Rumors around the iPhone 18 have been making the rounds for quite some time now. Expected to launch in the second half of 2026, leaks point to two models — the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro Max — along with familiar promises of a bigger battery and better cameras.
Which, to be fair, sounds exactly like what we hear every year. Apple is notorious for skimping on its iPhone battery capacities. The recently launched iPhone 17 Pro had a capacity of around 3,998mAh, while the base variant had 3,692mAh. And well, we all know that these phones’ batteries do not last more than a day. Binge on a Netflix series for some time or doom scroll on some Instagram reels, and the next thing you would be doing is looking for a charger.
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When most of the upcoming or recent Android phones’ batteries are hovering in the 6,500mAh–7,000mAh range, with charging capacities hitting 120W, should the iPhone 18 Pro Max rumors of a big battery and better cameras really make headlines? And well, if you ask me, the promise of a bigger battery has been going on since the advent of the iPhone. But sadly, all we got were iPhones that could barely make it through the day before needing a recharge.
And when it comes to the cameras, smartphone makers like Vivo, OPPO, and even Xiaomi have been doing exemplary jobs with their flagships like the Vivo X300 Pro, OPPO Find X9 Pro, or the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Not only do these devices click stunning photos, but the additional camera-centric features really call for a clap.
Apple was known for its unique innovation. I remember a time when the iPhone features were actually groundbreaking, be it FaceTime calling, Siri’s capabilities, Face ID, or even MagSafe charging.
However, the recent features and optimizations on recent iPhones can barely be labelled as groundbreaking or disruptive. Take, for example, the recent Liquid Glass UI — it was more of a software and cosmetic tweak. Hence, instead of a promise of a bigger battery and better cameras in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple should instead work on newer technology that can actually be labelled as groundbreaking or innovative.
Not only does Apple need to focus on its technology aspect (and not just battery engineering and internal architecture), but it should also innovate on the design and R&D side of things.
Ashish Mundhra
Ashish brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience across Android, Windows, iOS, and Linux. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Lifehacker, and other top technology publications. Known for testing quirky, niche, and emerging gadgets, he helps readers cut through the hype and spend wisely. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering and has previously served as a Team Lead at IBM.
