Thinking of upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro Max? Here are 5 rumoured changes that could arrive in Apple’s next Pro Max model, based on reports rather than confirmed specs.
If you're sitting on an iPhone 17 Pro Max and the new one is calling your name anyway, here's the honest version of what's actually changing. It's not one flashy headline feature doing the work here. It's five smaller changes that, if the rumours land the way the tech world thinks they will, add up to a genuinely different phone. Here's what's pointing toward September 9.
Everything below is drawn from supply chain reporting and analyst tracking ahead of the 9 September announcement (1:00 AM on 10 September, Malaysia time). Official specs are confirmed on stage. That said, the sources behind these signals, Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and Tom's Guide's reporting, have a solid history of tracking Apple hardware ahead of announcements.
This is the camera story of the year. Based on multiple supply chain reports, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's sourcing from Sunny Optical and Largan Precision, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the leading candidate to finally bring variable aperture to an iPhone camera. In practice, that means the lens opens wider for low-light shots (thinner depth of field, blurrier backgrounds) and narrows down for landscapes or detail shots where you want everything in focus. It's the kind of creative control that used to be a strictly DSLR conversation. A few Android flagships already have it, and this could finally be iPhone's turn.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is tracking toward a 5,321 to 5,567 mAh battery, up from the 17 Pro Max's 5,088 mAh. That's a solid bump by itself. Stack the A20 Pro's expected 2nm efficiency gains on top of that and real-world battery life could jump noticeably more than the raw capacity number suggests. We'll know for sure once it's actually in people's hands and not just a spec sheet.
The Dynamic Island has been around since the iPhone 14 Pro, and the 18 Pro Max is expected to shrink it further by tucking the remaining Face ID components, the dot projector and flood illuminator, under the display itself. A fully under-display selfie camera still isn't happening, but the pill gets smaller and you get a sliver more usable screen. It sounds minor on paper. You'll notice it every single time you unlock the phone.
TSMC's 2nm process is expected to deliver around 18% better performance and 30% better power efficiency over the A19 Pro. For most day-to-day use, the A19 Pro is already more than enough, honestly. Where a next-gen chip actually earns its keep is on-device AI, faster video exports, and holding steady performance during long, demanding tasks instead of throttling halfway through. This is also the first year Apple's own in-house C2 modem is expected to show up in a Pro Max, which could quietly improve both connectivity and battery life further.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max carries Apple's 5x tetraprism telephoto. The 18 Pro Max is reportedly tracking toward 6x optical zoom, according to Tom's Guide's sourcing. If that holds up, it's a real win for anyone who shoots from a distance, concerts, wildlife, architecture, the usual suspects. The periscope design that made 5x possible isn't being replaced, just refined and reconfigured for the extra reach.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to bring a variable aperture camera, a bigger 5,321–5,567 mAh battery, a smaller Dynamic Island, Apple's first 2nm A20 Pro chip, and a longer 6x optical zoom, with display size and camera count staying the same as the 17 Pro Max.
| Feature | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 18 Pro Max (expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A19 Pro (3nm) | A20 Pro (2nm) |
| Battery | 5,088 mAh | 5,321–5,567 mAh |
| Main camera aperture | Fixed ƒ/1.78 | Variable aperture |
| Telephoto zoom | 5x optical | ~6x optical |
| Dynamic Island | Existing size | Smaller (partial under-display) |
| Modem | Apple C1 | Apple C2 (expected) |
| Display size | 6.9 inches | ~6.9 inches (unchanged) |
| Camera count | Triple 48MP system | Triple 48MP system |
| Est. Malaysia price | from RM5,999 | ~RM7,500+ (based on current estimates, unconfirmed) |
If you shoot a lot, the variable aperture alone is a strong enough reason to move. Add the battery jump and A20 Pro efficiency gains and this stacks up as a much stronger case than most "S-year" iPhone upgrades usually make. If you already own the 17 Pro Max and you're happy with your photos, there's genuinely no rush, but this is shaping up to be one of the meatier Pro Max generations in a while. Just go in knowing the price is heading up too.
Quick answers on the biggest changes, battery, and when to pre-order.
The most talked-about change is the variable aperture main camera, a first for any iPhone, which allows the lens to adjust how much light it lets in, giving photographers more creative control over depth of field and low-light performance. This is supported by supply chain reporting from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max battery is expected to land between 5,321 mAh and 5,567 mAh, compared to 5,088 mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Combined with the more efficient A20 Pro chip, the real-world battery life improvement could be more significant than the capacity jump alone suggests.
It's one of the stronger upgrade cases in recent years, particularly for camera-focused users. The variable aperture, battery improvements, A20 Pro chip efficiency, and expected 6x zoom combine into a meaningful generational step. The context to keep in mind is that pricing is expected to be higher than last year's launch. Going by what's circulating, that's potentially around RM7,500 or more in Malaysia, though nothing is confirmed until the keynote.
Based on Bloomberg's reporting and past Apple launch patterns, pre-orders are expected to open on the coming pre-order window 2026. Malaysia is expected to be a first-wave country, meaning the same availability as the US, UK, and Australia.
Sources: Apple Malaysia — Buy iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max · Apple Support Malaysia — iPhone 17 Pro Max tech specs · Apple Newsroom Malaysia — iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max launch details · Tom's Guide — iPhone 18 Pro Max rumoured upgrades · TechRadar — iPhone 18 rumour roundup · The Verge — September 2026 Apple event expectations
