Apple will launch its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on 18 September, with pre-orders opening on 12 September, as the first devices in an unusually staggered 2026 release schedule. The base iPhone 18 has no confirmed launch date, while a foldable iPhone Duo is due in October priced at $1,999, meaning this year's comparison focuses solely on how the new Pro models improve on their predecessors for buyers considering an upgrade.

The 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,199, up $100 on last year's model, while the 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max rises to $1,299, also a $100 increase. As usual, the two sizes differ mainly in dimensions, battery capacity, and screen size and resolution, with identical specifications otherwise. Compared with the previous two generations, Apple's most notable upgrades this year are in camera capability, overall performance, and processing speed for AI-related tasks.