Apple launches iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max as AI hub

Apple has launched the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, its most powerful phones yet, designed to serve as a central AI hub for users' lives, with pre-orders opening September 12 and availability from September 18. The base iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, a $100 increase over the previous model due to a memory chip supply shortage. The phones feature a new A20 Pro chip with up to 40 percent better GPU performance, dramatically improved battery life up to 45 hours, and significant camera upgrades including a variable aperture. The devices arrive with a redesigned Siri and iOS 27, plus a new "Apple Reference Image" feature to combat fake AI images. Externally, the phones look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro but come in new colors, including black, silver, light blue, and burgundy.