Besides the all-new iPhone Duo, Apple has officially launched the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. While the design remain mostly unchanged, the latest iPhone Pro models introduce a new variable aperture main camera, new A20 Pro chip, improved thermal management and longer battery life.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max retain their 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR displays respectively, but Apple has redesigned the Dynamic Island to take up less space while allowing it to display up to three Live Activities at the same time.
While the foldable passport-sized iPhone Duo is set to arrive in Malaysia next month, the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup will be available on our shores next Friday.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Malaysia pricing and availability
Here is the official iPhone 18 Pro series in Malaysia:
iPhone 18 Pro
- 256GB – RM5,499
- 512GB – RM6,499
- 1TB – RM8,499
- 2TB – RM11,499
iPhone 18 Pro Max
- 256GB – RM5,999
- 512GB – RM6,999
- 1TB – RM8,999
- 2TB – RM11,999
Both models are available in four colours – Burgundy, Glacier, Silver and Black.
Consumers in Malaysia can place their pre-order for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max from 8pm on Saturday, 12 September. Both devices will be officially available in Malaysia next Friday, 18 September.
Interestingly, the 256GB and 512GB variants retain the same pricing as last year’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
However, moving up to the higher storage options will cost significantly more. The 1TB models cost RM1,000 more than their predecessors, while the 2TB versions are RM2,000 more.
For the first time, Apple is also offering the smaller iPhone 18 Pro with up to 2TB of storage. Previously, the 2TB storage option was limited to the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
What’s new with iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max?
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max continue to feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays respectively.
The biggest change is the smaller Dynamic Island. The redesign allows the Dynamic Island to take up less space and it can now display up to three Live Activities simultaneously while retaining Face ID.
Under the hood, both iPhone 18 Pro models are powered by the new A20 Pro chip, which is built on a 2nm process.
The A20 Pro features a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine with a total of 32 cores. Apple says the chip has 50 percent more memory bandwidth compared to the A19 Pro, while its GPU is up to 40 percent faster.
Apple has also made significant changes to its the thermal management system. The A20 Pro package connects directly to a next-generation vapour chamber with three times more surface area than the system used on the iPhone 17 Pro.
According to Apple, the new thermal solution enables up to 40 percent higher sustained performance compared to the previous generation.
The iPhone 18 Pro series still retains a triple-camera system. Both models feature a triple 48MP Fusion camera system consisting of a 48MP Fusion Main camera, 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and 48MP Fusion Telephoto that offers a range from 0.5x to 8x optical zoom options.
The biggest update is a new variable aperture system for the 48MP main camera which is a first for an iPhone. It uses six blades to adjust the aperture depending on lighting conditions and the required depth of field. The aperture can switch from f/1.48 for low-light photography to f/4 to keep more subjects in focus. The aperture selection is typically handled automatically and users can also adjust it manually from four aperture settings.
Apple is also introducing new Pro controls in the Camera app. Besides aperture, users can manually adjust shutter speed and white balance, while a histogram can be displayed to monitor exposure. This works for both photos and videos.
Another new photography feature is Apple Reference Image. When Reference mode is enabled, the camera can capture signed sensor data which is processed into an unalterable reference image.
The reference image can then be compared with the finished photo in the Photos app to determine whether changes have been made. Apple says APIs will also be available for third-party apps to view these reference images.
For video, Apple has added the ability to apply Cinematic effects after recording for videos captured at up to 60fps. Time-lapse video can now also be recorded in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR.
Photographic Styles have been upgraded with new texture and grain controls, while Audio Mix gets updated algorithms and the ability to isolate music.
Another huge upgrade is its battery life as the iPhone 18 Pro is rated for up to 34 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max offers up to 43 hours. By comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is rated at up to 37 hours of video playback.
As a result, Apple describes the iPhone 18 Pro Max as having the best battery life of any Pro iPhone to date.
Charging is made faster as well as the iPhone 18 Pro can reach 50% charge in around 15 minutes with a compatible 60W USB-C cable and a compatible USB PD3.1 power adapter. Meanwhile, wireless charging can reach 50% in approximately 30 minutes.
For wireless connectivity, the iPhone 18 Pro models use Apple’s N1 chip with support for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread.
Cellular connectivity is handled by Apple’s new C2 modem system which claims to provide faster uploads compared to C1X while consuming 15 percent less energy.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max ship with iOS 27 out of the box, which will also be rolled out to compatible iPhones on 14 September.
