Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, two premium handsets that it says push the company’s camera technology, battery endurance and on‑device AI further than any previous generation of smartphones.
Both models centre on a redesigned 48‑megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller and more capable Dynamic Island, and the new A20 Pro processor, which touts major gains in sustained performance and neural processing.
They launch alongside iOS 27, complete with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, positioning the devices as personal hubs built around privacy and contextual awareness.
“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas, we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
“iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”
“We didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas, we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made…”
A20 Pro ushers in a new era of performance
The iPhone 18 Pro is the more compact of the pair, but it carries the same core upgrades. Its new Main camera introduces aperture control to an iPhone for the first time, using six laser‑cut blades to shift smoothly between settings. Apple says this allows the camera to automatically optimise depth of field and lighting, while giving enthusiasts and professionals manual access to four aperture options in the Camera app.
A new sensor improves low‑light performance and detail, while a refreshed computational imaging pipeline sharpens results across the board. Photographic Styles gain texture and grain controls, and video sees meaningful upgrades too, including the ability to apply Cinematic effects after capture at up to 60fps, plus 4K Dolby Vision HDR in Time‑lapse mode.
Pro controls, a redesigned interface for advanced shooters, now allows adjustments to aperture, shutter speed, white balance and exposure via a histogram.
The A20 Pro chip is key to the device’s performance leap. Built on a 2‑nanometre process, it offers 50 per cent more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro, a faster 6‑core CPU with integrated Neural Accelerators, and a 7‑core GPU that Apple claims is up to 40 per cent faster.
A new Dual 16‑core Neural Engine doubles AI processing power, accelerating everything from computational photography to on‑device AI workloads. The chip is paired with an Apple‑designed N1 wireless system supporting Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, plus the new C2 cellular modem, which improves upload speeds while reducing energy consumption.
Battery life also sees a significant jump. Apple states that eSIM‑only versions of the iPhone 18 Pro can deliver up to 36 hours of video playback, with wired charging reaching 50 per cent in around 15 minutes. Wireless charging achieves the same milestone in roughly 30 minutes.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max sets new battery‑life benchmark
The step-up iPhone 18 Pro Max builds on this foundation with a larger battery and the biggest increase in endurance Apple has ever delivered. Apple claims an impressive 45 hours of video playback, while five minutes of wired charging can provide around seven hours of viewing. A redesigned vapour chamber, three times larger than before, helps sustain peak performance for longer, supporting the A20 Pro’s thermal demands.
Both models feature a refined Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities simultaneously, while still supporting Face ID. They also introduce Apple Reference Image, a new authenticity system that signs every pixel captured by the Main camera. When used in Reference mode, the camera stores signed sensor data that is processed into an unalterable reference image, allowing photographers and journalists to verify whether edits have been made.
Usability has also had an upgrade. The new iOS 27 adds Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, for more personal, contextual and conversational interactions. Siri AI can draw on messages, emails and photos to help users find information, act on what’s on screen, and answer broad queries.
New creative tools such as Spatial Reframing, Extend and upgraded Clean Up enhance photo editing, while Safari’s Notify Me monitors web pages for changes such as restocks or price drops. All AI features rely on on‑device processing and Private Cloud Compute for privacy.
Apple is offering the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish. Storage options range from 256GB to 2TB. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at £1,299.
Pre‑orders open September 12, and they hit stores from September 18.
Bruichladdich Distillery has unveiled the latest chapter in its Octomore experiment, with three super-heavily peated single malts exploring Scottish barley, Islay provenance and a diverse selection of casks. The Octomore 17 Series, now in its 17th year, examines the relationship between barley origin, peat and maturation, with limited quantities created from specific harvests and cask…
Chinese technology giant TCL is stepping up its mobile game, with the brand’s new P80 smartphones embracing higher-end features without sacrificing the value proposition that helped it carve a niche in the first place. Unveiled at the IFA tech expo in Berlin, the TCL P80 Ultra and TCL P80 Pro are the first smartphones we’ve…
Salon Privé has broken with tradition and crowned two Best of Show winners, with a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S taking the Concours d’Elégance title and a 1995 McLaren F1 supercar becoming the first winner of the new Concours d’Excellence. Held at Blenheim Palace, Salon Privé is one of the UK’s leading gatherings for collector…
The Luxe Review 
Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, two premium handsets that it says push the company’s camera technology, battery endurance and on‑device AI further than any previous generation of smartphones.
Both models centre on a redesigned 48‑megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller and more capable Dynamic Island, and the new A20 Pro processor, which touts major gains in sustained performance and neural processing.
They launch alongside iOS 27, complete with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, positioning the devices as personal hubs built around privacy and contextual awareness.
“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas, we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
“iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”
A20 Pro ushers in a new era of performance
The iPhone 18 Pro is the more compact of the pair, but it carries the same core upgrades. Its new Main camera introduces aperture control to an iPhone for the first time, using six laser‑cut blades to shift smoothly between settings. Apple says this allows the camera to automatically optimise depth of field and lighting, while giving enthusiasts and professionals manual access to four aperture options in the Camera app.
A new sensor improves low‑light performance and detail, while a refreshed computational imaging pipeline sharpens results across the board. Photographic Styles gain texture and grain controls, and video sees meaningful upgrades too, including the ability to apply Cinematic effects after capture at up to 60fps, plus 4K Dolby Vision HDR in Time‑lapse mode.
Pro controls, a redesigned interface for advanced shooters, now allows adjustments to aperture, shutter speed, white balance and exposure via a histogram.
The A20 Pro chip is key to the device’s performance leap. Built on a 2‑nanometre process, it offers 50 per cent more memory bandwidth than the A19 Pro, a faster 6‑core CPU with integrated Neural Accelerators, and a 7‑core GPU that Apple claims is up to 40 per cent faster.
A new Dual 16‑core Neural Engine doubles AI processing power, accelerating everything from computational photography to on‑device AI workloads. The chip is paired with an Apple‑designed N1 wireless system supporting Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, plus the new C2 cellular modem, which improves upload speeds while reducing energy consumption.
Battery life also sees a significant jump. Apple states that eSIM‑only versions of the iPhone 18 Pro can deliver up to 36 hours of video playback, with wired charging reaching 50 per cent in around 15 minutes. Wireless charging achieves the same milestone in roughly 30 minutes.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max sets new battery‑life benchmark
The step-up iPhone 18 Pro Max builds on this foundation with a larger battery and the biggest increase in endurance Apple has ever delivered. Apple claims an impressive 45 hours of video playback, while five minutes of wired charging can provide around seven hours of viewing. A redesigned vapour chamber, three times larger than before, helps sustain peak performance for longer, supporting the A20 Pro’s thermal demands.
Both models feature a refined Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities simultaneously, while still supporting Face ID. They also introduce Apple Reference Image, a new authenticity system that signs every pixel captured by the Main camera. When used in Reference mode, the camera stores signed sensor data that is processed into an unalterable reference image, allowing photographers and journalists to verify whether edits have been made.
Usability has also had an upgrade. The new iOS 27 adds Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, for more personal, contextual and conversational interactions. Siri AI can draw on messages, emails and photos to help users find information, act on what’s on screen, and answer broad queries.
New creative tools such as Spatial Reframing, Extend and upgraded Clean Up enhance photo editing, while Safari’s Notify Me monitors web pages for changes such as restocks or price drops. All AI features rely on on‑device processing and Private Cloud Compute for privacy.
Apple is offering the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish. Storage options range from 256GB to 2TB. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at £1,299.
Pre‑orders open September 12, and they hit stores from September 18.
Bruichladdich pushes the boundaries of peat with Octomore 17 Series whiskies
Bruichladdich Distillery has unveiled the latest chapter in its Octomore experiment, with three super-heavily peated single malts exploring Scottish barley, Islay provenance and a diverse selection of casks. The Octomore 17 Series, now in its 17th year, examines the relationship between barley origin, peat and maturation, with limited quantities created from specific harvests and cask…
New TCL P80 Series brings premium features to value‑focused smartphones
Chinese technology giant TCL is stepping up its mobile game, with the brand’s new P80 smartphones embracing higher-end features without sacrificing the value proposition that helped it carve a niche in the first place. Unveiled at the IFA tech expo in Berlin, the TCL P80 Ultra and TCL P80 Pro are the first smartphones we’ve…
Scene-stealing Lamborghini Miura and McLaren F1 crowned Best of Show at Salon Privé 2026
Salon Privé has broken with tradition and crowned two Best of Show winners, with a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S taking the Concours d’Elégance title and a 1995 McLaren F1 supercar becoming the first winner of the new Concours d’Excellence. Held at Blenheim Palace, Salon Privé is one of the UK’s leading gatherings for collector…
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