Apple is all set to unveil the iPhone 18 series by the end of 2026, and we've already seen a few details about the series bubble up. A new leak now reveals the potential battery capacity of the iPhone 18 Pro and yes, we will be getting an upgrade this year.
iPhone 18 Pro Could Get a Minuscule Battery Upgrade
According to a post from prominent tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the iPhone 18 Pro could arrive with a 4,288mAh battery in the USA, while the Chinese version could stick to a 4,056mAh cell. This accounts for less than a 1% increase in the overall capacity compared to the iPhone 17 Pro.
While the new capacities are far from surprising, it reveals a massive detail that Apple is sticking to SIM cards in the China variants of the phones, while the US variants are expected to stick to eSIM-only. In addition, the leak also confirms iPhone 18 Pro will use Apple A20 Pro, which is built on TSMC's 2nm N2 process.
In addition to the upgrade, the leak also confirms a significant camera upgrade. The iPhone 18 Pro camera is set to receive a variable aperture lens with a 48 MP primary camera. This should allow users to control the amount of light entering the camera sensor.
Apple May Still Absorb the Price Increases
However, DCS also suggests that these hardware improvements may come at a financial cost to consumers. The leak points out that due to the volume of advanced components and the existing RAM crisis, Apple may raise the prices of the iPhone 18 series.
However, with Apple choosing to absorb the rising costs of its existing iPhone 17 lineup, the brand doing the same with the iPhone 18 series isn't far-fetched. In the end, Apple could absorb the prices of the iPhone 18 series to capture a wider market share.
In a reply to one of the user comments below, DCS shed more light on the rest of Apple's upcoming portfolio. When asked about the battery iterations, he noted that the premium Pro Max could breach the 5,000mAh+ mark yet again. This, again, likely refers to the eSIM-only variants.
Finally, someone also asked about the release timeline of Apple's upcoming iPhone Fold, and the tipster confirmed it could happen in September 2026. Apple WWDC 26 is scheduled for next week, where the brand will also reveal the new AI features coming to iOS 27, which the iPhone 18 series will arrive with, out of the box.
Beyond the iPhone 18 series, recent rumours have pointed toward Apple potentially skipping the iPhone 19 series, jumping to the iPhone 20 to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Potential iPhone 20 renders have already leaked, suggesting a major redesign, including a quad-curved display, button-less chassis and a revamped camera bar with under-display Face ID.
