Updated

Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 23

Apple Unveils iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,789 With A20 Pro Chip and Variable Aperture Lens

Updated

Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 23

Apple Unveils iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,789 With A20 Pro Chip and Variable Aperture Lens

Q: How does the iPhone 18 Pro Max's hidden under-display camera secretly compromise screen quality while expanding your digital workspace?

It expands usable screen space by shrinking the permanent Dynamic Island, but the under-display infrared camera slightly degrades the pixels above it. Apple moved the Face ID infrared camera under the display, into the top-left area that used to be reserved as part of the visible cutout. That lets iOS draw content across more of the status-bar region, so the Dynamic Island’s functional area is effectively larger even though the black cutout is smaller. Reviews and demos indicate this allows up to three simultaneous Live Activities, instead of two on earlier models. The tradeoff is visual. To let infrared light pass through the OLED panel, Apple uses a special pixel structure above the hidden sensor. Teardown reporting says this involves a modified, lower-density pixel pattern, with some rows thinned or removed, plus filtering beneath the display. The result is subtle but visible on close inspection: text and graphics in that area can look slightly softer or fuzzier than the rest of the screen. Reviewers have specifically noted that the clock area can appear just a touch less sharp, as if anti-aliasing were off. Under magnification, the sensor zone also shows different optical behavior from the surrounding panel. In normal use, most reports describe the effect as minor, but it is the quiet compromise behind the cleaner look and larger digital workspace.

3 articles · Updated · GSMArena.com · Sep 23

Apple’s new flagship starts at $1,789 for 512GB, adding a 2nm A20 Pro chip, a variable-aperture 48MP main camera, a larger battery and faster wired charging.
The 6.9-inch Pro Max otherwise changes little from the iPhone 17 Pro Max, keeping its 120Hz LTPO OLED display while shrinking the Dynamic Island by moving the IR camera under the screen.
Battery size now varies by model: the physical-SIM version carries 5,391mAh, while the eSIM-only model gets 5,567mAh.
Other cameras remain largely unchanged — a 48MP 4x telephoto, 48MP ultrawide and 18MP selfie — underscoring Apple’s continued strategy of incremental yearly upgrades.