Apple has unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with CEO John Ternus leading his first iPhone launch as Apple chief executive. The launch moved quickly, with Apple getting its first major product reveal of the event out of the way in a short time.
Ternus used his first iPhone launch as CEO to explain Apple’s vision for artificial intelligence. He focused on how future devices should use AI to make everyday experiences more useful. His opening presentation echoed the style of Steve Jobs’ original iPhone launch, where Jobs first described what an ideal device should be like before revealing that the device was the iPhone.
The iPhone 18 Pro looks very similar to last year’s iPhone 17 Pro. Apple is adding two new colours to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup — glacier and burgundy. The iPhone 18 Pro will also come in a larger Pro Max version, giving customers a bigger-screen option. Apple says this can help prove the authenticity of photos taken with the iPhone 18 Pro. Apple claims its AI-powered Siri works with more than 300,000 apps. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip.
Apple has kept a familiar overall design instead of making a major visual change. Ternus asked how Apple would design the ideal version of a personal technology hub from scratch, saying the device should always be with the user and feel deeply personal. The new Siri can take action inside apps that users already have on their phones. The feature is designed to make Siri more useful for everyday tasks across different applications.
Ternus said Apple has made “massive advancements” in four major areas of the new iPhone: intelligence, performance, battery and camera. He said the ideal device should also be intelligent enough to bring useful AI to people at the moments when it matters most. “The new main camera securely signs photo data at a pixel level right at the time of capture,” an Apple presenter said. Apple says this also works with third-party apps. Apple says the processor has been redesigned for the new generation.
