 256GB | ₹1,79,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | 512GB | ₹2,04,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | 1TB | ₹2,54,900 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | 2TB | ₹3,29,900 |
Note: Apple India’s current store listings confirm the Pro Max 256GB at ₹1,79,900, while the exact configuration prices should be checked on Apple’s India store before publishing a buying guide.
iPhone 18 Pro Display
The iPhone 18 Pro features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max gets a larger 6.9-inch display.
Both models feature:
- ProMotion technology up to 120Hz
- Always-On display
- Dynamic Island
- HDR support
- True Tone
- Up to 3,000 nits outdoor peak brightness
- Ceramic Shield 2 protection
Apple has also made changes to the Dynamic Island, with the new design supporting more information and Live Activities.
A20 Pro Chip Powers the New iPhones
The biggest performance upgrade comes from Apple’s new A20 Pro chip.
The chip includes:
- 6-core CPU
- 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators
- Dual 16-core Neural Engine
- Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- Improved AI processing
- Next-generation vapour-chamber cooling
Apple says the new vapour-cooled system is designed to maintain performance during demanding workloads, including gaming, video editing and AI-related tasks.
Major Camera Upgrade
Camera technology is one of the biggest highlights of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
Both models feature a 48MP Pro Fusion camera system, including a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture.
The main camera offers four aperture settings:
- ƒ/1.48
- ƒ/1.8
- ƒ/2.8
- ƒ/4.0
The variable aperture gives users greater control over light, depth of field and the overall look of photographs. The wider ƒ/1.48 aperture can also help with low-light photography.
The camera system also includes:
- 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide
- 48MP Fusion Telephoto
- Up to 8x optical-quality zoom
- Up to 40x digital zoom
- Pro camera controls
- Improved Night mode
- ProRAW
- 48MP macro photography
- 4K Dolby Vision video
- ProRes and ProRes RAW recording
New 18MP Center Stage Front Camera
For selfies and video calls, Apple has introduced an 18MP Center Stage front camera.
It supports:
- Autofocus
- Center Stage for photos and video calls
- Ultra-stabilised video
- Dual Capture
- 4K Dolby Vision recording
- Improved low-light video
The Center Stage system is designed to automatically keep users better positioned in the frame during calls and recordings.
Battery Life
Battery performance has also received a major upgrade.
According to Apple’s specifications:
- iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 34 hours of video playback
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 43 hours of video playback
Apple says the Pro Max can deliver up to six additional hours of video playback compared with the previous-generation Pro Max.
The phones also support faster wired charging and up to 25W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging.
New Siri AI and Apple Intelligence
Apple is putting a major focus on AI with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
The new models support the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Apple’s updated Siri AI.
The company describes the new Siri as more personal, conversational and powerful, with AI integrated across supported apps and features. Siri AI is rolling out in English initially.
iPhone 18 Pro Colours
The new Pro models are available in four finishes:
- Black
- Silver
- Glacier
- Burgundy
Both models use an aluminium unibody design with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield protection on the back.
iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Chip | A20 Pro | A20 Pro |
| Main Camera | 48MP variable aperture | 48MP variable aperture |
| Storage | Up to 2TB | Up to 2TB |
| Video Playback | Up to 34 hours | Up to 43 hours |
| Starting Price | ₹1,64,900 | ₹1,79,900 |
| Colours | 4 | 4 |
What About the Regular iPhone 18?
Interestingly, Apple did not launch the standard iPhone 18 alongside the Pro models at its September 2026 event.
Apple instead focused on the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and its new foldable iPhone. Reports indicate that the standard iPhone 18 could arrive in spring 2027, although buyers should treat future release timing as subject to change until Apple officially confirms it.
iPhone 18 Pro India Availability
Indian customers can pre-order the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max from September 12 at 5:30 PM IST.
The phones will become available from September 18, 2026. India is among the countries included in Apple’s first wave of availability.
iPhone 18 Pro: What’s New?
The biggest upgrades include:
New A20 Pro chip: Better performance and AI capabilities.
Variable-aperture camera: More control over light and depth of field.
48MP camera system: High-resolution main, ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.
18MP Center Stage camera: Improved selfies and video calls.
Longer battery life: Up to 43 hours of video playback on the Pro Max.
Siri AI: A more capable and personalised AI assistant.
2TB storage: More capacity for professional photographers and video creators.
Improved cooling: Vapour-chamber cooling for sustained performance.
Verdict
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max represent Apple’s latest high-end iPhone generation, with the biggest improvements centred around camera technology, AI, performance and battery life.
The new variable-aperture 48MP camera is particularly notable for photography enthusiasts, while the A20 Pro chip and improved cooling are aimed at users who need sustained performance for gaming, video editing and AI workloads.
For Indian buyers, however, the starting prices of ₹1,64,900 for the iPhone 18 Pro and ₹1,79,900 for the Pro Max make these premium flagship smartphones targeted primarily at high-end buyers.
