iPhone 18 Pro launching soon: Will it be a better upgrade than the iPhone 17 Pro?

Apple surprised many users last year with the iPhone 17 series. While the base models finally brought noticeable improvements, the Pro lineup also received widespread praise for its upgraded hardware, software refinements and overall experience. For many users, it felt like Apple’s biggest iPhone refresh in years.

That reaction was important because Apple’s earlier iPhones, especially the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and even parts of the iPhone 15 lineup, were often criticised for offering only incremental updates. However, the jump from the iPhone 16 series to the iPhone 17 lineup felt much more significant, both in terms of performance and features.

Now, attention is slowly shifting towards the next-generation iPhone 18 Pro. Although Apple is still months away from officially unveiling the devices, leaks and rumours have already started painting a clearer picture of what users can expect.

So, can the iPhone 18 Pro series deliver another meaningful upgrade over the already impressive iPhone 17 Pro? Here are five major changes that could make the upcoming iPhone worth waiting for.

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iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro

Smarter satellite connectivity is in the pipeline: Apple is reportedly planning to replace Qualcomm’s modem with its own in-house C2 modem on the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

Apart from improved power efficiency and reduced heat generation, the biggest addition could be support for 5G NR-NTN, also known as New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks. In simpler terms, the iPhone could automatically switch to satellite connectivity whenever mobile coverage drops or disappears completely.

Unlike the current emergency-focused satellite system, the experience could become far more seamless and useful in everyday situations.

Dynamic Island may finally shrink: One of the biggest visual upgrades could be a smaller Dynamic Island.

Leaks suggest Apple may shift more Face ID components underneath the display, allowing the cutout to shrink significantly. Reports claim the Dynamic Island could reduce from around 20.76mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max to nearly 13.49mm on the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

That would mark roughly a 35 per cent reduction, potentially giving the front display a cleaner and more immersive appearance. Apple is still expected to retain the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screen sizes for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max respectively, although newer LTPO+ display technology could improve battery efficiency further.

Bigger battery: Battery life is also expected to receive a notable boost this year.

Rumours suggest Apple may increase the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery capacity to around 5,100mAh to 5,200mAh. Combined with a more efficient modem, upgraded display technology and the upcoming 2nm chipset, the new battery could deliver meaningful improvements in day-to-day usage.

For users who prioritise battery life, this may end up becoming one of the biggest upgrades in the entire lineup.

Camera upgrades could offer more creative control: Apple may not dramatically change the camera hardware layout, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max expected to continue using a triple 48MP rear camera setup similar to its predecessor.

However, the company is reportedly testing a variable aperture system for the primary sensor. This would allow users to manually control how much light enters the camera, potentially improving low-light photography and creating more natural background blur effects.

Apple is also said to be working on an upgraded telephoto sensor with a wider aperture, which could improve zoom quality while reducing noise in darker scenes.

A20 Pro chip: Powering the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be Apple’s new A20 Pro chipset, reportedly built using TSMC’s advanced 2nm process.

Leaks suggest the chip may deliver performance gains of up to 15 per cent while improving power efficiency by nearly 30 per cent compared to the A19 Pro chip inside the iPhone 17 Pro models.

The chipset is also expected to improve on-device AI performance, which could become increasingly important as Apple continues expanding its Apple Intelligence features in future iOS updates.