Apple has officially announced a special event for September 9 (local time), which means the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the company's first foldable iPhone are finally just around the corner[1]. This year also brings a major lineup shakeup, with the standard models reportedly pushed back to spring 2027. In this article, we organize the major iPhone 18 series leaks circulating just before the announcement, covering the chip, design, camera, and pricing. Note that all of this remains unconfirmed information ahead of Apple's official announcement.

The Event Is Officially Set for September 9

Apple announced that it will hold an event starting at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, September 9 (2 a.m. on September 10 Japan time)[1]. Three models are expected to headline the event: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a new foldable model tentatively called the "iPhone Ultra." Also widely expected are the Apple Watch Series 12, rumored to gain a ceramic case option, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 in two versions, with and without noise cancellation[1].

Lineup Shakeup: Pro Models and the Foldable Go First, Standard Model Waits Until Spring 2027

The biggest change this year is the split release schedule. Until now, four models launched together in September, but in 2026 the Pro models and the foldable will go first in the fall, while the standard iPhone 18, the budget iPhone 18e, and the iPhone Air 2 are expected to arrive in spring 2027[2].

The foldable iPhone Ultra is reported to feature a 7.7-inch inner display and a 5.3-inch outer display, dual rear cameras, and Touch ID integrated into the power button[1]. However, leaker information suggests supply will be quite limited at launch[3], so it may be hard to get.

Pre-orders are expected to open on Friday, September 11, with the release likely on Friday, September 18[4]. This timing matches Apple's usual release schedule.

A Smaller Dynamic Island and Under-Display Face ID

The most talked-about change to the iPhone 18 Pro's exterior is a smaller Dynamic Island. According to leaker Ice Universe, the width on the iPhone 18 Pro Max will shrink from 20.76mm to 13.49mm, a reduction of about 35 percent[5]. This is said to be achieved by moving the Face ID flood illuminator under the display, and if realized, the screen-to-body ratio would approach 98 percent[5].

The display itself is expected to remain a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED with ProMotion, unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro[5]. The overall design, including the camera plateau, is not expected to change much either, making this a generation where the front of the device sees most of the changes.

A 2nm A20 Pro and Apple's Own C2 Modem

The internal upgrades are solid. The A20 Pro chip will be the first iPhone chip manufactured on TSMC's 2nm process[3]. Leaker Fixed Focus Digital claims up to 18 percent faster performance and up to 30 percent better power efficiency compared to the A19 Pro[3]. On the other hand, manufacturing costs are high: one report puts the A20 Pro's per-unit cost at around 280 USD (about 45,000 yen), roughly 1.8 times the previous generation[5].

On the connectivity side, AppleInsider reports that Apple has prepared two logic board variants[5]. US models will use a Qualcomm modem with mmWave support, while other regions (likely including Japan) will get Apple's own C2 modem. The in-house modem that debuted in the iPhone Air is finally expanding to the Pro series.

The Camera Highlight Is a Variable Aperture, But It May Be Pro Max Exclusive

The camera headline is a variable aperture for the main camera. Because it can physically adjust how much light comes in, it promises better night photography and less blown-out highlights in daylight[5]. Component production began in April 2026, with China's Sunny Optical and Luxshare ICT reportedly handling the actuators and LG Innotek producing the camera modules[5].

However, recent leaks suggest the variable aperture may be exclusive to the Pro Max this year[1]. If you are deciding between the Pro and Pro Max based on the camera, you will want to watch the announcement closely. In addition, the Camera Control button is rumored to be simplified to a capacitive design[1].

Price, Battery, and Colors

Pricing is the big question. Citing rising costs for the 2nm chip and memory, some predict a price increase of 200 to 300 USD (about 32,000 to 48,000 yen)[5]. In Japan, where the weak yen persists, the increase may feel even larger. This author can only hope the prediction turns out to be wrong.

Battery capacity for the US model is expected to be 4,288mAh, a mere 0.85 percent increase over the iPhone 17 Pro's 4,252mAh[5]. Four colors are considered likely: Dark Cherry (deep red), Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver[5]. The addition of a red tone, absent from recent Pro models, is a welcome point for upgraders.

※1 USD = 159 JPY (as of August 27, 2026)

Summary

The iPhone 18 Pro looks set to be a generation defined by internal advances: the 2nm A20 Pro, a smaller Dynamic Island, a variable aperture camera, and Apple's own C2 modem. With the lineup shakeup pushing the standard models to spring 2027, this fall's choices come down to the Pro models and the foldable iPhone Ultra. Whether the rumored price hike becomes reality will be answered at the event, starting at 2 a.m. on September 10 Japan time.

Source: [1] https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/26/apple-event-announced-six-new-products/

Source: [2] https://xmobile.ne.jp/sim-review-lab/iphone18-release-date/

Source: [3] https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/17/iphone-18-pro-and-iphone-ultra-rumors/

Source: [4] https://all-connect.co.jp/magazine/iphone_18/

Source: [5] https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/08/07/iphone-18-pro-rumor-roundup-2nm-a20-chip-c2-modem-under-display-face-id