iPhone 18 Pro Max leak: Why Apple is delaying its biggest feature until 2027

Apple’s next iPhone cycle may look surprisingly familiar. New leaks suggest that the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup could stick closely to the design language of the current generation, despite earlier speculation that Apple might finally shake things up on the front of its premium devices.

Recent reports indicate that Apple isn’t planning a dramatic aesthetic refresh for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Instead, the company could continue using the same manufacturing moulds introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro series.

A post shared by well-known tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo claims the existing production tooling will be reused, which means the front design is unlikely to change in any meaningful way. As a result, Apple’s Dynamic Island feature may remain exactly as it is today, with the same size and shape, rather than shrinking or disappearing.

According to fresh details shared by tipster Ice Universe, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could measure 8.8mm in thickness. That would make it marginally thicker than the 8.75mm profile of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while still being noticeably bulkier than the 8.25mm body of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Moreover, Apple might abandon the Dynamic Island in favour of a new layout. One idea floating around involved a hole-punch camera cutout positioned in the upper-left corner of the display.

That approach was reportedly being considered alongside an under-display infrared sensor for Face ID, which would have allowed Apple to hide more components beneath the screen. Other rumours even hinted at a smaller Dynamic Island paired with an invisible infrared sensor.

However, the latest information suggests these more ambitious changes may have been pushed further down Apple’s roadmap, potentially arriving with the iPhone 19 Pro instead.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are widely tipped to run on Apple’s A20 Pro chipset, which could be built using a 2-nanometre manufacturing process. The chip may also feature a new packaging method that integrates key components, including RAM, CPU, GPU and the Neural Engine, onto the same wafer, a move that could improve speed, energy efficiency and thermal performance.

Camera improvements are also on the table. Leaks suggest the main sensor could receive a larger aperture, which would allow more light to enter and potentially enhance low-light photography.

Meanwhile, the Pro Max model may get a sizeable battery boost, with rumours pointing to a capacity that could exceed 5,000mAh, a change that might translate to noticeably longer battery life.

In short, while the exterior may not look drastically different this year, Apple’s next Pro iPhones could still deliver meaningful upgrades where it matters most: performance, imaging and endurance.