Price and Features: Everything You Need to Know About the New iPhone Phones

- The annual Apple conference for iPhone revealed the features and prices of the "iPhone 18 Pro" and "iPhone 18 Pro Max" models, where the company is expected to announce its first foldable phone, marking the biggest change in its phones over the past 20 years. This event is also the first for Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, following his appointment to the position after Tim Cook earlier this month.

Ternus showcased his vision amid the pressures facing the tech giant, such as the accelerating race in artificial intelligence, memory shortages leading to rising prices, and European regulatory legislation. The price of the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the larger Pro Max model will start at $1,299.

These prices are higher compared to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models launched last year, which started at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively. It is worth noting that Apple had raised prices for other products - such as iPads and Macs - during the summer due to rising component costs resulting from memory supply shortages.

The new phones will include Siri technology enhanced with Apple's artificial intelligence, in addition to improvements in camera functions and battery life. Ternus also noted that the phones will feature "the fastest chip ever put in an iPhone."

The phones will be available in black, a silver color called "Glacier," and burgundy. Apple provided details about the new chip in the "iPhone 18 Pro," which is named "A20 Pro," along with the new heat management system in the phone.

The company stated that the new thermal design - the mechanism by which the phone regulates its temperature - will make it a high-performance device, capable of handling a variety of tasks ranging from running AI models directly on the phone to playing advanced games. Apple has always been accustomed to showcasing the details of new processors in its phones upon their announcement, but this additional focus seems to reflect the distinctive character that was expected to be seen now that Turnos - who previously oversaw hardware engineering - has taken over as CEO.

The company also showcased the camera of the iPhone 18 Pro; it now features a variable aperture that allows adjustment of the amount of light entering it according to the surrounding environmental conditions. The phone is also expected to provide better and faster capabilities for capturing photos in low-light conditions. Users will also be able to manually adjust the aperture through four available options, in addition to the ability to control the shutter speed.

Camera upgrades typically receive significant attention in Apple's "Pro" phones, so it is not surprising that the company continues to meet the needs of photographers and creators even more. Apple's Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Rich Dean, stated that the iPhone 18 Pro can reach a charge level of 50% within 15 minutes and can allow for video playback for six hours after just five minutes of charging.

Dean noted that the iPhone 18 Pro has a battery life comparable to that of the iPhone 17 Pro Max despite its smaller size; the iPhone 18 Pro Max model provides up to 30 hours of use per charge, while the 18 Pro model provides up to 24 hours. Turnos described the iPhone as the ideal personal device for artificial intelligence, given its strong privacy protections, as well as having a wealth of information about its users already.

These statements come at a time when companies like "Meta", "Google", and "Samsung" are moving towards smart glasses as the new generation of computers dedicated to artificial intelligence, while Apple has faced criticism for its delay in this area.