iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max leak hints at their India prices, big camera upgrades

Hours before Apple takes the stage for its "Surprise and Shine" event, fresh leaks have given us a better idea of what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. From a possible price hike in India to a big camera upgrade and a smaller Dynamic Island, here's what could be coming.

In Short

• Apple is tipped to raise the iPhone 18 Pro price in America
• Both Pro models may use Apple's new 2nm A20 Pro chip
• A smaller Dynamic Island could free space and handle three live tasks

The stage is set, the audience is eagerly waiting, and all eyes are on the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Because in the next few hours, Apple will finally pull the curtain back on its next generation of flagship iPhones.

This year, it’s all about the iPhone 18 Pro series– and of course the highly anticipated iPhone Duo aka the Foldable. Now, Apple being Apple, it has kept everything hush-hush, but that has not stopped industry insiders and leaks from giving us a pretty good idea of what is planned. So, according to the rumours the iPhone 18 Pro series will arrive as the most powerful iPhones yet, with some significant upgrades over the iPhone 17 Pro series.

Think of a smaller Dynamic Island, a new A20 Pro chip, better cooling, new colours and, most importantly, a big camera upgrade. Oh, and there could be a price hike too.

So, as we ride on the excitement, let’s swipe through what all the rumours are saying about the Pro series before Apple makes it official.

iPhone 18 Pro India price could go up

Before we talk about what new upgrades Apple’s Pro series could bring, let’s talk about the price. Because in 2026, smartphones will be becoming anything but cheap. Apple has already raised the prices of Macs, iPads and other devices in its ecosystem. So, the iPhone 18 Pro line-up is most likely getting a pretty big price tag too.

For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro started at $1,099 in the US and Rs 1,34,900 in India. However, with component and RAM prices rising — and Apple reportedly bringing the A20 Pro chip built using 2nm technology — a price hike seems quite likely.

How much could you actually have to pay for iPhone 18 Pro?

In its latest series of posts on X, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has hinted that Apple could raise the iPhone 18 Pro’s US price by $100, taking it from $1,099 to around $1,199.

In India, reports suggest, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at around Rs 1,44,900.

But there are also more aggressive estimates. Some reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,249 to $1,299, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at around $1,349 to $1,399.

So what to expect in India?

Let’s have a quick look at Apple’s recent pricing strategy to get an idea of what we could see in the pricing of iPhone 18 Pro series.

If we look at what happened with Apple’s Mac line-up earlier this year, the company increased prices globally, with a $200 price hike in the US. In India, the MacBook Air M5 got a Rs 30,000 price hike.

The MacBook Neo, meanwhile, also became more expensive, with Apple increasing its US price by $100, from $599 to $699, while in India, the price went up by Rs 10,000. This was a more aggressive approach, as Apple is aiming to sell the Neo to a wider audience.

So, if Apple follows a similar approach with the iPhone 18 Pro series, we could see at least a Rs 10,000 price increase over the iPhone 17 Pro. That would put the starting price at around Rs 1,44,900.

But there is also a possibility that Apple could go further and push the increase closer to Rs 20,000, particularly if it follows the steep pricing strategy it has used for some of its premium devices, such as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. That would put the iPhone 18 Pro at around Rs 1.55 lakh, while the Pro Max could be even more expensive.

Of course, these are estimates based on leaks, reports and Apple’s recent pricing moves. The actual India price will only be known when Apple makes it official tonight.

A20 Pro chip and better cooling

Now, with that big price tag, what will the iPhone 18 Pro actually bring to the table? For starters, a more powerful chipset.

Under the hood, both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to get Apple’s new A20 Pro chip. According to Gurman, the chip could be based on a 2nm process, which should bring improvements in both performance and power efficiency.

But Apple may not stop there. The new Pro models are also expected to get an improved vapour chamber cooling system. In simple terms, this should help the phones manage heat better when you are doing demanding tasks such as gaming or using AI features.

There is also talk of Apple bringing its C2 modem to the new Pro models. However, some details around connectivity and 5G support are still unclear, so we will have to wait for Apple to make it official.

The Dynamic Island could get smaller

Now on the design front, Apple might stick to the iPhone 17 Pro series aesthetics, but there could be one noticeable change at the top of the display.

In the latest report, Gurman reveals that Apple could make the Dynamic Island smaller, with some Face ID components reportedly moving under the display. That could give users a little more screen space.

There are also reports suggesting Apple could make better use of the area around the Dynamic Island, potentially allowing users to see more live activities at once.

Big camera upgrade coming?

Now, for the upgrade that is making us the most excited. iPhone 18 Pro series could get an interesting camera upgrade.

According to Bloomberg's report the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a mechanical or variable-aperture camera. In simple terms, this would allow the camera to control how much light enters the lens, while also giving you more control over the depth of field.

That could mean more flexibility when taking photos, especially in different lighting conditions. Other reports suggest Apple could eventually bring the feature to both Pro models, although for now, the Pro Max is the one getting most of the attention.

The Camera Control button could also get some changes, but Apple is reportedly keeping its pressure-sensing functionality.

New colours and a bigger battery

Apple could also give the Pro models some fresh colours this year. We are hearing whispers of Dark Cherry and Light Blue as possible options.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max could also pack a larger battery, although there may be a small catch. The bigger battery could make the phone slightly thicker than its predecessor.

Apple event on September 9

All of this sounds exciting, but things will only become official tonight. So along with the iPhone 18 Pro series we are also expecting Apple to unveil its first foldable iPhone, reportedly called the iPhone Duo, alongside new Apple Watch and AirPods models.

The event will start at 10.30pm IST tonight, so we will not have to wait much longer to find out which of these leaks actually make it into Apple’s final announcement.

And India Today Tech is already gearing up to bring you all the live updates straight from Cupertino, so stay tuned to this space.

- Ends