iPhone 18 Pro Max design leaks suggests there is good news and some bad news
Apple's next Pro iPhones could last longer on a single charge. The trade-off? A slightly chunkier design, with both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max tipped to gain a bit of extra thickness.
Apple's next flagship iPhone may feel heavier in your pocket. And no, we're not talking about a possible price hike. If the latest rumours are anything to go by, the much-anticipated iPhone 18 Pro Max could finally get a significantly larger battery and noticeably longer battery life. That's certainly the good news. The catch, however, is that Apple may have to make the phone slightly thicker and heavier to fit it all in. And it's not just the Pro Max. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro could also become thicker, although in its case the change is believed to be driven largely by upgrades to the camera system.
According to a latest report by Chinese tipster Ice Universe, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could pack a 5,500mAh battery. For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is said to feature a 5,088mAh battery. Separate regulatory listings in China and the US have also reportedly revealed battery capacities of 5,391mAh and 5,567mAh, respectively, suggesting an increase of nearly 500mAh over the current model.
The bigger battery may come with a trade-off. According to Ice Universe, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could become slightly heavier and chunkier, measuring around 9mm thick and weighing about 240g. If accurate, that would make it roughly 0.25mm thicker and around 7g heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which measures 8.75mm thick and weighs 233g.
Another recent report has also suggested Apple could adopt a new stainless steel vapour chamber cooling system, which may contribute to the increase in thickness and weight. While earlier rumours claimed the iPhone 18 Pro Max could become Apple's heaviest iPhone ever, it's worth noting that the iPhone 14 Pro Max also weighed 240g. If these leaks prove accurate, the real-world difference may not be particularly noticeable.
Meanwhile, the smaller iPhone 18 Pro could also receive a thicker design, although for a different reason. Weibo-based tipster Fixed Focus Digital claims the phone will retain the aluminium alloy frame introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro but feature a thicker frame and a larger camera module. The tipster also cited alleged supplier leaks from Tata Electronics that point to a thicker overall profile, claiming the increase could be as much as 2mm compared with the previous generation.
There are, however, conflicting explanations for the design changes. One earlier leak from the same tipster suggested the extra thickness on the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be limited to the rear camera bump rather than the entire chassis. That means it remains unclear whether Apple plans to make the whole phone thicker or simply redesign the camera housing.
Apart from the design changes, the iPhone 18 Pro is also rumoured to bring notable hardware upgrades. Previous leaks have pointed to a triple 48-megapixel rear camera system, comprising primary, ultra-wide and telephoto sensors, along with a variable aperture for the main camera. The phone is also expected to be powered by Apple's 2nm A20 chip.
As for the launch, Apple is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this September, alongside the company's first foldable iPhone. As always, these details are based on leaks and remain unconfirmed, so it's best to take them with a pinch of salt until Apple makes the announcement official.
Apple's next flagship iPhone may feel heavier in your pocket. And no, we're not talking about a possible price hike. If the latest rumours are anything to go by, the much-anticipated iPhone 18 Pro Max could finally get a significantly larger battery and noticeably longer battery life. That's certainly the good news. The catch, however, is that Apple may have to make the phone slightly thicker and heavier to fit it all in. And it's not just the Pro Max. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro could also become thicker, although in its case the change is believed to be driven largely by upgrades to the camera system.
According to a latest report by Chinese tipster Ice Universe, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could pack a 5,500mAh battery. For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is said to feature a 5,088mAh battery. Separate regulatory listings in China and the US have also reportedly revealed battery capacities of 5,391mAh and 5,567mAh, respectively, suggesting an increase of nearly 500mAh over the current model.
The bigger battery may come with a trade-off. According to Ice Universe, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could become slightly heavier and chunkier, measuring around 9mm thick and weighing about 240g. If accurate, that would make it roughly 0.25mm thicker and around 7g heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which measures 8.75mm thick and weighs 233g.
Another recent report has also suggested Apple could adopt a new stainless steel vapour chamber cooling system, which may contribute to the increase in thickness and weight. While earlier rumours claimed the iPhone 18 Pro Max could become Apple's heaviest iPhone ever, it's worth noting that the iPhone 14 Pro Max also weighed 240g. If these leaks prove accurate, the real-world difference may not be particularly noticeable.
Meanwhile, the smaller iPhone 18 Pro could also receive a thicker design, although for a different reason. Weibo-based tipster Fixed Focus Digital claims the phone will retain the aluminium alloy frame introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro but feature a thicker frame and a larger camera module. The tipster also cited alleged supplier leaks from Tata Electronics that point to a thicker overall profile, claiming the increase could be as much as 2mm compared with the previous generation.
There are, however, conflicting explanations for the design changes. One earlier leak from the same tipster suggested the extra thickness on the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be limited to the rear camera bump rather than the entire chassis. That means it remains unclear whether Apple plans to make the whole phone thicker or simply redesign the camera housing.
Apart from the design changes, the iPhone 18 Pro is also rumoured to bring notable hardware upgrades. Previous leaks have pointed to a triple 48-megapixel rear camera system, comprising primary, ultra-wide and telephoto sensors, along with a variable aperture for the main camera. The phone is also expected to be powered by Apple's 2nm A20 chip.
As for the launch, Apple is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this September, alongside the company's first foldable iPhone. As always, these details are based on leaks and remain unconfirmed, so it's best to take them with a pinch of salt until Apple makes the announcement official.
