The iPhone 18 Pro's aluminum frame and camera housing are both set to grow thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro's, according to new posts from the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital."
In a post on Weibo today, the leaker said that aluminum alloy mid-frames are "going to be used in straight-edge phones for a long time to come," referring to Apple's continued use of the material introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro rather than a return to titanium. Citing leaked materials from Tata, the leaker claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro's overall body and rear camera plateau, will be thicker than the current model, corresponding to a roughly 2mm increase the leaker says it can now confirm firsthand. The leaker added that the final thickness figure "will indeed be somewhat surprising."
The post links to two of the leaker's earlier claims. In one, Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 18 Pro lineup "will still feature an aluminum alloy build" with "indeed excellent" heat dissipation, while warning that buyers should be cautious about the new color options given the discoloration and surface chipping that has affected some iPhone 17 Pro units. In the other, the leaker said supply chain feedback confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro's main camera upgrade and indicated that the aluminum alloy back panel would grow by 2mm.
That 2mm figure lines up with a separate post the leaker shared on July 4, which estimated that the iPhone 18 Pro models' overall thickness will land somewhere around 9.9–10.9mm. That would mark a substantial jump from the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, which both measure 8.75mm thick. It also builds on dummy models shared in April, which suggested the iPhone 18 Pro Max's camera plateau would grow to 11.54mm, up from 11.23mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The added bulk is reportedly tied to a redesigned main camera system. The device is widely rumored to feature the iPhone's first variable aperture, a component reported to cost Apple 50% more than the current fixed-aperture lens. Production of the new module is said to be ramping up at suppliers including LG Innotek and Sunny Optical.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone this September.
