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Apple iPhone 18 Pro may get thicker, but for a good reason
The iPhone 18 Pro could be thicker than its predecessor, with leaks pointing to a larger battery and a variable-aperture camera
- PUBLISHED: Sun 5 Jul 2026, 3:25 PM
Apple may be preparing to make the iPhone 18 Pro noticeably thicker than its predecessor, but the extra bulk could bring meaningful upgrades in two areas that matter most to users: camera performance and battery life.
According to new leaks shared by Chinese tipsters and widely reported by several Apple-focused publications, the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to measure somewhere between 9.9mm and 10.9mm thick. If accurate, that would be a significant increase over the 8.75mm profile of the current iPhone 17 Pro models.
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While Apple has not confirmed the dimensions, the reported change aligns with earlier supply-chain rumours suggesting the company is prioritising hardware improvements over making its flagship phones thinner.
The biggest reason appears to be the camera.
Multiple reports, including those from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, have pointed to Apple introducing a variable-aperture main camera on the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. The feature would allow users to adjust how much light enters the camera lens, offering greater creative control over depth of field and potentially improving low-light photography.
The thicker chassis is also expected to make room for larger batteries.
Current rumours suggest the iPhone 18 Pro could feature a battery of around 4,288mAh, while the Pro Max may jump to approximately 5,567mAh, which is larger than the battery found in Samsung's latest flagship Galaxy Ultra models if the leaks prove accurate.
Beyond the hardware changes, the iPhone 18 Pro is widely expected to debut Apple's next-generation A20 Pro chip built on a 2-nanometre process, a redesigned rear glass panel that blends more seamlessly with the frame, and a smaller Dynamic Island, with some Face ID components reportedly moving beneath the display.
Apple is also tipped to expand the rollout of its in-house cellular modem, reducing its reliance on Qualcomm in selected markets.
As always, these details remain unofficial until Apple unveils the iPhone 18 lineup, which is widely expected to happen during its annual September event.
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