Customers receiving an iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, an Apple Watch Series 12, or an Apple Watch Ultra 4 tomorrow will need to install a software update right away.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max ship with iOS 27 variants with a 24A427 or 24A8428 version number. The launch version of iOS 27 is version 24A437, so if you're getting an iPhone 18 Pro, expect a software update during the setup process.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 have watchOS 27 with a version number of 24R359, but the launch version of watchOS 27 is 24R364.
We're also expecting the AirPods 5 to have a day one firmware update, though that will happen over the air. Apple recently released 9A350 AirPods firmware to add support for iOS 27 features.
All of the new products are set to launch on Friday, September 18.
Both the 18 Pro and Pro Max are heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models they replace, and it's most noticeable when you pick up the Pro Max. It was a heavy phone to begin with, and now there's more weight (249 grams vs. 233 grams).
If you hated last year's two-tone design with the contrast between the aluminum frame and the glass back, there's good news. Apple is now matching the glass to the frame for a more uniform look.
Our review unit is Apple's new glacier color, which is a light blue that's slightly different from the other light blue shades Apple has used in the past. Unlike some of those blues, the glacier color actually looks blue and not silver. Apple is also offering the iPhone 18 Pro models in burgundy, silver, and black. We have a burgundy model on the way and will share that in the future.
There's a fancy new 2nm A20 Pro chip inside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but depending on what you're upgrading from, you might not notice much in the way of performance. iPhones have used wildly fast chips for the last several years, and you're not stressing the processor when browsing the web and scrolling social media sites. What you might notice is the new vapor chamber cooling system. It takes up three times more surface area, so the iPhone stays cooler when you are doing something that takes a little more processing power like playing a game. Battery life has improved, but that's not something we've had time to test yet. Apple says you'll get up to 36 hours of video playback with the 18 Pro and 45 hours with the 18 Pro Max.
If you're in the U.S. and buying an iPhone 18 Pro, it will have Apple's new C2 modem, but if you get the 18 Pro Max, it's going to have a Qualcomm modem. Both models use the C2 outside of the U.S. The C2 modem has mmWave 5G for the first time, plus it's more efficient than Qualcomm modems, so it will be interesting to see some speed tests comparing the two.
Apple slimmed down the Dynamic Island by putting the infrared camera under the display, and that's the most noticeable change on the front of the device. It takes up less space, and Apple also updated it so it can show three Live Activities at once or two in more detail.
There's a new variable aperture Main camera that also has a new sensor, plus Apple tweaked its computational imaging pipeline. With a variable aperture lens, there's more control over lighting and depth of field. If it's super bright outside, the iPhone can automatically adjust the aperture to let in less light. If it's dark, a wider aperture will let in more light. There are four aperture settings in total, and it works behind the scenes so you can just snap photos as usual. You'll probably notice it most in low lighting.
If you want to control the aperture yourself, you can do so with new Pro Controls that also give you the option to adjust shutter speed and white balance. There's a histogram too so you can check exposure levels.
We'll have a full video on the iPhone 18 Pro camera system coming next week.
Pricing on the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is priced starting at $1,299. Both new iPhones launch on September 18.
In the U.S., Apple is charging a higher $129 out-of-warranty fee to replace the battery in an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max compared to previous models, according to its website.
Apple has always charged $119 to replace the battery in iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro models, so the fee has increased by $10 for the iPhone 18 Pro models, which have larger batteries. If your iPhone has AppleCare+ coverage, though, Apple will replace the battery for no extra charge if its capacity has dropped below 80%. You can check this in the Settings app under Battery → Battery Health.
Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max earlier this month, arriving three years after the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Three generations of changes make for a substantial upgrade, bringing larger displays, an all-new design, improvements to every camera, significantly longer battery life, and faster charging.
The iPhone 16 Pro introduced larger displays with thinner borders, the Camera Control, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, and improved video and audio recording. The iPhone 17 Pro replaced the titanium frame and glass back with an aluminum unibody, added vapor chamber cooling and Ceramic Shield 2, and upgraded both the telephoto and front-facing cameras. This year's refresh centers on the A20 Pro chip, a variable-aperture Main camera, a smaller Dynamic Island, and a further increase in battery capacity. For iPhone 15 Pro owners, all three sets of changes accumulate.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for 256GB, $200 more than the iPhone 15 Pro's $999 launch price, although the entry storage tier has doubled from 128GB. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, $100 more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max's equivalent starting configuration. Here are the key differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro:
Design and Display
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
Brushed titanium frame with full glass back
Aluminum unibody with partial Ceramic Shield back, improving heat dissipation
Glass rounded square camera bump
Full-width rounded rectangle aluminum camera plateau
iPhone 18 Pro: 211 grams (7.44 ounces), an increase of 24 grams iPhone 18 Pro Max: 249 grams (8.78 ounces), an increase of 28 grams
Chip, Performance, and Connectivity
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
A17 Pro chip
A20 Pro chip
Built with TSMC's N3B process (first-generation 3nm)
Built with TSMC's N2 process (2nm), Apple's first 2nm smartphone chip
6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
6-core CPU with 2 super cores and 4 efficiency cores
8GB LPDDR5 RAM
12GB LPDDR5X RAM
51.2Gb/s memory bandwidth<
115GB/s memory bandwidth
6-core GPU
7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators
First-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Faster hardware-accelerated ray tracing
16-core Neural Engine
Dual 16-core Neural Engine (32 total cores)
Vapor chamber cooling with 3x more surface area than the iPhone 17 Pro
New chip packaging that places silicon die beside memory, allowing it to attach directly to the vapor chamber
Earlier video encoding hardware
Enhanced video encoding hardware supporting higher-frame-rate recording and additional professional formats
Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem
iPhone 18 Pro: Apple C2 modem in all countries iPhone 18 Pro Max: Apple C2 modem in all countries except the U.S., where it uses a Qualcomm modem
Broadcom Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip
Apple N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity
Bluetooth 6 connectivity
Rear Camera
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
First-generation quad-pixel sensor
Newer sensor and computational imaging pipeline, building on the faster readout speeds and zero shutter lag introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro
Fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture on the Main camera
Variable aperture with four stops: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0, using six laser-cut blades
API available for developers to control the aperture range within their own apps
Night mode
Faster Night mode, tied to the new variable-aperture lens
Around 50% better Main camera low-light performance than the iPhone 16 Pro, with more detail in the back of group photos
Pro controls in the Camera app: manual lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and histogram
12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera
48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide camera
12-megapixel Telephoto camera
48-megapixel Fusion Telephoto camera
iPhone 15 Pro: 3x Telephoto camera, with 77mm focal length iPhone 15 Pro Max: 5x Telephoto camera, with 120mm focal length
4x Telephoto camera, with 100mm focal length, also enabling 12-megapixel optical-quality 8x shots at 200mm
iPhone 15 Pro: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x zoom options, with optical-quality 2x derived from the Main camera iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x zoom options, with optical-quality 2x derived from the Main camera
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x zoom options, with optical-quality 2x and 8x derived from the Main and Telephoto cameras
Macro photography
48-megapixel macro photography
Support for JPEG-XL format
First-generation Photographic Styles
Photographic Styles 3, with tone, color, texture, and grain controls
Depth mapping for AR and portrait photography
Enhanced depth mapping for AR and portrait photography, with more accurate background and subject separation and more realistic bokeh
Smart focus tracking
Apple Reference Image (Main camera only)
Camera Control
The iPhone 15 Pro already has an Action button that can launch the camera or Visual Intelligence, but it lacks the dedicated Camera Control introduced with the iPhone 16 lineup. The iPhone 18 Pro's Camera Control provides the following additional functions:
Press Camera Control to launch the Camera app
Press to capture a photo or press and hold to record video
Light press to lock focus and exposure before reframing
Slide across the capacitive surface to adjust settings such as zoom, exposure, styles, and tone
Light-press controls overlay for quick access to camera settings
Integration with supported third-party camera apps
Press and hold to activate Visual Intelligence
Video Recording
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, with Dolby Vision HDR up to 60 fps
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion Main), or 120 fps (Fusion Main)
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, or 120 fps (Fusion Main)
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
Slo-mo video support for 1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps (Fusion Main)
Cinematic mode recording up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Cinematic mode recording up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps
Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture to Fusion Main video shot at up to 60 fps
Pro controls for lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and histogram
Smart focus tracking
Improved low-light video at 1080p
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision
QuickTake video
QuickTake video up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps
Apple Log
Apple Log 2
ProRes RAW capture support
Genlock support
Dual Capture up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
Front Camera
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
12-megapixel TrueDepth camera with conventional rectangular sensor
18-megapixel Center Stage camera with square sensor and TrueDepth technology
Tap to zoom
Tap to zoom and rotate, allowing portrait and landscape framing without rotating the iPhone
Center Stage for photos and video calls
Ultra-stabilized video
Dual Capture, recording the front and rear cameras simultaneously at up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
First-generation Photographic Styles
Photographic Styles 3, with tone, color, texture, and grain controls
Smart focus tracking, as described in the supplied comparison
Pro controls for shutter speed, white balance, and histogram
4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, with Dolby Vision HDR up to 60 fps
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
Cinematic mode effects can be applied after capture
Improved low-light video at 1080p
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization
Time-lapse video recording with stabilization, up to 4K Dolby Vision
QuickTake video
QuickTake video up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision
Apple Log
Apple Log 2
ProRes RAW capture support
Audio Recording
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
Stereo recording
Spatial Audio and stereo recording
Studio-quality four-mic array
Wind noise reduction
Audio Mix with algorithms for higher-quality voices and the ability to isolate music
Battery and Charging
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
iPhone 15 Pro: 3,274 mAh battery iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422 mAh battery
iPhone 18 Pro: 4,056 mAh battery (SIM-tray models); 4,288 mAh battery (eSIM-only models) iPhone 18 Pro Max: 5,391 mAh battery (SIM-tray models); 5,567 mAh battery (eSIM-only models)
iPhone 15 Pro: Up to 23 hours of video playback iPhone 15 Pro Max: Up to 29 hours of video playback
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours of video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours of video playback
iPhone 15 Pro: Up to 20 hours of streamed video playback iPhone 15 Pro Max: Up to 25 hours of streamed video playback
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 33 hours of streamed video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 40 hours of streamed video playback
Up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher
Up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter or higher supporting Adjustable Voltage Supply
MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W with a 20W adapter or higher
MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W, reaching 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 35W adapter or higher
Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W
Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W
Storage and Pricing
iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
iPhone 18 Pro (2026)
iPhone 15 Pro: Available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage iPhone 15 Pro Max: Available with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
iPhone 15 Pro: Launched at $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB) iPhone 15 Pro Max: Launched at $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB)
Current purchase prices depend on third-party stock, condition, and warranty
iPhone 18 Pro: From $49.95 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade iPhone 18 Pro Max: From $54.12 a month for 24 months via Apple Upgrade
Which to Choose?
For iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max owners considering a replacement, the iPhone 18 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade. Three generations of changes bring improvements to the display, each camera on the device, battery life, charging, and sustained performance. Battery life is likely to be the strongest argument for most users, particularly if their current device no longer comfortably lasts through the day, while faster wired charging makes brief charging stops more useful.
The camera upgrade is especially compelling for anyone who regularly takes photos or records video. Higher-resolution Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras expand the options beyond the Main camera, while the variable aperture and Pro controls provide additional creative flexibility. The Camera Control also offers a dedicated way to launch the camera and adjust settings, although its value will depend on whether you prefer physical controls to the touchscreen.
Owners of the smaller iPhone 15 Pro gain more native telephoto reach, moving from 3x to 4x, as well as the optical-quality 8x option. For iPhone 15 Pro Max owners, the camera moves from 5x to 4x, with the higher-resolution sensor enabling the additional 8x crop.
For video creators, the accumulated changes are more consequential still. Higher-frame-rate 4K recording, ProRes RAW, Genlock, Apple Log 2, Dual Capture, and improved audio tools expand the range of work that can be completed on the device. The square front-camera sensor also makes landscape framing easier without rotating the phone, while Center Stage improves flexibility for group photos and video calls.
The A20 Pro and vapor chamber cooling make the strongest performance case for users who play demanding games, record long video clips, or regularly push their device through sustained workloads. More RAM and additional AI processing hardware provide greater headroom for supported on-device tasks. For messaging, browsing, and other everyday activities, the A17 Pro remains capable, and access to iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, or Visual Intelligence alone does not require replacing it.
There are physical trade-offs to consider. Both newer models are larger and thicker, with weight increasing by 24 grams on the Pro and 28 grams on the Pro Max. The aluminum enclosure improves heat flow, but it may show dents and scratches more readily than the titanium frame. Users who chose the iPhone 15 Pro for its relatively compact size and light weight may find those changes less appealing, even with the improvements in screen size and battery life.
If your iPhone 15 Pro still meets your needs and comfortably lasts through the day, there is not am urgent reason to replace it. It is still a capable device with support for iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, and Siri AI. A battery replacement may be worth considering if reduced health is your main complaint and you would otherwise be happy to keep the device. The upgrade becomes much easier to recommend when battery limitations coincide with a desire for the newer cameras, larger display, or improved performance.
A discounted iPhone 17 Pro is another option if your priorities are the aluminum design, higher-resolution telephoto camera, square front-camera sensor, and vapor chamber cooling. Those upgrades arrived before this year's model. Paying more for the iPhone 18 Pro makes the clearest sense when you also want the variable aperture, Pro controls, A20 Pro, smaller Dynamic Island, and further improvements to battery life and charging.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max opened on Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.
Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate this week, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system, improving performance, and nixing bugs, there are still plenty of new things to explore. There's an overhauled Siri experience, changes across Apple's apps, and much-needed updates across the system interface.
In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're updating your Mac. Siri AI remains in beta and is initially rolling out in English, and the availability of some features varies by language and region. What do you think of macOS Golden Gate so far? Let us know in the comments.
Siri AI Replaces the Old Siri Experience
In macOS 27, Apple has turned Spotlight into the place to search your Mac or ask Siri AI a question. From the new "Search or Ask" bar, you can hold a conversation with Siri, find relevant information in apps such as Mail and Photos, and take actions in supported apps.
Adjustable Liquid Glass Transparency Slider
System Settings now has a slider that lets users adjust Liquid Glass from ultra-clear to fully tinted (found in Appearance ➝ Liquid Glass). Apple has also improved contrast and window shadows, standardized macOS toolbars, and made sidebars extend to the edges of app windows. The changes aim to make controls easier to read and active windows easier to distinguish.
Safari's Start Page Can Resume a Browsing Topic
Safari's Start Page has a new Recently Viewed section that brings back your recently closed browsing topics as well as topics open on any of your other devices. It offers a handy way to pick up a search or research session without trawling through your browser history.
Visual Intelligence Comes to the Mac
Visual Intelligence is now available on the Mac. Simply press Shift-Command-Space to select something onscreen, then ask Siri to explain it, translate text, search for similar images, or find related information. Siri can also use what it recognizes to take an action, such as adding the details from an event flyer to your Calendar.
Photos Can Save a Video Frame as a Still Photo
The Photos app can now save a frame from a video as a separate photo. Pause a clip at the moment you want, right-click (or Control-click) it, then choose "Save Video Frame as Photo," and it will add the still image to your library without exporting the entire video.
Past Conversations Are Saved in a New Siri App
macOS now has a dedicated Siri app where you can start new conversations or revisit past chats you've had with Siri. The app has a card-style interface with details on your most recent chats across all of your devices. You can also use the search button to find conversations, and there's a pin option for ones you revisit frequently. The Siri app is cross-platform and your content syncs across all of your Apple devices.
Shared Albums Go Full Resolution
Previously in Photos, pictures in a Shared Album were automatically reduced to 2,048 pixels on the long edge (except for panoramic photos, which can be up to 5,400 pixels wide). In macOS 27 though, Shared Albums finally support full-resolution photos and videos. But there comes a major trade-off. For years now, Apple has allowed you to store up to 5,000 photos and videos in Shared Albums without impacting your iCloud storage limit. That's no longer the case in Golden Gate.
Non-Apple Users Can Add to Shared Albums
People using Android or Windows can now join and contribute to your Shared Albums through iCloud.com. Users can also set an album to expire after 30 days, filter its photos and videos, review recent activity, and react to images with any emoji. Just remember that if you share an album with someone, what they add to it counts against your iCloud storage limit.
Photos Can Reframe Images
Photos has a new advanced editing tool in macOS 27. Reframe uses information captured with a compatible photo to change its apparent camera angle. It works by combining AI and spatial images so you can change the perspective or composition of a picture.
Photos Can Extend Images
Photos has another new editing feature: Extend lets you change the crop of an image, expanding the borders around content to zoom out a bit or change the photo's composition. It uses generative AI to fill in missing areas, and you can adjust the borders with drag gestures.
Cleaning Up Photos Got a Lot Better
Clean Up now uses new AI models, and it's better at removing objects. The original version of Clean Up was best for small items with little complexity in the surrounding area, but now it can do more work reconstructing backgrounds with generative AI. It also offers Fast, High Quality, and Auto modes. Apple says usage limits may apply.
Swipe Down to Refresh Comes to Mac Apps
The familiar swipe-down-to-refresh gesture comes to Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar on the Mac. Pulling down on content via your trackpad (or with your finger on iPad via Sidecar) causes the app to load the latest information, meaning you don't have to reach for a refresh button or keyboard shortcut.
Mail Search Puts More Relevant Results First
In Mail, search actually works properly in macOS 27. It now ranks messages by relevance rather than relying on matching words and recency. A search for a store, for example, can put an order confirmation ahead of promotional emails from the same sender, even if the order is buried in the inbox.
App Icons Gain More Liquid Glass Detail
Apple's app icons now have more layers of Liquid Glass, which adds detail and sharper edges across light, dark, clear, and tinted appearances. It's a smaller visual change than the new Appearance slider, but one you'll see throughout the Dock and app grid.
iPhone Mirroring Windows Become Resizable
Users can now drag a corner of an iPhone Mirroring window to make it larger or wider. Supported apps can show more information as the window expands, and macOS 27 now also supports playback of protected video in the mirrored window. Bear in mind that individual streaming providers may still restrict what can be mirrored, and iPhone Mirroring remains unavailable in the European Union.
Write With Siri Almost Anywhere
Write with Siri can generate a draft from a description, give feedback on existing text, or make a requested edit, such as shortening a paragraph or changing its tone. It works virtually anywhere you can type, and Apple says it can match your writing style in Mail and Messages.
Photos Adds Keywords and Star Ratings
Photos now lets users add keywords and one-to-five-star ratings to both photos and videos. Ratings can also be used as a filter, so it's easier to narrow down a large library to your best shots. Ratings controls are off by default, but you can enable them in Photos' General settings by checking the box next to "Show Rating Controls."
Add Extra-Large Widgets to Desktop
If you have any widgets on your desktop, try right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) on them and looking for a new option called Extra-Large Portrait. You can now make widgets take up a lot more screen space, which is useful for things like weather, home, and reminder widgets.
Trade in Siri for ChatGPT
The new Siri app and the "Search or Ask" bar (Command-Space) defaults to the new Siri AI, but you can switch it to ChatGPT if you prefer. Simply right-click (or Ctrl-click) and select "Ask..." From the context menu, and you'll see an option to change to ChatGPT. Note that conversation context doesn't transfer when you switch chatbot providers.
Safari Organizes Pages for You
If you have several webpages open with related content, Safari can automatically group these open tabs by topic while keeping any unrelated browsing sessions apart. To enable the feature, open Safari's Settings, select the Tabs section, and choose "Organize Tabs: Automatically Create Topics."
Safari Can Notify You When a Page Changes
Notify Me is another new Safari feature that enables the browser to watch a webpage for a specific change, such as a product restock or price drop, and alert you when it happens. The feature's monitoring options include daily, weekly, or monthly schedules.
Apple Notes Now Lets You Draw
The Continuity feature has allowed you to sketch in the Notes app by opening a virtual drawing board on your iPhone or iPad. But that meant you had to have at least one iOS device linked to your Apple Account. Happily, that's no longer a requirement in macOS 27, which adds a native drawing tool to the Notes app. It includes Pen, Monoline, Marker, Pencil, Crayon, Fountain Pen, Reed, and Watercolor tools.
Video Podcasts Get Better Mac Playback
The Podcasts app gives video shows fuller playback controls on the Mac, including Picture in Picture and a download option for offline viewing. You can switch between watching and listening when a show supports video, and the search function in a show's episode list makes older episodes easier to find.
Image Playground Gets More Styles
Image Playground has been overhauled to become genuinely useful, and it can now generate pictures in a wider range of styles, including photorealistic images. You can select part of an image and describe how you want it changed, or combine images to create something new. As with other Apple Intelligence features, Apple says usage limits may apply.
New Golden Gate Wallpapers Arrive
Golden Gate includes Sunset and Night wallpapers featuring San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, along with a new abstract wallpaper. The Bridge wallpapers animate when your Mac unlocks and you can also use them as your screen savers.
Safari Can Build Extensions From a Description
Safari's Create an Extension option lets you describe what you want a browser extension to do in plain language. For example, a request to add a button for saving recipes can become a custom extension without you having to go near a single line of code. Safari also offers suggested prompts for productivity, focus, and design tasks.
Freeform Adds Drawing, Collaborative Folders
Freeform now supports drawing directly on the Mac, thanks to sketching tools being included in its shared boards. Golden Gate also adds folders for organizing collaborative boards and a canvas that adapts to Dark Mode.
Faster AirDrop and Network Browsing
Apple says Golden Gate makes AirDrop transfers and browsing folders on Windows or NAS network shares faster. Safari's Start Page content also loads more quickly, and Mission Control and Spaces animations are smoother.
Calendar Events Can Be Added by Description
Calendar can now create or edit an event from your plain-language description. You can describe a lunch meeting, change the time and adjust the description to make it a coffee meeting, and Calendar will adjust the event rather than requiring every detail to be edited separately.
Enhanced Maps Flyover
With Flyover, cities like Boston, New York, London, and Chicago include more detailed 3D renderings of their skylines. Apple has enhanced the 3D models for these cities by combining AI and aerial imagery to achieve more detailed and realistic cityscapes.
Slideshows Can Start From Any Photos Album
Photos can now create slideshows from any album or collection, rather than limiting them to Memories. You can customize the presentation and save it as a video to keep or share.
Passwords Will (Soon) Auto-Repair Weak Logins
The Passwords app already warns users about weak or compromised logins. Apple says a future software update will let it use Safari to change eligible passwords automatically, replacing a vulnerable login with a stronger one on your behalf.
External Displays Get Better Resolution Support
Golden Gate adds more resolution and refresh-rate choices for compatible external displays, including 5K at 120Hz on certain ultrawide screens. Apple also says the Mac does a better job of restoring window positions, Spaces, and screen assignments when a display is unplugged and reconnected.
macOS Suggests Names for Files and Folders
In Finder, TextEdit, and other Apple apps, Apple Intelligence can suggest a name for a file or folder based on its contents. The feature is designed to make saved items easier to recognize later, especially when the original name doesn't give much away about what's inside.
Siri Gains New Expressive Voices
Siri AI now has more expressive voices alongside a big improvement to systemwide dictation accuracy. You can adjust both the expressiveness and pace of Siri's voice to your preference with sliders in a new Voice section in System Settings ➝ Siri. Siri's new expressive voices require an M3 or newer Mac with at least 12GB of memory.
Weather's Forecast Views Are Refreshed
Weather in macOS 27 has a more orderly layout, with more room for its hourly and 10-day forecasts. You can also switch between current conditions, precipitation, and wind views, while a new Highlights section calls out notable weather events ahead. Highlights are currently only available in U.S. English.
Create Shortcuts With Natural Language
True to this era of AI, Shortcuts can now build you an automation from a plain-language description. You can ask it to assemble a sequence of actions across apps, then test, edit, or refine the result with another description. Apple says usage limits may apply.
Finder Columns Are Easier to Size and Reset
New autosize and reset controls make columns easier to manage in Finder. Right-click (or Control-click) the bottom of a column, and you'll see options to adjust a crowded view without dragging each column boundary into place by hand.
Sidecar Finally Supports Direct Finger Input
Sidecar now lets you interact directly with the Mac interface on an iPad used as a second display. With a compatible iPad, you can tap controls, scroll with a finger, and use more system gestures instead of relying on your mouse or trackpad.
New Screen Time Controls for Parents
Parents can now set category-level allowances with different schedules by day and time, making controls more flexible than one broad daily limit. Meanwhile, Ask to Browse lets kids ask your permission to visit websites. There are also expanded protections against gore and violence, alongside existing nudity protections.
Make Interface Boundaries Clearer
A new Show Borders accessibility option makes the boundaries of macOS interface elements easier to see, in case you could do with some help distinguishing controls and panels where translucent surfaces otherwise blend into the surrounding window.
Widgets Can Update in Real Time
Widgets will now update in real time when their associated app is open, so the information you see on the desktop remains in step with what you see inside the app, instead of you having to wait for a less frequent refresh.
Dock Shows Active Background Processes
If you quit an app and it is still running a background process, you'll see the indicator beneath its Dock icon turn a light gray. To end the activity, right-click the app's icon and select "Stop Running in Background."
Photos Gains New Utility Collections
The Photos app now has two Utility collections. "Captured by Me" gathers pictures taken with your current and any previous iPhones, while "Identity Documents" brings together images of passports, driver's licenses, and any similar records you might have.
Intel Macs Miss Golden Gate
If you have a very old machine, there's something you should know: Golden Gate does not run on Intel Macs – it requires Apple silicon (that includes the A-series chip in MacBook Neo). Sorry, Intel users.
Rosetta Support Is Ending
macOS 27 is also the final major release with general-purpose Rosetta support for Intel-only apps on Macs with Apple silicon. Apple says those apps will stop working in the next major release, apart from certain older games.
Smart Replies Can Sound More Like You
Mail's Smart Replies are able to reflect your usual writing style when they suggest a response, right down to your tone and phrasing, so now a quick reply can sound more like something you would have written yourself. To use a smart reply, click the reply button on an email, click inside the message field, then choose one of the suggested replies generated by Apple Intelligence.
Get Context on a Phone Call
Just like in iOS 27, the Phone app on Mac supports a new Call Context feature. It can surface relevant information from the Mail app. If you call an airline, it might show your confirmation code for an upcoming flight, or your reservation code if you're calling a hotel. It doesn't listen to what you're saying, but instead looks at the number you're calling and links it to details in the Mail app.
Shortcuts Adds Screenshot and Alert Triggers
Shortcuts automations can now be triggered simply by taking a screenshot or receiving a notification. The new options add to existing triggers such as time of day, location, and app activity, giving you more ways to start a routine automatically.
Reminders Understands Natural Language
If you enter a natural-language request in Reminders, the app can fill in details you specify such as a date, time, or location, saving you from having to enter each field separately.
Apple said the new iPhone 18 Pro models are capable of faster USB-C charging compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, and a new video shared by the YouTube channel Xiaobai's Tech Reviews offers a closer look at the year-over-year improvement.
As spotted by the account Ice Universe, the video reveals that the iPhone 18 Pro Max can go from 0% to 100% battery life in as little as 55 minutes with a capable charger, compared to 81 minutes for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. In other words, the iPhone 18 Pro Max can be "fully" charged 26 minutes faster compared to the previous generation (iPhones continue to receive a slow trickle of power even after they show 100% battery life).
In line with Apple's advertised claim, the video showed that the iPhone 18 Pro Max can reach 50% battery life in just 15 minutes, down from 20 minutes for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The smaller iPhone 18 Pro should have similar charging speeds.
During the video's test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reached a peak charging speed of 52W for the first 12 minutes of the charging session. Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro Max achieved a peak charging speed of 36W in a separate test conducted by ChargerLAB. As always, charging slows down later in a session to prevent overheating.
Exactly how useful these improvements are to you will depend on your charging habits. If you mostly charge your iPhone overnight, then faster charging is obviously not very beneficial. But if you find yourself topping up your iPhone throughout the day, then saving nearly a half hour on a 0% to 100% charge may be meaningful to you.
Apple's tech specs state that to achieve the fastest charging speeds on the iPhone 18 Pro models, you need to use a power adapter capable of 60W or higher with Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS). Apple sells a charger that meets this description: its 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, which is priced at $39 on its U.S. online store.
Apple TV's broadcast of the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants game this Friday will incorporate the brand new iPhone 18 Pro.
More than a dozen iPhone 18 Pro devices will be placed throughout Dodger Stadium during the game, according to Apple. The devices will capture live gameplay from unique vantage points and scenes from around the ballpark, including batting practice, player introductions, dugout perspectives, and the atmosphere throughout the stadium.
"iPhone will offer unique perspectives that would be difficult to achieve with traditional broadcast cameras thanks to its small footprint," said Apple.
Apple TV offers a weekly MLB doubleheader called Friday Night Baseball as part of a subscription — there is no additional cost to watch the games. Watch the Dodgers take on the Giants this Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m. Pacific Time.
While both new Apple Watches look virtually identical to the previous-generation models on the outside, there are a handful of upgrades this year. For example, a more powerful S11 chip and larger LEDs on the optical heart sensor enable more accurate and frequent heart rate sensing, and HRV is now measured up to 24 times more often.
There is also a new Readiness app, more accurate step tracking, and faster charging. Finally, two new Audio Intelligence features Siri Rewind and Live Recap will be available later this year, as part of an upcoming watchOS update.
The S11's impact was also noticeable in testing. Siri AI queries are faster on the Series 12 than my Ultra 3.
Song added that the higher-frequency heart rate sensing did not impact battery life:
I didn't notice a negative impact to battery life from continuous heart rate tracking. People will gripe that the Series 12 doesn't have multi-day battery and sticks to the Series 11's 24-hour battery estimate. But like last year, I maintain that faster charging is a fine enough solution. In a 20-minute charging test, I went from 20 to 64 percent battery.
In my testing, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 lives up to Apple's battery life claims. In my real-world test, I charged it to 100% around 8 p.m. on Sunday and didn't put it back on the charger until 8 p.m. on Tuesday. That's 48 hours on a single charge, including 90 minutes of workout tracking, three hours away from my iPhone, and two nights of sleep tracking.
CNET's Vanessa Hand Orellana noted that the Apple Watch's belated ability to show a readiness score stands apart from competitors like the Oura Ring by continuously updating throughout the day and not requiring a monthly subscription fee for some stats:
Many wearables give you a score in the morning based on metrics such as HRV, sleep, temperature and other overnight vitals, but since it's static and delivered once a day, it can feel like a life sentence (and sometimes a self-fulfilling prophecy) rather than a training tool. The Apple Watch keeps measuring your daytime vitals and adjusts your Readiness score as the day unfolds and rates you from 0–10 with actionable advice including Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready and Go for It. In theory, you could see how a midmorning nap affects your score and adjust your workout accordingly.
Apple also gives you the data behind your Readiness score at no additional cost. Oura, for example, shows you a Readiness score without a subscription, but you'll need to pay the $7/monthly fee to dig into what's driving it and to see long-term trends.
Apple's readiness score requires "at least" seven nights of data, and most reviewers said they were still not seeing a score yet after around a week, so we will need to wait for later reviews to get a better look at the feature.
Siri Rewind and Live Recap were not available to reviewers yet, either, unfortunately.
If you can ignore the Live Rewind and Siri Recap features that aren't even available on the Apple Watch Series 12 yet, the device is a solid upgrade over older models. The new health sensing system is a meaningful overhaul, while the expansion of gesture support has the potential to enable more hands-free interactions with your watch. The inclusion of a new type of HRV measurement, increased sampling rates and some additional watch face complications are small but helpful touches for those who obsess over their metrics.
There are some new case options and colors for the Series 12, such as Light Bronze aluminum and the return of ceramic in Pearl White and Night Blue.
Amazon today is taking $150 off two models of the M5 MacBook Air, and this time the deals are focused on 13-inch models. These remain the best prices we've seen on the M5 MacBook Air in the wake of Apple's summertime price hikes.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon has the 16GB/1TB 13-inch MacBook Air for $1,449.00, down from $1,599.00. This one is available in all four colors on Amazon, and it's accompanied by the 24GB/1TB model for $150 off.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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In iOS 27, available now, CarPlay gets its biggest update in years, but some features depend on what type of car you have rather than your iPhone model. Some of the biggest additions won't do anything in the vast majority of vehicles on the road today. Here's how the new features pan out.
Works in Any CarPlay Vehicle
Custom widgets: In iOS 27, CarPlay is no longer limited to Apple's handful of stock widgets. Any compatible widget from your iPhone's Home Screen can now be added to the CarPlay dashboard. To do so, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ CarPlay, tap your car, then tap Widgets ➝ Add Widgets. You can drag widgets to rearrange them, tap to remove them, and toggle Smart Rotate and Widget Suggestions.
Audio scrubbing: The Now Playing screen now has a proper progress bar, allowing you to drag to any point in a song or podcast rather than having to tap skip repeatedly. There's also a persistent mini-player that keeps artwork and controls on screen while you browse.
Apple Music Filters: In Apple Music on CarPlay, you can filter your library to sort playlists, albums, artists, and songs by categories like "Favorites" or "All Playlists." Apple says third-party music apps can adopt it too.
New wallpapers: New wave designs found in iOS 27 and macOS 27 are now available in CarPlay in 14 color options. In previous years, most of Apple's platforms shipped with their own distinct wallpaper. This year, they all share a design called "Celosia," featuring sweeping, overlapping curves and soft shadows inspired by layered flower petals or folded paper.
Maps improvements: Apple extended natural language search to navigation, and that also works with Apple Maps in CarPlay. You can ask Siri for directions that avoid toll roads, highways, and more.
Better wireless reliability: Apple says wireless CarPlay connections are more dependable in iOS 27, with improved GPS accuracy and better navigation heading detection. These are phone-side changes, so no new hardware is required.
Needs the Right Car
Video apps: Apple made a song and dance about this feature, but it's the one that fewest people can use right now. Video browsing in the CarPlay interface requires automakers to certify AirPlay video integration for the vehicle. In other words, an iOS update alone can't enable it. That makes sense when you think about it – playback only works when the vehicle is parked (it switches to audio if you shift into drive) and the car needs to be able to share its drive state with iOS. As of writing, no manufacturer has announced plans to support the feature.
Sharing routes to your car's own screens: Navigation apps can now pass route data to a vehicle's built-in infotainment or digital instrument cluster, including EV charging stops and range. Again though, your car has to support it, so your mileage may vary (no pun intended).
Needs a Supported iPhone
Siri AI: The upgraded Siri now handles back-and-forth conversation in the car, while chats sync to the Siri app on your iPhone so you can pick them up later. It does however require an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, plus there's a Siri AI waitlist to get access, which you can join on your iPhone in Settings ➝ Siri.
Video apps in Carplay require dedicated vehicle support
One to Watch
Apple has given developers a voice control template that any category of CarPlay app can adopt for voice conversations. But nothing will change until individual app makers make use of it, so expect this to arrive gradually.
Bottom Line
If you have a car with CarPlay and a recent iPhone running iOS 27, you'll immediately be able to take advantage of third-party widgets, audio scrubbing, new wallpapers, and Maps improvements. For video and route sharing, you'll need to wait for your car's manufacturer to add support. iOS 27 was released on September 14 and is available to download now.
Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14, bringing a new Audio Intelligence feature set to its latest Apple Watch models, but as a result, owners of previous models are set to lose out doubly in the process.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models later this year will get Live Rewind, a feature that provides a transcript of any spoken audio that was picked up by the device in the last 15 seconds. To activate the feature, users need to double-click the Digital Crown.
Unforunately, this double-click action is the same one that in watchOS 26 switches between the current app and the previously used app – or indeed the watch face and the last used app.
It's a neat way of multitasking on your Apple Watch without tapping the display.
Needless to say, this feature will no longer work for anyone upgrading to Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models when the devices are released on September 18. Apple has reserved the double-click action for when its new Live Rewind feature is activated later this year.
However, what's arguably more frustrating is that owners of older Apple Watch models who update to watchOS 27 will also lose the ability to jump between apps using the Digital Crown double-click.
After updating to watchOS 27, the Digital Crown double-click no longer works to switch between apps. All it does is bring up the new dynamic app grid, which is the same behavior that a single click offers. This is despite the fact that the new Live Rewind feature is hardware-bound to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. Owners of previous models are simply out of luck in both senses, losing a useful function while also missing out on the new feature that usurps it.
It also throws up another problem for new Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners: What if people don't want to go near the Live Rewind feature and its privacy implications? Apple could have made the double-click action work to switch between apps as it does in watchOS 26, while also providing an option to assign the action to Live Rewind if that's preferred.
Apple currently doesn't provide options to resolve the situation for either group of users, so all we can do is provide feedback to Apple and hope the company hears enough demand for it to change course in watchOS 27.1 or a later update.
Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are available now ahead of a Friday, September 18 launch.
Apple surprised us with the first beta of iOS 27.2 today instead of releasing an iOS 27.1 beta. Apple likely went straight to iOS 27.2 to keep iPhone Duo code under wraps for now, since we already know the iPhone Duo will ship with iOS 27.1 when it comes out in October.
This beta includes Apple's revamped Health app, new languages for Siri AI, and a handful of other useful tweaks.
Revamped Health App
The iOS 27.2 beta includes the redesigned Health app Apple showed off at its September iPhone event. The new app is organized into three main tabs: Insights, Longevity, and Browse.
Insights includes your most recent and relevant health info, such as vitals, sleep score, heart rate, and Activity Rings. Longevity shows your health data over time, offering up a Health Age calculated from activity level, VO2 max, sleep time, and other metrics.
The Health Age feature uses in-app assessments that take advantage of the iPhone's camera. You can measure flexibility, strength, balance, and VO2 max. The revamped Health app is only available in U.S. English.
The Health app also has a new icon.
Call Context
Apple added anniversary alerts to the Apple Intelligence Call Context feature. If you make a phone call to someone and you have an anniversary for them set in the Contacts app, you'll see a reminder in the Phone app.
CarPlay
There are themes for CarPlay Ultra that include options for wallpaper, gauge style, and color. Code suggests ambient lighting in supported vehicles will also match the color of the selected theme.
Siri AI Languages
Siri AI is available in French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in the iOS 27.2 beta.
Apple TV App
Apple extended Apple TV app profiles to the iPhone and iPad in iOS 27.2. Apple TV app users can create profiles in the account settings section, and then swap between those profiles. Profiles only require a name, profile rating, and information about whether the user is a child.
Creating an account for a child limits content to a PG rating by default, but there is a customize option for more granular control. Users can select age ratings for TV shows and movies that are appropriate for the child based on their age. Profiles are useful for parents that want to hand over an iPhone or iPad to a child to watch TV content while also restricting content that's not age-appropriate.
There's also a new option to turn on sign language interpretation when available. It can be toggled on in the TV app settings.
ASL FaceTime API
Back in May, Apple said it would add a new API to FaceTime allowing developers who make sign language interpretation apps to add a human interpreter to an ongoing video call.
That feature appears to be live in iOS 27.2.
Clock
Apple tweaked how alarms appear in the Clock app. The a.m. and p.m. readouts are now smaller than the time.
Music
In the Music app, some of the red accents have been removed. The Play and Shuffle buttons in Library are black instead of red, as are all of the icons next to the Library sections.
Siri
App Access in the Siri section of the Settings app is now named "Excluded Apps." Tapping on "Add Apps" brings up a list so multiple apps can be excluded at once. Apps previously had to be excluded one by one.
Adding an app to the Exclude list prevents it from showing up in Siri, Search, and suggestions.
Podcasts
Apple renamed Up Next to New Episodes, with a Continue Playing option directly below it.
App Tracking Transparency
According to Apple's release notes for the update, App Tracking Transparency supports an alternative expanded prompt for EU users along with re-prompting on an annual basis. The alternative prompt is required for users in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania.
Apple executive chairman Tim Cook is expected to attend a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, reports Bloomberg.
Cook stepped down as Apple CEO and transitioned to executive chairman on September 1, with John Ternus taking over. Part of Cook's new role includes engaging with policymakers around the world.
U.S. President Donald Trump invited Cook, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, among others. The dinner will be held next week during Xi's visit to Washington.
Cook has attended multiple state dinners with Xi. Earlier this year, Xi held a state dinner for Trump in Beijing where Cook was present, and in 2015, Cook was seated next to Xi at a state dinner then-President Barack Obama hosted.
Note: This discussion thread is located in our Political News forum with special rules.
With the iOS 27.2 beta, Apple is testing the new Health app that it previewed at its September iPhone event. The app has been entirely overhauled, with new Insights and Longevity tabs that give you more information on your health and fitness metrics.
The Insights tab shows your most recent health data, such as Activity Rings, heart rate, sleep score, and vitals. It'll eventually show personalized guidance, but that feature hasn't been added yet.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners will see a readiness score calculated from recent activity, vitals, and sleep score to help them decide whether to take a recovery day or push harder.
The Longevity tab looks at your health data over time to calculate your Health Age based on activity level, VO2 max, sleep time, and other metrics. It also uses fitness assessments you can do right on your iPhone to check flexibility, balance, and VO2 max.
Apple plans to offer a $119 laboratory panel from Quest Diagnostics, which will also contribute to the Health Age score. For now, you can upload your recent lab results.
Getting the most out of the Health app requires an Apple Watch or another fitness device that integrates with it.
While the Health app is being tested in the iOS 27.2 beta, it won't be part of the iOS 27.2 release. It will instead launch later this year.
The iOS 27.2 beta that Apple released today adds a feature that reminds you it's your anniversary when you call someone, as long as you've added the date in the Contacts app.
On the date of your anniversary, when you go to call the person, you'll see a reminder that it's an important day so you don't forget to say something. The anniversary alert uses Call Context, a feature Apple added in iOS 27.
Call Context brings up information from emails and other sources when you place a phone call. If you place a call to an airline and you have an email with a flight confirmation number for that airline in the Mail app, it surfaces that confirmation number so you don't have to go digging for it.
In iOS 27, Call Context works with birthdays, and it shows a fireworks animation when you're placing a call. iOS 27.2 adds anniversaries, but unfortunately, it doesn't come with a new animation.
The Call Context anniversary option draws from your Contacts app. To add an anniversary to a contact, open the Contacts app and select their name. Tap "Edit" in the corner, then tap "add date," and the first suggestion under date is anniversary.
You can also ask Siri AI to add the anniversary date to the person's contact card if you have a device that supports Apple Intelligence.
iOS 27.2 is in beta right now, and it is expected to launch in October.
Apple's new iPhone lineup asks buyers a new and challenging question: Is a foldable display worth feature compromises?
Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, there is now the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, which starts at $1,999. All three are brand new, all three feature the same A20 Pro chip, and all three sit at the top end of Apple's lineup.
The Duo is not a Pro model, though, and Apple's own wording makes that clear. For example, its rear camera array is branded the 48-megapixel Dual Fusion system rather than the Pro Fusion system, and the word Pro appears nowhere in its name. The $700 premium over the iPhone 18 Pro Max buys a folding 7.6-inch display, not a better camera.
All three models still share a large amount of hardware. The shared features include:
A20 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, dual 16-core Neural Engine, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Apple C2 modem (except on the Pro Max in the United States), N1 wireless networking chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, and the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
Super Retina XDR OLED displays with ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On display, Dynamic Island, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness
Ceramic Shield 2 front with 3x better scratch resistance, Ceramic Shield back, and IP68 water resistance to a depth of 6 meters
Camera Control, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera at 13mm and f/2.2, Photographic Styles 3, Dual Capture, smart focus tracking, and 48MP macro photography
Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, and wireless chargers
Compatible with MagSafe cases and wireless chargers
Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy options
Night Sky and Star White options
Made with 40% recycled content, including 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, 80% recycled steel in the battery enclosure and vapor chamber chassis, and 100% recycled tungsten in the Taptic Engine
Made with 35% recycled content, including 100% recycled aluminum in the internal structural frame, 85% recycled titanium in the enclosure, and 100% recycled titanium in the 3D-printed hinge cover
50% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity
60% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity
Dimensions and Weight
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
Height
5.91 inches (150.0 mm)
6.43 inches (163.4 mm)
4.64 inches (117.8 mm) closed 4.64 inches (117.8 mm) open
Width
2.83 inches (71.9 mm)
3.07 inches (78.0 mm)
3.31 inches (84.1 mm) closed 6.48 inches (164.6 mm) open
Depth
0.34 inch (8.75 mm)
0.34 inch (8.75 mm)
0.44 inch (11.3 mm) closed 0.21 inch (5.2 mm) open
48MP Fusion Main camera: 26mm, sensor-shift OIS, Hybrid Focus Pixels
Variable aperture on Main camera: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0
Fixed f/1.6 aperture on Main camera
12MP optical-quality 2x "telephoto" sensor crop at 48mm from the Main camera
12MP optical-quality 2x "telephoto" sensor crop at 52mm from the Main camera
48MP Fusion Telephoto camera: 100mm (4x), f/2.8, tetraprism, 3D sensor-shift OIS and autofocus
12MP optical-quality 8x Telephoto sensor crop at 200mm, f/2.8, from the Fusion Telephoto camera
LiDAR scanner
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x optical zoom options
0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options
8x optical-quality zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, for a 16x optical-quality zoom range
2x optical-quality zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, for a 4x optical-quality zoom range
Digital zoom up to 40x for photos and up to 24x for video
Digital zoom up to 10x for photos and up to 6x for video
Adaptive True Tone flash
True Tone flash
Four studio-quality mics
Smart Take and Duo Preview
Pro Capture Features and Formats
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
Pro controls for lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and viewing histogram
ProRAW
Apple Reference Image (Fusion Main camera only)
Spatial photos
Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording
ProRes RAW video recording
Apple Log 2
Academy Color Encoding System (ACES)
Genlock
Image formats captured: HEIF, JPEG, and DNG
Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
Video formats recorded: HEVC, H.264, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
Video playback formats include HEVC, H.264, AV1, and ProRes
Video playback formats include HEVC, H.264, and AV1
Front Cameras
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
18MP Center Stage front camera, f/1.9
12MP Center Stage outer camera, f/2.2
Autofocus with Focus Pixels on the front camera
Front camera Pro controls, ProRAW, ProRes, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and Academy Color Encoding System
Kid Cue on the front camera
Under-display FaceTime camera on the inner display, f/1.8, limited to 1080p video at 30 or 60 fps with no Night mode, portraits, or Photographic Styles
Duo FaceTime
Optical zoom with the rear camera in FaceTime
Zoom with the rear camera in FaceTime
Battery and Charging
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
Built-in rechargeable battery
Dual built-in rechargeable batteries
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 24 hours typical use iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 30 hours typical use
Up to 24 hours typical use
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours video playback
Up to 44 hours using the outer display, up to 31 hours using the inner display
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 33 hours streamed video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 40 hours streamed video playback
Up to 37 hours streamed using the outer display, up to 26 hours using the inner display
50% charge in around 15 minutes
50% charge in around 20 minutes
Price
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Duo
256GB
$1,199
$1,299
$1,999
512GB
$1,399
$1,499
$2,199
1TB
$1,799
$1,899
$2,599
2TB
$2,399
$2,499
$3,199
For most buyers, the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max is the better choice. They offer the same A20 Pro chip as the Duo, a more versatile camera system, and a lower price. Choose the Pro if you prefer a smaller, lighter phone, or pay $100 more for the Pro Max if you want a larger screen and longer battery life.
The camera system is the clearest reason to choose an iPhone 18 Pro over the iPhone Duo. Alongside a more advanced Main camera, the Pro models offer a variable aperture for greater control over depth of field and a dedicated Telephoto camera for subjects you cannot get close to. These advantages matter even if you never use professional capture formats: The Pro gives you more flexibility both when framing a shot and when controlling how it looks. If photography or videography is a priority, choose the iPhone 18 Pro. Buyers who also use ProRAW, ProRes, or manual controls have even more reason to do so.
The iPhone Duo is worth considering if you frequently wish your phone had a larger screen for reading, documents, taking notes, or watching video. Its 7.6-inch folding display and Apple Pencil support are unique in the iPhone lineup and could reduce the need to carry a separate tablet. If you would unfold it several times a day for those sorts of tasks, the benefit may outweigh the camera compromises and higher price. If most of your use involves messaging, social media, and taking photos, there is less reason to pay extra for the iPhone Duo.
The compromises also extend beyond the rear cameras. Both of its front-facing cameras are also inferior. The iPhone Duo also replaces Face ID with Touch ID and drops the Action button, so buyers will need to adjust. It also lacks the Pro models' LiDAR Scanner, adaptive True Tone flash, four studio-quality microphones, and spatial photo and video recording.
You also need to be comfortable with the Duo when it is closed. Despite its smaller outer screen, it is wider and thicker than either Pro model and slightly heavier than the Pro Max. Battery life is another reason to favor the Pro Max: The Duo matches the smaller Pro's rated typical-use battery life, and using its inner display reduces its video playback time substantially.
The price gap remains significant at every storage tier. A 1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max is only $100 cheaper than the entry-level iPhone Duo, but that Duo has just 256GB of storage. At the same capacity, you pay $700 more than the Pro Max or $800 more than the Pro. That premium needs to be justified by how much you would use the folding screen and how much you care about some of the device's compromises.
Buy the Duo if you have a clear idea of the things you would regularly unfold it to do, or if experiencing Apple's first foldable and a radically new kind of iPhone is itself worth the premium to you. If you are unsure how the larger screen would fit into your routine, the Pro models remain the stronger purchase with their traditional "slab" form factor and host of superior specifications.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available to pre-order now. iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16 ahead of an October 23 release.
With iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, Apple extended Apple TV app profiles to the iOS version of the app.
Apple brought Apple TV profiles to tvOS with tvOS 26.2, but the feature has been limited to the Apple TV until now.
Apple TV app users can create new profiles in the account settings section, which can also be used to swap between profiles. Profiles only require a name, profile rating, and information about whether the user is a child.
Creating an account for a child limits content to a PG rating by default, but there is a customize option for more granular control. Users can select age ratings for TV shows and movies that are appropriate for the child based on their age
Profiles are a useful feature for a parent that wants to hand over an iPhone or iPad to a child to watch TV or movie content because it restricts what's available without impacting what the parent sees when signed into their own account.
In the U.S., Apple is charging a higher $129 out-of-warranty fee to replace the battery in an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max compared to previous models, according to its 
