The Verge has published early hands-on impressions of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, unveiled at the company's "Surprise and shine" event at Apple Park. While the design closely mirrors last year's iPhone 17 Pro range, Apple has introduced a variable-aperture main camera lens alongside new manual "pro" controls built into the native camera app, giving photographers finer control over their shots. This marks one of the more notable camera upgrades in recent iPhone generations, addressing long-standing demand for more manual photographic control on Apple's flagship devices.

The new models keep the same aluminium build and screen sizes as their predecessors, now offered in black, silver, "glacier" blue and burgundy, with colour-matched glass backs for a more seamless finish. The variable aperture can be set automatically or fixed at one of four stops (f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 or f/4.0), alongside manual shutter speed, white balance and focus controls with focus peaking. The Dynamic Island has also been shrunk and now supports viewing three Live Activities simultaneously. Preorders open on 12 September ahead of an 18 September release, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299.