Apple is about to unveil its flagship new iPhones: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. Price will be an obvious advantage for the Pro line, but here are several other ways iPhone 18 Pro will have an edge over the more expensive Ultra model.
#1: Main camera with variable aperture
iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to get big changes to its Main camera, including a variable aperture upgrade. And expectations are that iPhone Ultra won’t get the feature.
Variable aperture has been rumored for a while, but we still don’t know exactly how Apple plans to implement it. It could provide big improvements to Portrait mode and offer new levels of control over depth of field. Low-light photography could similarly get a big boost.
The components required to enable variable aperture are expected to be larger than the current Main camera. As a result, it’s believed that the ultra-thin iPhone Ultra will miss out.
#2: Longer battery life on Pro Max
iPhone Ultra should offer solid battery life, per regulatory leaks. But the Pro line—specifically iPhone 18 Pro Max—will still offer the best battery life in an iPhone.
iPhone 18 Pro Max is reportedly getting a 10% larger physical battery than iPhone 17 Pro Max. It will also benefit from efficiency gains in the A20 Pro and C2 chips. As a result, battery life should easily be the best ever in an iPhone.
With the unique form factor of a foldable, it’s hard to judge iPhone Ultra’s battery life based on specs alone. But the ultra-thin design and smaller physical battery will no doubt keep it from matching iPhone 18 Pro Max.
#3: Face ID
For the first time in years, a flagship new iPhone model won’t offer Face ID. Instead, iPhone Ultra will be limited to Touch ID.
iPhone 18 Pro, meanwhile, will stick with the Face ID system that’s been around for nearly a decade now.
Apple reportedly couldn’t make enough room in the thin iPhone Ultra design for the Face ID components. Proper support would have required double the components, too: one set for the outer display, and another for the inner one. So in the authentication department, iPhone 18 Pro will have a clear advantage.
#4: Telephoto camera
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will continue being the only models that offer a Telephoto camera. iPhone Ultra will have Main and Ultra Wide cameras, but no Telephoto for optical zoom.
This could be a big differentiator for a lot of users who rely on the Telephoto. Especially because Apple is rumored to make its Telephoto camera even better this year with a larger aperture.
If you’re looking for the best camera system, iPhone 18 Pro will be the no-brainer choice.
Bonus: Traditional iPhone experience
This isn’t technically a feature, but it’s worth mentioning. For many users, iPhone 18 Pro offering a ‘traditional’ iPhone experience will be an advantage.
iPhone Ultra will be unique from every model that’s come before it. The outer and inner displays will have sizes and shapes that feel a bit foreign to the iPhone. And the need to fold and unfold rather than using just a single display could take some adjusting.
The iPhone is a beloved product in its current form factor. And while foldables definitely have a lot of fans, I suspect for the average consumer who might never read 9to5Mac, iPhone 18 Pro having a traditional iPhone design will be an advantage for many.
Which new iPhone model are you planning to buy this fall? Let us know in the comments.
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