According to a new leak, next year’s iPhone 18 Pro Max could be the heaviest and thickest Apple phone ever
Regular leakmaven Instant Digital posted about the weight and girth on Weibo, suggesting that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be 10 grams heavier. For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro Max weighs in at 233 grams (0.51 lbs), putting the new phones at 243 grams..
Additionally, it’s implied that next year’s Pro Max will be thicker than the current model, although exact numbers weren’t provided to support this claim. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is 8.8mm (0.34 inches) thick.
Instant Digital hints that disappointing iPhone Air sales have convinced Apple that customers don’t care about thinness but rather what’s under the hood.
What do we know about the iPhone 18 Pro Max?
It’s early in the cycle for the rumor mill to truly start cranking, but we have seen some leaks about the iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, the current rumors don’t completely explain why the most expensive iPhone will be bigger.
An earlier leak claimed that new Face ID technology will be hidden beneath the screen, ditching the Dynamic Island. Depending on how it's implemented, this new technology could take up more space.
The entire iPhone 18 lineup is expected to use new 2nm chips that should be smaller and more efficient than the current 3nm A19 processors.
All about the cameras
It’s the cameras where we’ve seen the most iPhone 18 rumors. According to ET News, the Pro models will feature variable aperture, allowing photographers to adjust the amount of light entering the lens.
Additionally, the Camera Control button, introduced with the iPhone 16, is reportedly being degraded to save costs. It may only include pressure-sensing functionality and not capacitive as well. At one point, it was even rumored that Apple wanted to scrap the button altogether.
Those are all important upgrades, and when combined, could lead to more weight. Individually, they seem designed to take up less space, other than the variable aperture, which could alter the camera lenses.
Apple reportedly plans to split the release of the iPhone 18 series, with the Pro models and the much-rumored iPhone Fold launching in September 2026. Meanwhile, the basic model could be held back for a Spring 2027 debut, alongside the iPhone 18e.
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