Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Apple’s next Pro iPhones are starting to look less like a routine yearly refresh and more like a proper upgrade. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to arrive in September, with September 9 currently being tipped as a possible launch date, although Apple is yet to confirm it.
The new Pro models are rumoured to bring a faster 2nm A20 Pro chip, a bigger battery, a new in-house modem and some interesting camera changes. There could also be a smaller Dynamic Island and better satellite connectivity. In other words, there is quite a bit going on here.
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Of course, all of this is still based on leaks and rumours. But if even some of these reports are accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro could be a much more interesting upgrade than the iPhone 17 Pro.
A20 Pro could be the biggest change
One of the biggest upgrades could sit inside the phone rather than on it. Apple is expected to introduce the A20 Pro, which is rumoured to be its first smartphone chip built using TSMC’s 2nm process.
According to Weibo tipster Fixed Focus Digital, the chip could be around 18 per cent faster than the A19 Pro while using up to 30 per cent less power. The chip is also expected to use TSMC’s newer Gate-All-Around technology.
If those numbers hold up, the A20 Pro could give Apple more room for demanding tasks such as gaming and on-device AI without turning the iPhone into a battery-hungry machine.
The problem? New technology rarely comes cheap. Reports suggest the A20 Pro could cost more to make, and the overall bill of materials for the iPhone 18 Pro could rise significantly.
Battery life and C2 modem
The larger model is rumoured to get a battery of around 5,425mAh in the US version, while variants with a physical SIM slot could reportedly get a 5,235mAh cell. That compares with reported capacities of 5,088mAh and 4,823mAh for different iPhone 17 Pro Max versions.
That works out to roughly a 10 per cent increase.
And the interesting part is that Apple may not rely on the bigger battery alone. A more efficient A20 Pro chip and the new C2 modem could also help stretch battery life further.
Apple has been slowly moving away from Qualcomm for its modem hardware, and the iPhone 18 Pro series could take that effort another step with the C2 modem.
The in-house modem is expected to improve power efficiency and cellular performance while giving Apple greater control over how the modem works with its own hardware and software.
For most users, this could be one of those upgrades that is not very exciting on paper but quietly makes the phone better every day.
The camera
Apple has stuck with fixed-aperture main cameras on its Pro iPhones for years. That could change with the iPhone 18 Pro generation.
A variable-aperture camera can change the size of the opening through which light enters the lens. Think of it a little like the pupil of your eye. When there is lots of light, it can narrow. When more light is needed, it can open wider.
For users, that could mean more control over depth of field, better portrait shots and greater control over how much of a scene stays in focus.
But there is an interesting catch. The latest rumour suggests Apple could make the variable-aperture camera exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Tipster Ice Universe claims the hardware needs additional space, which the larger Pro Max can provide.
The iPhone 18 Pro is still expected to stick with three rear cameras, with 48-megapixel sensors covering the main, ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.
So Apple may not be chasing bigger megapixel numbers this time. Instead, the company could focus on better sensors, optics and computational photography.
The front camera is also expected to remain an 18-megapixel Center Stage camera.
Camera Control could become simpler
Apple’s Camera Control button was meant to make changing things such as zoom and exposure easier, but its touch-sensitive controls have not been everyone’s favourite.
For the iPhone 18 lineup, Apple could simplify the system by removing some of those touch-sensitive components while keeping the main camera controls.
That may sound like a small change, but sometimes the best upgrade is simply making something less annoying to use.
Smaller Dynamic Island and a better display
Leaks suggest the pill-shaped cutout could become noticeably smaller, with some reports pointing to Apple moving parts of Face ID beneath the display. Whether Apple can actually pull that off this year remains unclear.
The display itself could also get an efficiency boost through LTPO+ technology. The newer panel technology is expected to offer more precise control over the OLED screen, which could help reduce power consumption.
Satellite connectivity
Apple already uses satellite connectivity for emergency features and some limited communication. The iPhone 18 Pro could take things a step further.
Reports suggest Apple is exploring satellite-based 5G connectivity, which could eventually allow users to access more services without relying entirely on traditional mobile towers.
That could be particularly useful in remote areas. But, as always with satellite features, actual usefulness will depend on infrastructure and availability in each market.
iPhone 18 Pro price
All these upgrades may come with a price increase. The iPhone 17 Pro currently starts at Rs 1,34,900 in India, while reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro could start around Rs 1,39,900. Some leaks have pointed to a possible increase of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on the model and storage configuration.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max could reportedly start around Rs 1,54,900 in India. For now, Apple has confirmed none of these details. So suggest taking it with grains of salt.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
