Overview
- Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, which opened on 12 September, are available from Apple, major retailers and carriers with initial deliveries scheduled to start on 18 September and a wider second wave from 25 September.
- Apple raised base prices: the iPhone 18 Pro starts at €1,449 and the 18 Pro Max at €1,599, older iPhone models were bumped as well, and the new foldable iPhone Duo begins at about €2,299; Apple says the increases reflect a global storage shortage driven by booming AI demand.
- The Pro models introduce clear hardware changes, including a 48‑MP main camera with a variable aperture, the 2 nm A20 Pro chip for stronger sustained performance and on‑device AI, a next‑generation vapor chamber cooling system, and notably longer battery life on the Pro Max.
- The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable and positions as a premium alternative that makes tradeoffs: it omits Face ID in favor of a side‑button Touch ID, lacks the Action Button, has a weaker telephoto setup than the Pro line, and delivers shorter battery life when unfolded.
- Region and logistics differences are key for buyers because Apple is shifting some devices toward eSIM‑only in select models and markets, is using different modem suppliers across models and regions, and has added financing and upgrade plans to blunt consumer sticker shock while the standard iPhone 18 is expected to arrive in spring 2027.