It is now July and we are still waiting for Apple to begin its annual Back to School offer in countries like the U.S. and Canada — if it is still coming.
In the U.S., Apple launched its Back to School offer in June from 2020 through 2025, but it has waited until July in the more distant past:
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to launch its 2026 Back to School offer by last week, but that did not end up happening. Apple may have decided to hold off until July this year in order to give customers more time to digest the price increases that it implemented last month, but we are merely speculating.
Given the offer launched between July 9 and July 12 in 2017 through 2019, hopefully the 2026 offer arrives over the next few days.
Amazon today has knocked the price of the 512GB MacBook Neo down to $689.99, from $799.00. This sale is only available in the Indigo color option, and it makes the 512GB model cheaper than the current price of the 256GB model on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This marks the first notable discount on the MacBook Neo since Apple's price hikes in June. Amazon provides a mid-to-late July delivery estimate for the Indigo 512GB model, and we don't know how long this sale will last, so be sure to take advantage while it's live.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Update: This deal has expired.
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Apple is testing DRAM memory chips from China's state-backed ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), according to a new report from the Financial Times.
Last week, it emerged that Apple was in discussions with CXMT and fellow Chinese chipmaker Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) about sourcing memory, with no deal finalized. The new details suggest Apple has since progressed to qualifying CXMT's chips specifically, running the company's memory through the kind of technical validation that typically precedes a supplier being approved for production use. Apple has apparently still not committed to using CXMT's chips commercially, and is continuing to lead a lobbying effort among U.S. tech companies to get Washington's blessing for broader use of the supplier's products.
CXMT has grown from a heavily subsidized and unremarkable domestic chip maker into the world's fourth-largest DRAM producer, behind Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology, accounting for roughly 11% of global DRAM wafer capacity last year. That share is expected to climb to 15% by 2028 as new production lines come online in Hefei, Shanghai, and Beijing. Qualifying CXMT as a working supplier now would let Apple tap into that capacity as soon as it needs to, rather than starting the testing process from scratch once a political green light arrives.
Standard DRAM contract prices are reported to have surged an estimated 55% to 60% in early 2026 as AI server demand pulled capacity away from consumer devices, and Apple recently raised prices across almost its entire product lineup as a result. A qualified fourth DRAM supplier would give Apple leverage in future negotiations with Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, as well as a potential hedge against further shortage-driven price increases on devices built for the Chinese market.
Both CXMT and YMTC appear on the Pentagon's 1260H roster of firms Washington links to the Chinese military. In practice, that mostly cuts off Defense Department contracting rather than blocking ordinary commercial purchases, so nothing legally stops Apple from buying CXMT chips today. YMTC carries a heavier restriction, since it's also on the Commerce Department's Entity List, meaning any U.S. company needs an export license before dealing with it. What Apple reportedly wants from the administration is a promise that CXMT won't get pushed onto that same Entity List down the road, since that would effectively cut off the supply.
Back in 2022, an earlier attempt to work with Chinese memory suppliers, including YMTC, drew objections from Washington and was shelved after lawmakers pushed back. According to Bloomberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook has now taken the pitch directly to administration officials, framing it as a way to route Chinese-made memory into devices for the Chinese market specifically, which would leave more Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron chips available for products sold elsewhere. Not everyone in the administration is said to be on board, so it remains unclear whether the lobbying push will succeed.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Amazon is taking $150 off multiple models of the M5 MacBook Air, including deals on both 13-inch and 15-inch models. These are some of the lowest prices we've seen on the notebooks in the wake of Apple's price hikes last month.
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In terms of 13-inch models, Amazon has the 16GB/1TB 13-inch MacBook Air for $1,449.00, down from $1,599.00. This one is available in three colors on Amazon, and it's currently the only 13-inch model on sale for $150 off.
Regarding the 15-inch models, you'll also find $150 off the M5 MacBook Air, with multiple color options on sale for each configuration. Prices start at $1,349.00 for the 512GB model, down from $1,299.00, and also include one 1TB model on sale.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook and incoming CEO John Ternus are attending this year's Sun Valley Conference, according to Forbes.
Allen & Co., the boutique investment firm behind the event, uses the conference as an annual excuse to put media, tech, and finance leaders in the same rooms for a week of closed-door talks at the Sun Valley Lodge. This year's event began on July 7 and is expected to run through July 11.
This marks Cook's final Sun Valley trip as Apple's chief executive officer. Apple announced in April that Ternus will take the CEO title on September 1, ending Cook's 15-year run atop the company as he moves into the newly created executive chairman role.
Apple's SVP of Services and Health, Eddy Cue, is also attending the Sun Valley Conference again this year. Cue has been a regular at the conference in previous years.
This year's guest list places Apple's leadership alongside a heavy concentration of AI industry figures, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor, OpenAI president Greg Brockman, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
Beyond the AI contingent, this year's attendees include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
Sun Valley's reputation as a dealmaking backdrop goes back decades. Casual conversations at the resort are widely credited with laying the groundwork for Disney buying ABC in 1995, Bezos picking up The Washington Post in 2013, and Verizon's 2014 deal for AOL.
Apple has suspended development of the display for a cheaper, lighter version of the Vision Pro that it originally planned to launch in the next few years, according to The Elec.
The Korean outlet says Apple supplier Samsung Display is set to internally wind down the panel project – known in the industry as "G-VR" – with development set to be formally terminated by September.
G-VR is a glass-substrate micro-OLED, a lower-cost alternative to the silicon-based OLEDoS used in the current Vision Pro. It was being developed at around 1,600 to 1,700 pixels per inch, which is roughly half the 3,386 PPI of Apple's Vision Pro. The report says mass production had once been planned for sometime after 2028.
Apple has since turned much of its attention away from headsets in favour of smart glasses development, which has apparently drained momentum from the G-VR glass-substrate. However, Samsung continues to develop OLEDoS panels for the company's own mixed-reality devices, according to the report.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in October 2025 that Apple had paused work on a lighter, cheaper "Vision Air" to fast-track glasses that would rival Meta's Ray-Bans. In May 2026, Gurman reported that the cheaper device had been canceled outright.
Apple hasn't walked away from the headset market entirely, though. If a new Vision Pro-style device does materialize, Gurman said in May that he wouldn't expect it for "around two more years at least," given that the bulk of Apple's mixed-reality hardware talent has been pulled onto other projects like smart glasses, which are expected to launch in 2027.
Apple refreshed the Vision Pro in October 2025 with an updated model featuring an M5 chip. Last month, Apple upped the starting price of its Vision Pro from $3,499 to $3,699 as part of the company's sweeping product price hikes.
Samsung has announced it will introduce its latest Galaxy smartphones at a July 22 event, including what is believed to be a Galaxy Z Fold 8 with new passport-style dimensions similar to Apple's upcoming book-style foldable iPhone.
It's no secret that Samsung has been working on a new foldable form factor to go head-to-head with Apple's rumored iPhone Ultra, and the company has been hinting at what's to come. Today's event announcement includes a video of a show ticket having its stub torn off to make it shorter than before – clearly alluding to the new device. "A new shape unfolds," reads the tagline.
The shorter, wider version of Samsung's book-style foldable is said to resemble Apple's own folding device, which is expected to have a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. Apple is anticipated to debut the foldable in September alongside its new iPhone 18 Pro models.
Apart from unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung is expected to announce new versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which also unfolds like a book, and the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip 7. New Galaxy Watches are also expected. Galaxy Unpacked will be held in London, U.K., starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on July 22.
On Tuesday, Google revealed that it will introduce its latest Pixel smartphones at an August 12 event, debuting the updated devices about a month ahead of when Apple is expected to announce new iPhone models.
Apple today announced its multiyear partnership with Broadcom to design and produce custom silicon components and wireless technologies, confirming a Reuters report we covered on Monday.
Apple says the new agreement is expected to exceed $30 billion, and will lead to the creation of more than 15 billion U.S. chips and support "hundreds" of American jobs.
Broadcom is part of Apple's American Manufacturing Program (AMP), an initiative launched last year to boost U.S. manufacturing. Under Apple's largest AMP commitment to date, Broadcom will invest $1.5 billion to expand and modernize its manufacturing facility in Fort Collins, Colorado, where it will produce advanced radio frequency components, including FBAR filters, as well as wireless connectivity technologies.
"Apple and Broadcom have a long history together, and this new phase of our partnership further accelerates our commitment to American manufacturing and innovation," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The cutting-edge components built in Fort Collins are essential to delivering the incredible performance and connectivity our customers expect, and we're proud to deepen our investments in U.S.-based suppliers that share our commitment to excellence and innovation. We're grateful to the president and his administration for supporting important projects like this one."
Broadcom's chips cover custom radio frequency components, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and other networking semiconductors found throughout Apple's lineup. Apple says the investment is part of its commitment to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over four years.
Apple's foldable iPhone is on track to ship in September despite rumors of a delayed launch, reports Chinese financial outlet Cailian Press.
The outlet says it spoke with several people within Apple's supply chain, who indicated that the device's design was locked in some time ago and that the foldable is now in mass production.
Separately, Chinese financial outlet East Money and Korea's The Bell reported that Apple's foldable has entered mass production, with assembly partner Foxconn launching large-scale hiring to secure labor.
Asked about rumors that its launch could slip due to complex assembly and low yields, sources who spoke to Cailian Press reportedly said they had not heard of any delay, and that a September delivery window was still expected.
The report provides a glimmer of hope for consumers eager to pre-order one of the devices in early fall. Last month, The Elec reported that mass production was set to begin in July, but it also said Apple had run into hinge problems during testing. While most of those issues were said to have since been resolved, it raised the odds of a small initial shipment following the device's launch.
Then over the weekend, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested the foldable will be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September but may not go on sale until the fourth quarter, suggesting a possible release in October or later.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in March that the new foldable iPhone won't ship to customers in the same September timeframe as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, a month later, Gurman said that the foldable iPhone remained on track for a September debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, and that Apple is aiming to put it on sale at roughly the same time or slightly later.
Apple has reportedly told suppliers to prepare to make approximately 10 million foldable iPhones this year, up from a previous forecast of about 7-8 million units a few months ago.
The book-style foldable is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch cover screen, an A20 chip, Apple's C2 modem in some countries, and a Touch ID power button, with a starting pricing rumored between roughly $2,000 and $2,500 across reports. Apple's foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by rumors.
Apple's challenge against the EU's designation of its App Stores and iOS platform as "gatekeepers" was dismissed by Europe's top court on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
"The General Court dismisses Apple's actions regarding its designation as a gatekeeper in relation to the App Store and iOS," the Luxembourg-based tribunal said.
Apple took its case to Luxembourg's General Court in 2024 after the European Commission designated its five App Stores – on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch – as a single core platform service under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a label that brings with it a set of strict obligations.
Designated "gatekeepers" are prohibited from favoring their own services over those of rivals, and are prevented from combining personal data across different services. They also have to give users the option to use alternative app stores.
Apple also challenged the EU's designation of iOS as a gateway platform, a status that requires the operating system allows rival services to interoperate with it.
The company also disputed the classification of iMessage as a number-independent interpersonal communications service, or NIICS, which would subject the app to EU telecoms rules. But the General Court said Apple's actions regarding the iMessage service are inadmissible.
To be classified as a "gatekeeper" under the DMA, a company must fulfill certain criteria, including having sales across the EU of at least €7.5 billion, or a market capitalization of €75 billion or above. The designation also requires platforms or services to have more than 45 million monthly active users and over 10,000 active business users annually within the EU.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
The Messages app is arguably the most important app on the iPhone, and in iOS 27, Apple is adding some useful improvements. There are some quality-of-life fixes for longtime issues, and new AI features.
Messages uses Apple Intelligence to surface one-tap suggestions based on what's being discussed in a conversation. If someone you're talking to asks you to send a photo, Messages recognizes the request and suggests adding the relevant photos.
If someone invites you to an event, Messages offers to add it to your Calendar. If someone asks you to pick something up at the store, Messages will suggest adding it to your Reminders list or to the Notes app.
Messages will also suggest Genmoji you might want to generate based on the conversation.
Write With Siri
There's a systemwide Write with Siri feature that's available in the Messages app. Siri AI can compose entire messages for you, proofread your messages, or give you feedback.
There is a dedicated Write with Siri button above the keyboard where you can get to the new Siri tools.
Smart Reply suggestions also use your writing style so they sound more natural.
Siri AI
Siri AI integrates with the Messages app. You can ask Siri to find images, videos, links, addresses, phone numbers, and more in the Messages app, plus Siri can draft message replies and act on info in the Messages app, like adding an event date to the Calendar app.
Drawing
You can use a new Drawing interface in the Messages app to send little sketches and notes. It's available when tapping on the "+" button next to the text bar in a conversation.
The drawing interface is the same as the Markup tool available in apps like Photos and Notes. There's a marker, a pen, a highlighter, and an eraser, plus options to use the tools in any color.
Accidental Recordings
The iOS 27 Messages app includes an option to remove the audio button from the text bar. In the Messages section of the Settings app, you can navigate to Show in Text Field to set the right-side button to Record Audio, Start Dictation, or None.
Setting the option to none will prevent you from accidentally recording a voice message with an errant tap.
Tapbacks
Messages now consolidates notifications for Tapback responses, which is useful when you're in a group thread and tons of people are sending emojis.
Sending
When a message fails to send in iOS 27, your iPhone will automatically retry sending it. In iOS 26, you get an alert if a message fails, but you have to manually tap to try to send it again.
The Messages app also supports continuous sending of photos, videos, and texts. If you're sending someone a photo and your connection is poor or you go offline, it automatically resumes sending when the connection is restored.
Syncing
Cross-device syncing is improved in iOS 27, so conversations will sync more reliably across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. Fewer messages will fail to sync and display properly when you switch between devices.
Messages, read states, reactions, and attachments sync faster.
When you take a photo and then go to the Messages app to send it, you're more likely to see it right away. Apple says the iPhone is faster to add recent camera captures to Messages.
Search
Apple improved its search index across apps like Mail and Messages, so you're more likely to find what you're looking for.
You can also search for conversations in Messages using a phone number or a contact's nickname.
Offloaded Media
If you have photos or videos that have been offloaded to save storage space, you can still find them in the iOS 27 Messages app when you search.
Thumbnails are also displayed for offloaded media instead of a placeholder image, so you know what's there.
RCS
In RCS message conversations with Android users, you can now long press on a message to send an inline reply. iOS 27 also shows reaction emoji directly on images and videos, a feature that was not functioning in iOS 26.
Genmoji
Apple revamped Genmoji creation in iOS 27. There's an updated interface for describing an emoji that you want, with options to start from an existing emoji, choose an image from Photos, or select a person.
After uploading an image or using a text phrase to create a Genmoji, there's a new "Describe a change" interface for making updates to what you've already created. You can iterate on designs and change individual elements of a Genmoji, tweaking colors and objects. Each change uses the old base instead of regenerating a new Genmoji.
With a series of requests, it is possible to make a complicated, multi-element Genmoji. Along with describing changes, you can add in additional emoji, and the interface makes suggestions on what to do next.
Genmoji output is more consistent, and Genmoji look more like real emoji with a 3D, cartoonish style by default. There is now an option to change style, so if you don't want the cartoonish look, you can ask for something else like a drawing or a sketch.
Large Conversations
Large conversations load and scroll faster in iOS 27, according to Apple.
Popular flight tracking app Flighty has a new Connection Assistant that helps travelers make connecting flights at airports worldwide.
Connection Assistant gives flyers a step-by-step guide for all connections on a trip. It will outline whether users need to go through passport control, recheck a bag, go through security, or change terminals, and it gives an estimate of how long the process will take. Adding a passport to the app will let users know if they can use e-gates or skip passport control.
Users will get a heads-up on how tight a connecting flight is based on recommended minimums for planning purposes, and how long it typically takes to get from one flight to another. Flighty says Connection Assistant combines flight tracking data with airport-specific procedures and statistical modeling of millions of prior flights to create a custom walkthrough for each flight.
Flighty is also now able to predict arrival and departure gates, gate range, or concourse when a flight is first added to the app. The predictions are based on the flight's historical gates, and on the day of a connection, predictions will narrow to the exact gate.
Flighty can be downloaded from the App Store for free, with weekly, monthly, annual, and lifetime purchase options for Pro features.
Apple today provided public beta testers with the fourth betas of iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, macOS Tahoe 26.6, watchOS 26.6, and tvOS 26.6, with the software coming a day after Apple seeded the betas to developers.
After signing up to beta test the software updates on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the new software using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.
iOS 26.6 has a feature that will let you know when you have blocked too many contacts, but the limit is in the thousands so most users may not ever see the messaging. There are also signs of a new iPhone anti-snatching feature that locks a stolen iPhone when it's grabbed from your hand.
No other major new features have been found in any of the software updates, with Apple likely focusing on bug fixes and security improvements. We're nearing the end of the "26" software cycle, with Apple planning to release iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and more in September.
Anthropic today said it is bringing Claude Cowork to mobile and the web, with beta access rolling out to Max users first. Claude Cowork is a feature that lets Claude access local files and connected tools, then autonomously complete tasks on your behalf.
Claude Cowork tasks can now be started and monitored on the web, desktop, and Claude mobile apps. Claude is able to work in the background in the cloud even when no device is online, sending an alert when it needs permission to move forward with a task.
Anthropic says the desktop is still the best place for the full Cowork experience because it gives Claude access to local files and a browser, but those who were unable to install a desktop app can now use Cowork.
Claude chat and Cowork have also been combined into a single view on the web and desktop and are no longer separate tabs.
As part of the expansion to mobile, Anthropic is extending doubled Cowork usage limits through August 5.
Warning: While the first public beta is usually more stable than the first developer beta, iOS betas often have bugs and performance issues. You may not be able to use some apps that you rely on, and issues can extend to CarPlay. Backing up your iPhone before installing beta software is highly recommended, and relying on a secondary iPhone altogether is always a good idea if possible.
iOS 27 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, but Apple Intelligence features like Siri AI are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.
Keep in mind that the revamped version of Siri has a waitlist. To join the waitlist, open the Settings app on iOS 27 and tap on Siri and you will find it there. In some cases, it can take a few weeks to receive access to Siri AI and the Siri app.
Beyond the new Siri, iOS 27 features Liquid Glass design enhancements, performance improvements, expanded child safety features, and more.
Google will introduce its latest Pixel smartphones at an August 12 event, debuting the updated devices about a month ahead of when Apple is expected to announce new iPhone models.
Google is expected to launch the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and a new Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Leaked CAD renders suggest the new smartphones will have slimmed down bezels, a slightly thinner design than the Pixel 10, and an updated all-black camera bar.
The latest Pixel foldable is expected to look like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it could be thinner with some minor changes to the rear camera bar. It's supposed to be about 10.1mm thick when folded and 4.8mm thick when unfolded, which is not too far off from the rumored thickness of Apple's foldable iPhone.
Last year, Apple cut the 128GB iPhone and the iPhone 17 launched with 256GB of starting storage, and Google plans to make the same move with the Pixel 11.
This year's Pixel devices could be more expensive, and a leak out of Europe suggests a €100 price increase across all new Pixel smartphones compared to the prior pricing. Most device manufacturers are upping prices in 2026 because of the soaring costs of DRAM.
Apple raised the prices of all Macs and iPads in June, and the new iPhones coming in the fall are likely going to be more expensive than the iPhone 17 lineup. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could be up to $200 more expensive, according to analyst estimates.
Google's Pixel 11 lineup will compete with Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models, which Apple is expected to introduce in September. Apple won't have a Pixel 11 equivalent in 2026 because it is holding its base iPhone 18 until spring 2027, but it will launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone.
Samsung is also going to launch new smartphones ahead of when Apple introduces the iPhone 18 lineup. The next Samsung Unpacked event is expected later in July, with the company set to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. The latter foldable has an aspect ratio that's closer to the rumored foldable iPhone.
With the foldable iPhone, Apple will be competing with Samsung and Google, and both companies have had time to refine their foldable device designs. Samsung has been making foldables since 2019, and Google's first Pixel Fold came out in 2023.
Apple today released a third version of the beta firmware it is testing for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 9A5314b.
In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface, a slider for Adaptive mode, and support for custom EQ, so the firmware adds support for those features. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI.
When the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later, there is a beta firmware option that can be accessed in the AirPods settings interface. Toggling on beta updates allows users to install the beta firmware.
Firmware updates can be downloaded by connecting the AirPods to an Apple device and connecting them to power. It can take a few hours for new firmware to be installed because there is no straightforward software update option like there is for other Apple devices.
The iPhone 18 Pro's aluminum frame and camera housing are both set to grow thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro's, according to new posts from the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital."
In a post on Weibo today, the leaker said that aluminum alloy mid-frames are "going to be used in straight-edge phones for a long time to come," referring to Apple's continued use of the material introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro rather than a return to titanium. Citing leaked materials from Tata, the leaker claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro's overall body and rear camera plateau, will be thicker than the current model, corresponding to a roughly 2mm increase the leaker says it can now confirm firsthand. The leaker added that the final thickness figure "will indeed be somewhat surprising."
The post links to two of the leaker's earlier claims. In one, Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 18 Pro lineup "will still feature an aluminum alloy build" with "indeed excellent" heat dissipation, while warning that buyers should be cautious about the new color options given the discoloration and surface chipping that has affected some iPhone 17 Pro units. In the other, the leaker said supply chain feedback confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro's main camera upgrade and indicated that the aluminum alloy back panel would grow by 2mm.
That 2mm figure lines up with a separate post the leaker shared on July 4, which estimated that the iPhone 18 Pro models' overall thickness will land somewhere around 9.9–10.9mm. That would mark a substantial jump from the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, which both measure 8.75mm thick. It also builds on dummy models shared in April, which suggested the iPhone 18 Pro Max's camera plateau would grow to 11.54mm, up from 11.23mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The added bulk is reportedly tied to a redesigned main camera system. The device is widely rumored to feature the iPhone's first variable aperture, a component reported to cost Apple 50% more than the current fixed-aperture lens. Production of the new module is said to be ramping up at suppliers including LG Innotek and Sunny Optical.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone this September.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
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