iPhone 18 Pro Could Be Noticeably Thicker Than iPhone 17 Pro

[MacRumors]

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.

Article Link: iPhone 18 Pro Could Be Noticeably Thicker Than iPhone 17 Pro

 

[Artemiz]

And we're still gonna have the same uneven camera bump.

 

[SouthernApple]

Thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.

 

[tucupeis]

they need to make the crappy ifold more desirable. they make every alternative worse

 

[Minato1990]

Big booties is the rage right now with them BBLs
iPhone 18 pro getting that BBL too

 

[contacos]

Kind of ridiculous when you consider that an Oppo Foldable with a 7,000 battery, pen support (all displays) and 3 displays is thinner than an iPhone Pro nowadays

 

[awshucks]

Laughing as an iPhone Air user

 

[Two Appleseeds]

I'm happy with that sweet thickness. Bring on the battery life and variable aperture!

 

[anthony13]

Yeah I am so glad we have the Air because the Pro's were already getting way out of hand in terms of weight for me. I dont mind the thickness as much but the sheer weight is a problem. Hopefully the Air 2 sells better and warrants the continuation of the product line.

 

[mike.coulter]

If only the back was curved like an iPhone 3G, one can dream.

 

[freezelighter]

Wish people would remember what mobile phones are about.

 

[neuropsychguy]

they need to make the crappy ifold more desirable. they make every alternative worse

Apple shouldn't improve the camera and include a larger battery?

 

[BSDnostalgia]

The 18 sounds more interesting now.

 

[appleguy123]

At what point does it become too much? With the camera plateau this think is within .1mm of the thickness of the original iPhone and likely 2x the weight.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Wish people would remember what mobile phones are about.

Here you go, as a reminder!

 

[aberrero]

I really think my 15 pro max is about as big of a phone as I would want. The 16 and 17 max’s are already over the edge.

Also want to point out that my galaxy note 10 had variable aperture like… 8(?) years ago. Maybe Apple will do something with it, but I never found it too helpful. You generally just want the widest possible aperture you can get on a phone. The effective focal plane is always going to be massively larger than what you’ll get on a dedicated camera, and variable aperture can only make the aperture smaller, not larger.

 

[acblue94]

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.

Article Link: iPhone 18 Pro Could Be Noticeably Thicker Than iPhone 17 Pro

How much uglier and cheap looking can this phone get. A thick aluminum block.

 

[macbookj0e]

If only the back was curved like an iPhone 3G, one can dream.

Yeah I loved that design, was so comfortable to hold!

 

[serzhs]

1 millimeter is not noticeably thicker. It’s not even perceptible 😂🤣

 

[BornAgainMac]

The Air takes care of the portability issue. I think the iPhone 18 Pro should focus on cameras and battery life and not worry about portability. Maybe Apple will figure out a way to sell both phones to a single individual and they can use the same phone number and take whatever device that makes sense for them for that day.

 

[julesme]

MacRumors has been obsessively focused on the rumored variable aperture, and it makes sense that a thicker chassis supports this, but I’m hopeful we’ll also get a larger sensor, and a correspondingly better picture quality. Am I right?

Come on Apple, give us a larger camera sensor.

 

[transpo1]

This will be quite the jump from my 8.25 mm thick iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple better make the camera upgrades worth it— 8K video and a massive increase in photo quality.

 

[aries81]

Of course it's going to be thicker, gotta make money on new cases somehow.

 

[orbital~debris]

If only the back was curved like an iPhone 3G, one can dream.

That would be lovely – iPhone 3G/3GS seemed best designed of all iPhone models to sit in the gently curved palm of a human hand.

 

[Bobajobbob]

Every year the same just to sell more cases.