iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Main differences to expect
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Main differences to expect
https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/apple-iphone-18-pro-max-vs-iphone-17-pro-max_id7931
Publish Date: 2026-05-20 10:02:00
Source Domain: www.phonearena.com
This September, aside from John Ternus taking the helm, Apple will be announcing the iPhone 18 series. Naturally, as in most previous years, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be the crown jewel of the lineup.
As usual with Apple devices, the rumor mill is in full swing, giving us saucy tidbits of information about Cupertino’s next flagship phone. Aside from a new hero color, Dark Cherry, the most intriguing change of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be the smaller Dynamic Island due to some Face ID components going under the screen.
Other improvements include the annual chipset upgrade to the Apple A20 Pro chip, new variable aperture for the main camera, possibly a telephoto camera with a wider aperture, and finally, a larger battery in the back.
This is shaping up to be quite the generational improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max expected differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Improved camera plateau design language, possibly with rounded corners | The first camera plateau iteration with sharper corners |
| A more compact Dynamic Island | A regular Dynamic Island at the front |
| A more powerful 2nm Apple A20 Pro chip | Apple A19 Pro chipset, built on a 3nm manufacturing node |
| Apple C2 modem, offering improved efficiency | Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 modem on board |
| Up to 2TB of storage | A maximum of 1TB of storage |
| Variable aperture on main camera | Standard 48MP Fusion camera |
| Potentially wider aperture for the telephoto lens | F1.78 aperture for the telephoto camera |
| Even larger 5,200+ mAh battery | The largest battery (so far) on an iPhone at 5,088 mAh |
| No price increase for the base model, likely pricier higher tiers | A $1,199 starting price for the base model |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Perfecting the new design
We expect that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will mostly follow after the iPhone 17 Pro Max‘s design language. Expect an aluminum build and a flat design language.
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple will merely…
