iPhone 18 Pro

 Rumours tipped about

 iPhone 18 Pro  

While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already several early rumours about the devices. Before the iPhone 16 series came out, it was rumoured that Apple was looking at ditching the screen notch in favour of an under display camera (UDC). As we now know, that never came to be. The rumours are popping back up thanks to regular leaker Digital Chat Station who posted on Weibo that is Apple is testing UDC tech on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. DCS specified that Apple is testing the tech for "3D faces," basically Face ID, rather than the current selfie camera. They added that it will feature a single "HIAA hole," while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air will feature the standard "2 + 1 hole." Meaning that the Pro models would feature a single camera cutout while the ultra-thin Air and base model would have a 2+1 display cutout.

With under-screen Face ID expected, the report from The Information said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have only a small pinhole in the top-left corner of the screen, to accommodate the front-facing camera. The report said the devices will no longer have a pill-shaped cutout at the top of the screen, but it is unclear if the Dynamic Island will be discontinued. In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said he heard this change had been delayed until 2026. If so, that means that under-screen Face ID could debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year. Sources also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models will likely be equipped with under-screen Face ID.

Currently, the only major phone manufacturer to hide the front-facing camera under the display is Samsung. Even then, the tech is only available under the Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold foldable display. The feature debuted with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but has been largely lackluster since then. The problem with UDC as it currently exists is that the camera needs a lower resolution and that the camera shoots through tiny holes in the display, meaning your photos aren't good. Utilizing UDC just for Face ID is sensible, assuming Apple can make the scans quick and accurate, the quality of the image won't really matter.

Samsung is developing a new three-layer stacked camera sensor that Apple is expected to use for iPhone 18 Pro models, according to reports available. This advanced image sensor would make the iPhone 18's camera more responsive, and offer other benefits like reduced noise in photos, increased dynamic range and more. The exact technology is called "PD-TR-Logic," according to a rumours available and it refers to a camera sensor with three layers of circuitry affixed to it. Sony has long been the exclusive supplier of image sensors for iPhone cameras, so Samsung entering the fray would be notable. In July 2024, it was expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be released.

The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture. With variable aperture, users would be able to control the amount of light that passes through the camera's lens and reaches the sensor. The main cameras on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, users would be able to manually change the aperture. A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. However, given that iPhones have smaller image sensors due to size restraints, it is unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement would be.

Apple's A20 Pro chip for the iPhone 18 Pro models will be manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process, known as N2, according to reports available. Apple's latest A18 and A18 Pro chips for the iPhone 16 series use TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, while the A19 and A19 Pro chips for the iPhone 17 series are expected to use TSMC's third-generation 3nm process. The move to a 2nm process starting with the A20 chips would allow for more transistors in each chip, which would boost performance. Specifically, reports indicate that A20 chips should be up to 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than A19 chips.

iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with 12GB of RAM. Increased memory bandwidth has also been rumoured for the devices. iPhone 16 Pro models are equipped with 8GB of RAM, while iPhone 17 Pro models and even the iPhone 17 Air are rumoured to have 12GB of RAM. Apple debuted its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e a few months ago, as part of a multi-year plan to transition away from Qualcomm modems. Apple's second-generation C2 modem will debut in the iPhone 18 Pro models next year, according to different sources. Unsurprisingly, expect the C2 modem to be faster than the C1, and for it to gain mm Wave support in the US. Further power efficiency improvements are likely too. An overview of current and expected chips:-

A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC's first-generation 3nm process N3B)

A18 and A18 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's second-generation 3nm process N3E)

A19 and A19 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's third-generation 3nm process N3P)

A20 and A20 Pro chips: 2nm (TSMC's first-generation 2nm process N2)

Keep in mind that these nanometre sizes are simply TSMC marketing terms, rather than actual measurements.

Reportedly, both Apple and Samsung want to hide the hole-punch camera. Samsung is also rumoured to be pursuing UDC with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which will release next January. Recently, it was rumoured that Apple is planning to split the release schedule of the iPhone 18 line-up into two windows. The higher-end Pro models and a new foldable iPhone are supposed to launch in the fall as usual. Meanwhile, the less expensive iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Air and the iPhone 18e are supposedly going to release in the spring. So, while we might get an early look at the iPhone 18 series next spring, we won't know about the Pro models until the usual September window.