Apple’s next flagship could be getting a design change. The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be slightly thicker than its predecessor, largely due to changes in the camera system.
According to Vadim Yuryev from the Max Tech channel, dummy units of the iPhone 18 Pro Max suggest a noticeable increase in depth around the camera module. Yuryev shared these details in a recent post, comparing the new model with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and even a rumored “Ultra” variant.
The increase in thickness is linked to the camera hardware. Both the camera plateau and the lenses are expected to protrude more compared to the current model. Here are the measurements shared by Yuryev:
- iPhone 17 Pro Max camera thickness: 12.92mm
- iPhone 18 Pro Max camera thickness: 13.77mm
- iPhone 17 Pro Max plateau thickness: 11.23mm
- iPhone 18 Pro Max plateau thickness: 11.54mm
For reference, Apple officially lists the body thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max at 8.75mm, not counting the camera bump. The iPhone Air, by comparison, measures just 5.64mm.
Yuryev also showed a dummy unit of a rumored “Ultra” iPhone, which is believed to be Apple’s first foldable device. He placed it next to the iPad mini to give a sense of its size and form factor.
The Difference Will Likely Go Unnoticed
The change is small and mostly limited to the camera area, so most users probably won’t notice it in everyday use. Apple has been able to make this trade-off more easily now that the thinner iPhone Air handles the slim-design side of the lineup. The Pro models are clearly being tuned for performance and camera quality instead.
Apple has not confirmed any of this. But if the leaks hold up, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will trade a little bit of slimness for better cameras, which has always been a priority for Pro users.
