Last year, Apple launched the iPhone 17 Pro with a striking design overhaul, meaningful upgrades to the telephoto and selfie cameras, and a ton of internal enhancements. With the addition of vapor-chamber cooling and a larger battery, performance and endurance have reached new highs for the Pro lineup.

Still, there’s ample room for refinement. Several core components of the iPhone 17 Pro have gone untouched for years, and their age is beginning to show. Fortunately, the iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to address some of these imperfections—and if the leaks materialize, skipping an upgrade this September may be harder than ever.

Next-gen Dynamic Island

When the iPhone 13 debuted with a smaller notch, iPhone 12, 11, and X models instantly looked dated in comparison. The display became more aesthetically pleasing and could accommodate more content. Likewise, when the iPhone 14 Pro introduced the interactive Dynamic Island, it felt significantly more futuristic compared to previous models’ notches. The same could happen later this year.

Foundry

The iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to shrink the display cutout by moving certain Face ID components under the display. If true, the centered cutout would retain the selfie camera, while other sensors could be concealed and shifted to the left. This would increase the immersion when consuming media and bring the iPhone a step closer to its idealistic glass-slab vision.

That’s not all, however. The iPhone 18 Pro could adopt Samsung Display’s most advanced panels, potentially increasing their brightness and efficiency. While the iPhone 17 Pro undoubtedly has an excellent display, its successor may rob it of its shine.

Variable aperture lens

If you’re a photography enthusiast, you’re likely aware of the iPhone camera’s physical constraints. While newer models can undeniably take stunning shots, they still can’t replace mirrorless cameras in professional contexts due to the limits dictated by their size and design. For example, iPhone lenses currently have a fixed aperture, which gives users little control over the depth of field. To push its limits, Apple could equip the iPhone 18 Pro with a variable aperture lens.

Foundry

The wide camera is rumored to adopt the aforementioned upgrade, adding a mechanical aspect to the lens. Users would be able to decide how much light gets through and control the bokeh effect. While Apple already lets you adjust the fake AI-enabled aperture effect when using Portrait mode, the controls are aren’t always precise. As such, the iPhone 18 Pro could noticeably outdo current models when opting for the main lens.

Current iPhone camera apertures are already as wide as they can go and shoot wide open all the time, so this wouldn’t be about better low-light photography or increased bokeh effect. Instead, it would offers some creative control, and importantly, let you match shutter speeds to video frame rates without overexposure, which is something smartphones struggle with today.

Refined exterior design

With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple redesigned the exterior shell, reducing its reliance on glass to improve durability. The metallic frame and remaining glass components, however, are not color-matched. As a result, the new back glass panel can appear plasticky—particularly on the orange and silver models. The iPhone 18 Pro could remedy this flaw by refining the finish of the glass back. This would potentially allow it to blend more seamlessly with the metal and present a uniform overall appearance.

Foundry

Otherwise, Apple is reportedly testing new color options for the iPhone 18 Pro, including purple, burgundy, and brown. That’s welcome news for those of us who found the orange jarring and would rather see more subtle choices. One would also hope for a black or gray edition this year, especially since the iPhone 17 Pro’s darkest finish was blue. Regardless, it’s safe to assume that the iPhone 18 Pro’s design will be more mature than that of its predecessor.

Upgraded chipsets

Chip bumps tend to be boring for those on an annual iPhone upgrade cycle, as the differences often go unnoticed. That may not be the case with the iPhone 18 Pro, however. Apple is reportedly set to transition from a 3nm to a 2nm manufacturing process this year, allowing more transistors to be packed into a tighter space. Consequently, the upcoming A20 Pro chip may be smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient than the iPhone 17 Pro’s A19 Pro chipset. This could help the device power more advanced features—AI and otherwise—while also delivering longer battery life.

Beyond the main processor, the iPhone 18 Pro could feature Apple’s unreleased C2 modem for cellular connectivity, which will almost certainly be less power-hungry than Qualcomm’s alternative.

Simplified Camera Control

Ever since the Camera Control button debuted, I’ve used it exclusively to launch the Camera app. After thorough testing, I realized its controls will never be faster or more intuitive than those on the iPhone’s screen. That’s not to mention its (now-disabled) touch-sensitive surface, which would often be triggered accidentally while holding my phone to shoot—throwing off my setup in the process.

Foundry

Fortunately, iPhone 18 models are rumored to introduce Camera Control 2.0. The reimagined button will reportedly drop touch sensitivity and rely exclusively on pressure to execute tasks. This should make it more practical to use, especially if it supports shooting via light clicks that don’t shake the device or ruin the composition. Camera Control 1.0 will not be missed.

Author: Mahmoud Itani, Contributor, Macworld