The arrival of the first Pro Max iPhone model in 2018 set a new standard for just how big an iPhone could be as well as how much Apple charged. That's likely to change in 2026 with the arrival of the iPhone Fold, though the anticipated launch of that phone doesn't make the iPhone 18 Pro Max any less important to Apple's phone plans for the new year.
So what exactly are we expecting from the iPhone 18 Pro Max? With the phone looking like it's going to come out during Apple's usual September launch window, definitive rumors are still taking shape. Nevertheless, here's what leakers and the rumor mill have told us so far.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Specifications
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | iPhone 18 Pro Max (rumored) | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
Display size | 6.9 inches | 6.9 inches |
Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
Chipset | Apple A20 Pro | Apple A19 Pro |
Memory | 12GB | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
Rear cameras | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP periscope telephoto (4x zoom) | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP periscope telephoto (4x zoom) |
Front camera | 18MP (with underscreen Face ID) | 18MP |
Battery size | ~5,100mAh | 5,088mAh |
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Possible release date and price rumors
Apple is reportedly planning on mixing up its release schedule in 2026, with no regular iPhone 18 showing up until 2027. But this shouldn’t impact the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which is expected to launch alongside its smaller Pro sibling, an iPhone Air 2 and the iPhone Fold at some point in September.
It’s a little early to know whether Apple is planning any price hikes for its 2026 Pro Max model. While the regular Pro version went up $100 in 2025, the iPhone 17 Pro Max retained its $1,199 starting price, keeping it $100 under the rival Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
If Samsung spikes its prices early next year, we could see Apple following suit, but this is pure speculation for now. That said, some Apple watchers have suggested that iPhone price hikes will be hard to avoid, due to the ongoing RAM shortage.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Design and display
Apple is fresh off the back of a redesign with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, so it's unlikely that its successor will alter the design language much. That said, there is talk of softening the two-tone styling which proved somewhat divisive on release.
Beyond that, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is going to be substantially heavier, according to the leaker Instant Digital. On Weibo, the tipster wrote that the phone will be around 10g weightier than the 233g iPhone 17 Pro Max, making it the heaviest Apple handset ever (although that will likely be short-lived if the iPhone Fold arrives at the same time, as expected).
While the leaker doesn’t give any reason for the added heft, it seems likely that it’s either for a larger battery, a more advanced camera array or a combination of the two. Either way, it’s certainly going to make the difference between the 165g iPhone Air and the hefty Pro Max more stark.
There’s also talk of Apple continuing on its ongoing mission to reduce the Face ID cutout on the front of the phone. Face ID is set to be moved under the screen, with the punch-hole camera possibly to be relocated to the top left of the screen.
As for the screen itself, expect the iPhone 18 Pro Max to retain the same 6.9-inch size that Apple has used since the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Finally, a new generation of iPhones means new color choices. While these aren’t likely to be confirmed until much closer to that rumored September launch, reports suggest Apple is testing Burgundy, Purple and Coffee Brown shades for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. (The Pro and Pro Max would likely come in the same colors.)
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Performance
A new generation of iPhones means a new Apple-branded chipset powering things, and the advancement to A20 Pro figures to be especially excited. Not only is the A20 Pro set to be the first Apple chip built to the 2nm process, but it’s also reportedly using WMCM packaging, otherwise known or “Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module."
The impact of both changes is essentially the same: a chip that’s smaller and thus both more powerful and energy efficient. The A19 Pro is no slouch, but the A20 Pro could deliver a bigger boost to performance and efficiency then we usually see in an annual upgrade. And it might be especially helpful in boosting Apple Intelligence.
One other rumored improvement is the introduction of Apple’s own modem to its Pro phones. While Apple has done this before with the iPhone 16e (the C1) and the iPhone Air (the C2), Pro models have used a Qualcomm chipset until now. Judging from past implementations, this should lead to yet more improvements on the battery life front.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Cameras
In the past, Apple’s big camera improvements have been reserved for the iPhone Pro models. For 2026, one change will reportedly be purely for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with the regular Pro missing out: a variable aperture camera.
That’s big news for photography buffs, allowing users to adjust the amount of light entering the camera lens. While the past three iPhone Pro handsets have had a fixed f/1.78 aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro Max would make the setting adjustable for far more flexibility when you shoot.
iPhone 18 Pro Max users could adapt the camera to its surroundings, reducing the amount of light in bright conditions and increasing it in trickier dark environments. A variable aperture could also provide greater control over depth of field. It's a feature that definitely justifies the “Pro” moniker, given that variable aperture more commonly appears in professional DSLR cameras (though Samsung experimented it with the Galaxy S9 and S10 before it was retired).
It might seem odd to make a key photography feature exclusive to the Pro Max, but it wouldn’t be the first time Apple has done something like this. The 5x telephoto lens was only available on board the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and not the iPhone 15 Pro, for example.
Beyond that, we don’t have specifics on the camera specs, leading us to assume more of the same from the iPhone 17 Pro Max setup. Still, there is one other expected change on the photography front. The Camera Control button will apparently be simplified, with capacitive functionality removed, leaving only a pressure sensor. That’s not good for fans of the feature, but better than the original rumor, which was that the Camera Control feature was to be removed altogether.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Outlook
At the moment, the outlook for the iPhone 18 Pro Max is somewhat blurry. That’s unsurprising given how far out we are from the phone's release. But the picture will become clear over time, and we’ll continue to update this piece as more details come into view.
Even now, there are reasons for Apple enthusiasts to be excited. The A20 Pro chip could offer huge speed improvements, and the variable rate aperture could be great for photographers. Plus, everything we know so far — from the efficiency improvements of the main chipset and modem to the thicker body — suggest that this could be a stamina beast.
In other words, there are plenty of reasons to keep a close eye on what develops between now and September on the iPhone 18 Pro Max rumor front.
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