Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro Max, led by a variable-aperture 48-megapixel Fusion main camera and the new A20 Pro chip. The handset also gains a larger vapor-chamber cooling system, faster charging and a claimed 45 hours of video playback.
The 48-megapixel wide camera can adjust between f/1.8 and f/4.0 through a six-blade, laser-cut mechanism. Apple says the system offers finer control over incoming light and natural depth of field, while enabling a faster Night mode. Cinematic Effects can be applied after footage has been captured.
The rear camera array otherwise retains its 48-megapixel periscope telephoto and 48-megapixel ultra-wide cameras. New camera software features include 4K Dolby Vision HDR time-lapse, Audio Mix music additions, and Pro Controls for settings including white balance, exposure histogram, aperture and shutter speed. Video controls also include shutter-speed adjustment and subject focus tracking.
At its core, the A20 Pro is built on a 2nm process and combines a six-core CPU with two new performance cores and four efficiency cores. Apple claims the performance cores are 20% faster than the prior generation. The chip also includes a seven-core GPU said to be 40% faster, plus a 32-core Neural Engine for AI workloads.
For sustained performance, Apple has fitted a vapor chamber it says is three times larger than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro, designed to divert heat away from the display. Apple rates the Pro Max for up to 45 hours of video playback; the smaller iPhone 18 Pro is rated for 36 hours. The company also says the phone can reach 50% charge in 15 minutes, while five minutes of charging can provide up to six hours of video playback.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max keeps a 6.9-inch display but introduces a smaller Dynamic Island, which Apple says can show as many as three Live Activities simultaneously. New finishes are Deep Black, Silver, Glacier and Burgundy. Apple says it has also refined the rear construction to better blend the metal housing with the central glass surface.
Apple Intelligence features include a Siri AI experience that can work with third-party apps and be accessed from the camera by voice or text, according to Apple. The company also highlighted food and recipe nutrition lookup from images, improved dictation, voice-personalization controls for Siri and enhanced editing tools in Photos. Siri AI is available in English beta, Apple says.
Apple Germany lists the iPhone 18 Pro Max from €1,599 with 256GB of storage. Configurations with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB are also planned, priced at €1,849, €2,349 and €3,099 respectively. Preorders begin September 12, with deliveries scheduled to start September 18; regional availability may vary.
