Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, bringing a variable-aperture main camera, the new A20 Pro chip, and longer battery life to its flagship phones. In the Philippines, prices will start at PHP 94,990, although Apple has yet to announce when either model will go on sale locally.
The 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro starts at PHP 94,990 for 256GB of storage, while the 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at PHP 99,990. The Pro costs PHP 110,990 for 512GB, PHP 142,990 for 1TB, and PHP 189,990 for 2TB. The Pro Max is priced at PHP 115,990, PHP 147,990, and PHP 194,990 for the same capacities.
Apple’s biggest camera change this year is a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a variable aperture, a first for the iPhone. Users can choose between ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0, giving more control over light and depth of field instead of relying on a fixed aperture.
It is joined by 48MP Ultra Wide and 48MP Telephoto cameras. The latter provides a native 4x focal length, while Apple also offers an 8x mode that it describes as “optical-quality” zoom. New Pro camera controls allow manual adjustment of aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and other settings.
The iPhone 18 Pro models also introduce Apple Reference Image, which records signed sensor information that can be used to compare an original image against an edited version. Apple is positioning the feature as one way of helping verify image authenticity, including for photographers and photojournalists.
Inside is the new A20 Pro, manufactured using a 2-nanometer process. It has a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, and dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple claims the GPU is up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro, while a redesigned vapor chamber is intended to improve sustained performance during demanding workloads.
Both phones retain OLED Super Retina XDR displays with ProMotion refresh rates of up to 120Hz. The Dynamic Island has also been redesigned and can now display as many as three Live Activities simultaneously. The phones use an aluminum unibody design with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield glass on the back, and come in black, silver, glacier, and burgundy.
For Philippine models, Apple rates the iPhone 18 Pro for up to 34 hours of video playback and the Pro Max for up to 43 hours. Both support wired fast charging that Apple says can reach 50% in around 15 minutes with a compatible 60W-capable adapter, while MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging reach up to 25W.
The phones ship with iOS 27 and support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. They also include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB-C with USB 3 data speeds, dual SIM through nano-SIM and eSIM, and the usual Face ID, Action button, and Camera Control.
Apple began selling the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in its first group of more than 65 countries and regions on September 18 after opening pre-orders on September 12. The Philippines was not among the markets Apple specifically named for that initial launch, and the company’s Philippine website currently says to “check back later for availability.”