Technology

Apple launches iPhone 18 Pro

Variable-aperture camera and A20 Pro chip headline first event under CEO John Ternus, Siri AI pitch arrives alongside higher prices

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Customers walk into the Apple Store Customers walk into the Apple Store nbcnews.com
iPhone 18 Pro will be available in four finishes: black, silver, glacier, and burgundy.Apple iPhone 18 Pro will be available in four finishes: black, silver, glacier, and burgundy.Apple nbcnews.com
Apple Reference Image provides users with an unalterable reference photo, visually confirming what the sensor saw at the moment of capture.Apple Apple Reference Image provides users with an unalterable reference photo, visually confirming what the sensor saw at the moment of capture.Apple nbcnews.com
Sarah Perez Sarah Perez techcrunch.com

Apple unveils iPhone 18 Pro with variable-aperture camera, first launch under CEO John Ternus adds on-device Siri AI pitch, premium pricing rises as Apple sells the phone as an AI hub

Apple on Wednesday introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its fall “Surprise and Shine” event in Cupertino, keeping the outward design largely unchanged while reworking the camera and silicon, according to TechCrunch. The headline hardware change is a 48-megapixel camera with a variable aperture using six thin blades, paired with expanded “pro” controls in the camera app such as white balance, shutter speed, aperture and a histogram. Apple also said the phones can record 4K video in Dolby HDR Vision and apply cinematic effects after footage is captured.

The launch doubled as a leadership moment. NBC News notes it was the first major product presentation led by John Ternus since he replaced Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, with Cook moving to executive chairman. On stage, Apple framed the iPhone not just as a camera and communications device but as the default endpoint for consumer AI: Ternus argued the “best AI device is still the iPhone,” and described the ideal AI product as an “intelligent personal hub” that is always with the user, has strong on-device processing, and can reach cloud models when needed.

That positioning helps explain why Apple’s AI story is being shipped as an iOS feature rather than as a new gadget category. TechCrunch reports Apple introduced a new Siri AI with contextual on-screen intelligence, initially in English beta with the iOS 27 rollout this month, with additional languages planned later. The pitch is that more inference runs on-device “whenever possible,” a privacy claim Apple uses to distinguish itself from rivals that rely more heavily on server-side processing and data retention.

Underneath the software narrative, Apple is still selling physics. Both phones use the A20 Pro chip and include a newly designed vapor chamber for cooling, changes aimed at sustained performance rather than short bursts. Apple also highlighted battery redesigns and longer video playback figures, and said the front “dynamic range island” is smaller, allowing three live activities to be tracked at once instead of two.

The other constant is price discipline. TechCrunch lists the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299, which it describes as $100 more than last year’s devices. NBC’s reporting describes the changes as incremental in the context of a mature smartphone market where foldables remain a niche despite years of hype and where competitors, including Chinese brands, are pushing premium price points even higher.

Pre-orders begin Saturday, with availability set for September 18. Apple’s new CEO used his first iPhone launch to argue that the AI era does not require a new form factor—only a more expensive version of the existing one.