iPhone 18 Pro review: Big camera update, small gains

Key Points:

• Apple has launched the iPhone 18 Pro, which is very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro, including compatibility with the same cases, and offers mostly incremental improvements rather than revolutionary changes.
• The standout new hardware feature is a moving aperture in the main camera, allowing variable aperture settings (f/1.48 to f/4) for better control over light and depth of field, though the benefits are generally subtle for most users.
• For the first time, Apple’s native camera app includes manual exposure controls such as aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and focus, catering to more hands-on photographers, with the option to capture less-processed images.
• The iPhone 18 Pro introduces Reference Image technology to verify photo authenticity using encrypted sensor data, aiming to combat photo tampering, and also features improved video focus tracking and post-capture cinematic video conversion.
• The phone starts at $1,199 with a $100 price increase over the previous model, includes the new A20 Pro chip with better thermal management, an in-house C2 modem, a smaller Dynamic Island, and benefits from the new iOS 17 update with an enhanced AI-powered Siri.