The iPhone 18 Pro will likely launch in September next year and while we’re still a long way away from the next big Apple event, leaks about the upcoming iPhones have started appearing online. If we go by the fresh leaks, we can see one of the biggest design changes with the launch of the iPhone 18 series. The Pro version is also said to get a big camera upgrade and of course a new chipset. If you’ve been waiting to see if the iPhone 18 Pro will make more sense or if you should choose the iPhone 17 Pro model, this story is for you. Here’s everything you need to know about the next-generation iPhone 18 Pro smartphone.

iPhone 18 Pro leaked: design changes

Apple’s next big iPhone redesign may arrive quietly rather than dramatically, but early leaks suggest the iPhone 18 Pro series could still be a turning point for the lineup. Emerging details about Apple’s 2026 Pro models point to subtle design refinements on the front, a more ambitious approach to mobile photography, and a major change in chip engineering that could impact performance and battery life in noticeable ways, which we’ll talk about in a bit.

According to a report by The Information citing sources Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu, Apple is preparing to move Face ID to the bottom of the display on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. If this change goes as planned, it will eliminate the familiar pill-shaped Dynamic Island Cutout that has defined recent iPhones. This will be a big design change as the iPhone will finally have a small notch, which will make the viewing experience even better. But, this also means that the iPhone will eventually look like an Android phone from the front.

Moving forward, the front-facing camera is said to be moved to a small hole located at the top-left corner of the screen, giving the display a cleaner and more uninterrupted look. Despite this internal reshuffle, the overall design is tipped to remain close to what Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro models, suggesting refinements rather than a complete visual overhaul.

Big camera upgrade?

Although the front of the phone may look simple, it appears that Apple is paying serious attention to the camera system on the rear. The report claims that at least one rear camera of the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a mechanical iris, which will enable variable aperture control. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously hinted in the same direction, saying that the main 48-megapixel camera could allow users to adjust how much light enters the lens. This would be a big change from the fixed/1.78 aperture used on Pro iPhones since the iPhone 14 Pro.

In practice, variable aperture can give users more creative control, especially over depth of field and exposure in challenging lighting situations. Photographers can potentially reduce background blur in daylight or let in more light in low-light scenes without relying solely on software processing. That said, the effect may still be limited by the physical constraints of smartphone camera sensors, which are much smaller than those found in dedicated cameras. How much of a difference users will actually notice remains an open question.

New chipset with big changes?

However, the biggest change may come from the powers the iPhone 18 Pro gets. These devices are widely expected to debut Apple’s new A20 Pro chipset, built using TSMC’s upcoming 2nm manufacturing process. Beyond the smaller process node, the report suggests Apple plans to use TSMC’s wafer-level multi-chip module packaging technology. This approach integrates RAM directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and neural engine, rather than placing it along the chip.

This change can unlock multiple benefits at once. Tighter integration generally results in faster data access, which can improve overall performance as well as on-device AI functions under Apple Intelligence. It can also help reduce power consumption and improve thermal efficiency, both of which matter as iPhones handle increasingly demanding workloads. The second advantage is space. A smaller chip footprint could free up internal space for other components, potentially helping with battery design or thermal solutions.

iPhone 18, 18 Pro, Pro Max: India launch timeline

As far as timelines are concerned, Apple is expected to stick to its usual launch schedule. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are currently slated to launch in September 2026, just like Apple’s long-standing fall release cycle. The standard iPhone 18 model is said to arrive in 2027, but nothing has been officially confirmed. Therefore, users should take the details with a pinch of salt. But, you can stay connected to India Today Tech for all iPhone related updates.