iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: All expected differences
The iPhone 18 Pro brings improvements to camera quality and battery life, but also an expected big jump in price.
Very soon, in September, Apple is about to unveil the new iPhone 18 Pro series (along with its first foldable phone, the iPhone Ultra).
In this article, I focus on breaking down everything expected in the smaller iPhone 18 Pro model and how it compares to the two-generation-older iPhone 16 Pro.
The size is not changing, both are 6.3-inch phones, so they are still on the compact side, but the 18 Pro will probably be a bit thicker and heavier than the 16 Pro.
The biggest gains come in cameras and possibly battery life. Apple's first 2nm chip will power most of those improvements, the A20 Pro, and the newer iPhone will also come with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB on the previous version. It also inherits the excellent 4X telephoto camera from the 17 Pro, as well as the improved selfie camera. It's also expected to carry over the aluminum design with vapor-chamber cooling.
One thing that is not happening, though, is the rumored futuristic invisible, under-display Face ID. All the latest reports agree that Face ID is getting a bit smaller, but still noticeable.
And while all of that is nice, the most troubling news might not be about the upgrades at all. With RAM prices out of control, Apple is expected to set a much higher price for the iPhone 18 Pro, allegedly starting from $1,300 for the base model ($200 higher than last year).
iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro expected differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|
| Same 6.3-inch size, but more efficient LTPO+ tech, anti-reflective coating and roughly 3,000-nit outdoor brightness from the 17 Pro | 6.3-inch display size with 2,000-nit peak brightness |
| Possibly around 35% narrower Face ID/Dynamic Island | Face ID in its usual form |
| A20 Pro, expected to be Apple’s first 2nm iPhone chip | A18 Pro chip |
| 12GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Vapor chamber inherited from the 17 Pro | No vapor chamber, only traditional design with worse thermal performance |
| New Apple-made C2 modem (in the US) | Qualcomm X80 modem |
| Possible 5G Satellite Internet, but not certain | Satellite only used for emergency services |
| Variable aperture main lens, going from f/1.4 to f/4.0 | Fixed aperture (f/1.78) main camera |
| Simpler Camera Control (no gesture support) | First-gen Camera Control with gestures |
| 18MP Center Stage square sensor with Dual Capture support | Older 12MP sensor |
| New colorways, four of them, including Deep Red | Three colors with signature being Cosmic Orange |
| Estimated much higher $1,300 starting price | $1,000 starting price for 128GB model |
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Design and Size
The iPhone 18 Pro is coming in four new colors | Image by Color renders by MacRumors
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to largely inherit last year's design with the big camera plateau on the back of the phone and the aluminum frame. The change from titanium on the 16 Pro to aluminum means that the device is now better at dissipating heat, which is great for more intense tasks like gaming.
There is a rumor about a very slight increase in thickness, and there might be slight tweaks to the look with new colors, but that's about it.
Both the 18 Pro and 16 Pro are rumored to come with the same full IP68 water and dust protection as all iPhones have had in the past few years.
And while the two share a 6.3-inch display size, the iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to feature a nearly 35% smaller Dynamic Island, and this would make for less of a distraction when you watch full-screen videos.
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 (~12.25 mm with camera bump) | |
| Weight | |
| 199.0 g | |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Change is also coming to the Camera Control button, which made its debut on the iPhone 16 series. Rumors claim the new iPhone 18 Pro Camera Control will no longer support gestures. Previously, you could swipe the Camera Control to zoom in and out, as well as control other camera functions, but those actions don't seem to be popular with users.
Display Differences
The iPhone 16 Pro and 18 Pro are both expected to feature the same 6.3 inch screen size (previously, the iPhone 15 Pro and earlier Pros used a 6.1-inch screen).
The 18 Pro will also likely inherit the 3,000-nit peak brightness of the 17 Pro, which in turn is an upgrade over the 2,000-nit bright 16 Pro. Put simply, the newer model will be a bit easier to use under the sun.
The 18 Pro is also expected to have the cool anti-reflective screen from the 17 Pro, as well as the new Ceramic Shield up front, which protects the glass from scratching.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.3-inch | 6.3-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 1-120Hz |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Some leaks also point to a new display panel for the iPhone 18 Pro with more efficient LTPO+ technology.
Performance and Software
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to arrive with the Apple A20 Pro chip, the company's first chip built on TSMC's 2nm node.
The 18 Pro will then inherit the 12GB RAM from the 17 Pro, but in either case, that's better than the 8GB of RAM on the iPhone 16 Pro. More RAM gives Apple more headroom for on-device AI.
This new A20 Pro chip is exciting because it's a jump in technology. At the same performance, TSMC estimates the new tech could deliver up to 30% better power efficiency.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5)/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB |
8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (NVMe) 8GB/256GB 8GB/512GB 8GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | iOS (18.x) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Apple will tie the iPhone 18 Pro release to the new iOS 27 software, but of course, that is also coming to all iPhones released in the past few years, including the iPhone 16 Pro.
We have a deep dive into all the new iOS 27 features here, so check that out to get the full software picture.
We are not entirely sure about the modem on the iPhone 18 Pro. Latest rumors suggest Apple will use different modems in different regions. The US version of the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to use a Qualcomm modem, which supports mmWave (a type of short-range, fast-speed 5G that is only used in the United States), while other markets are said to get Apple's in-house C2 modem, which supports all other required bands but not mmWave.
Camera
Variable aperture
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to have the camera plateau on the back with a triple camera system.
The big change, however, will be not just in looks.
The iPhone 18 Pro is said to be the first iPhone to have a variable aperture (previous iPhones use fixed apertures, and the iPhone 17 Pro has an f/1.78 fixed aperture). A variable aperture allows you control over how much light hits the lens. A wider aperture gets you more light and gives you a wider bokeh. The mechanical aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro might vary between f/1.6 and f/4, according to rumors.
The iPhone 18 Pro also inherits the 4X telephoto camera from the 17 Pro, and that one has a much bigger sensor and better quality than the 5X camera used on the 16 Pro.
The selfie camera on the iPhone 18 Pro is another feature carried over from the 17 Pro — it has a square sensor that allows for a software-based, one-tap switch between horizontal and vertical snaps. It should also support Dual Capture, where you record videos simultaneously with the front and rear cameras. The 16 Pro uses the older 12MP selfie camera.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX903 Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Ultra-wide) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX913 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 120 mm Sensor size: 1/3.06" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Battery Life and Charging
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max leaked battery sizes | Image by Screenshot from 3G certification database
We expect a tiny change in the iPhone 18 Pro battery size. But again, keep in mind that we expect to have two different battery sizes depending on the region. The US model of the iPhone 18 Pro will probably be eSIM only and have a slightly bigger battery size, while the European version is expected to have a physical SIM card but a slightly smaller battery.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 4288 mAh | 3582 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W | Wired: 27.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
As always, though, it's not just about the physical size of the battery, and those bug fixes and the up to 30% more efficient processor and LTPO+ tech might make a bigger difference.
The iPhone 18 Pro also inherits the improved 40W wired charging speeds from the 17 Pro, while the 16 Pro only tops up at 25W at most.
Both phones are projected to support MagSafe for wireless charging.
Specs Comparison
And here is a preliminary look at the iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro specs:
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro | Apple iPhone 16 Pro |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 (~12.25 mm with camera bump) | |
| Weight | |
| 199.0 g | |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.3-inch | 6.3-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 1-120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5)/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB |
8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (NVMe) 8GB/256GB 8GB/512GB 8GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | iOS (18.x) |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 4288 mAh | 3582 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W | Wired: 27.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX903 Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Ultra-wide) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX913 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 120 mm Sensor size: 1/3.06" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
If you take away the price component, the iPhone 18 Pro looks like a good upgrade for those who value camera improvements and want a slightly better battery life.
However, there is no big leap in any one component, if you ask me. In fact, for simple use and everyday photography, the 16 Pro will probably feel mostly the same, while being slimmer, lighter, and made of titanium.
So if you are happy with your iPhone 16 Pro, you might want to wait for next year's 2027 iPhone for more significant changes.
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