iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to be a regular upgrade, with almost no change in appearance
By Frank Ulom
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Published on August 26, 2026
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3 min read
Apple officially announced that it will hold its fall product launch event on September 9 local time (1:00 AM Beijing time on September 10), with the theme “Surprise and shine”.
This will be John Ternus’s first event since officially taking over as Apple CEO on September 1st, and he is expected to unveil the new generation of iPhone 18 Pro/Max and the Ultra series of foldable phones. Apple will also release the base iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e next spring.
Based on previous leaks, the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to be a regular upgrade, with almost no change in appearance. Key highlights include:
- The A20 Pro chip, the first to use the 2nm process, offers improved energy efficiency and performance;
- The rear main camera is expected to be upgraded with a variable aperture lens;
- It uses Apple’s self-developed C2 cellular modem;
- The area for drilling holes on Lingdong Island may be reduced;
- New color scheme;
- Due to the continued shortage of memory chips, the price may increase significantly compared to the previous generation.
As many expected, the absolute star of this launch event will be Apple’s first foldable iPhone. According to multiple sources, the device adopts a horizontal, book-like wide folding design, with an outer screen of approximately 5.5 inches when closed and an inner screen of approximately 7.6 inches when unfolded, resembling an iPad when unfolded.
Its body features a titanium alloy frame and an ultra-thin design, with excellent screen crease control. Due to thickness limitations, the device may forgo Face ID, opting instead for Touch ID integrated into the power button, and the rear camera may only feature a dual-lens setup without a telephoto lens. The starting price is expected to be between $1,999 and $2,500.
Regarding the Apple Watch, Apple is expected to launch the next-generation Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, but these will mainly involve processor upgrades and health sensor updates, with no major changes to the appearance design.
In the smart home arena, Apple is likely to launch a new generation of Apple TV 4K, a new HomePod mini, and the long-rumored Home Hub – a smart home control device with a 7-inch screen and FaceTime support. Additionally, the eighth-generation iPad mini is also expected to be unveiled, potentially featuring an upgraded OLED display.
On the software front, Apple will announce the official release dates for system updates such as iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate at the event. The event will still be pre-recorded, but will be streamed live on Apple’s website, YouTube, and Apple TV.
