The Verge: The iPhone's big update is all about tiny changes

Allison Johnson

SENIOR REVIEWER

Subscribe for full access

Last week, Apple announced an iPhone unlike any it has made in the past. An iPhone that has seemingly already led several other phone manufacturers to pursue entirely different designs for their flagship products. A remarkably distinct device with the kind of “I can’t believe they did that” software touches that Apple sometimes pulls off when it’s at the top of its game.

That phone is not the iPhone 18 Pro.

The 18 Pro and Pro Max are in the unusual position of being the second-most interesting iPhones that Apple is launching this year. The foldable iPhone Duo stole the show at Apple’s launch event, but it’s not arriving until next month. In the meantime, the 18 Pro cometh, and it is extremely familiar even with a totally new hardware feature in the camera.

It is so similar to the iPhone 17 Pro that it can use the same cases. Have you used an iPhone 17 Pro? Great, you now know what it’s like to use the 18 Pro. There are no surprises, and unless you’re a truly committed smartphone photographer, no hugely compelling reason to pick an 18 Pro over a 17 Pro if you can find one on sale. It’s what we’ve come to expect from what

was

the flagship iPhone: excellent and utterly iterative.

Read the full review

Subscribe to The Verge for just $2 per month for the first 3 months

More in Apple

The Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable era

By Victoria Song

A surprisingly consequential update for the world’s most popular smartwatch.

Why Apple’s next computer should be for the smart home

By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

After the “intelligent personal hub,” Apple needs to build the intelligent home hub.

The iPhone Duo’s hardware doesn’t look special, but its software might be

By Dominic Preston

Android foldables have done most of this before, but rarely looked so good doing it.

The premium Air Pods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made

By John.Higgins

The $149 Air Pods 5 with Wireless Charging Case have great ANC and finally add swipe volume controls.

and our

Terms of Service

is a part of PMX Global, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation.

https://link.theverge.com/oc/6a 64242f 312d 64bfbd 0cff 70sbaxf.2uam/341cd 74d