The iPhone 18 Pro arrived in September 2026, bringing a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture alongside a smaller Dynamic Island and faster charging speeds, engadget.com reported. Instead of releasing a base model and a new iPhone Air, Apple launched the two Pros and the iPhone Duo, appleinsider.com reported. While missing the baseline model and arriving alongside the iPhone Duo, Apple’s latest flagship starts at £1,199 in the UK, according to independent.co.uk and techradar.com.
Testing the 48-Megapixel Variable Aperture Lens
Apple integrated a variable aperture into the 48-megapixel main camera of the iPhone 18 Pro, functioning by physically opening and closing. Users can select between four distinct aperture settings in the Camera app: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4, engadget.com reported. Selecting f/1.48 lets in additional light and blurs backgrounds for low-light indoor environments, engadget.com reported.
Apple Adds Manual Camera Controls for Focus and Shutter Speed
Beyond aperture adjustments, Apple introduced manual controls into the default Camera app interface, engadget.com reported. Users can now adjust focus, white balance, and shutter speed, engadget.com reported.
Using the Shrunken Dynamic Island and Triple Live Activities
Apple reduced the physical footprint of the Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro, shifting the under-screen Face ID infrared camera into the top-left corner, appleinsider.com and independent.co.uk reported. When active, the updated interface accommodates up to three simultaneous Live Activities instead of the previous limit of two, enabling users to monitor a sports score, flight and Uber concurrently, engadget.com reported.
Reaching Fifty Percent Battery in Fifteen Minutes With Fast Charging
The iPhone 18 Pro replenishes its battery using a wired connection, engadget.com reported. It reaches a 50 percent charge in approximately 15 minutes via wire, or 30 minutes using a MagSafe charger, engadget.com reported. Achieving maximum wired charging speeds requires a USB Power Delivery 3.1 adapter featuring Adjustable Voltage Supply rated at 60W or higher, matching Apple’s internal testing parameters with its 40W Dynamic Power Adapter that peaks at 60W.
Comparing Global Pricing Against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The iPhone 18 Pro Max launched globally in September 2026 starting at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,299 for 256GB, scaling up to $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,699 for the 2TB model, techradar.com reported. By contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra launched in February 2026 at $1,299.99 / £1,279 / AU$2,199 for 256GB and caps its maximum storage tier at 1TB for $1,799.99 / £1,699 / AU$2,649, making the Apple flagship more expensive at higher capacities while introducing a chassis weighing 249g.
iPhone 18 Pro Features High Brightness and Water Resistance
The screen reaches 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness and 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness, dimming to 1 nit, independent.co.uk reported. The iPhone 18 Pro weighs 211g, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max weighs 249g and measures 163.4 x 78 x 8.8mm, independent.co.uk and techradar.com reported. The Pro Max model is water-resistant up to six meters for 30 minutes, techradar.com reported.
The device includes an Action Button above the volume controls on the left side, and a sleep/wake button and Camera Control on the right, appleinsider.com reported. The back is glass, supporting 25W MagSafe wireless charging, and houses a trio of 48MP cameras—main, ultra-wide, and telephoto—along with a LiDAR sensor and TrueTone flash, appleinsider.com reported. The iPhone 18 Pro is powered by an A20 Pro chip, independent.co.uk reported.
Frequently Asked Questions About the iPhone 18 Pro
What are the official color options for the iPhone 18 Pro?
The iPhone 18 Pro is available in four colors: matte black, silver, burgundy, and Glacier, according to appleinsider.com and independent.co.uk. The burgundy version appears deeper and darker in person than in press images, trustedreviews.com reported.
How much does the base model iPhone 18 Pro cost in the United Kingdom?
The 256GB iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199 in the UK, representing a £100 price increase over the previous generation iPhone 17 Pro, independent.co.uk reported.