My Honest Take on the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and the Duo
No specs, no rumours. Just my opinion on the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the Duo, from someone who still carries a 15 Pro.
Quick note before I start. This isn't a review and it isn't news. The launch coverage and rumours will live on applify.one. This is just me saying what I think about the new iPhones.
Some context on where I'm coming from. I use an iPhone 15 Pro every day, and before that I had the 15 Pro Max. I'm not someone who upgrades every year. I skipped a few generations on purpose, and so far I don't regret it.
What they cost in India
Since I'm going to talk about price a lot, here are Apple India's launch prices:
- iPhone 18 Pro: ₹1,64,900
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: ₹1,79,900
- iPhone Duo: from ₹2,99,900
These come straight from Apple's newsroom, here for the 18 Pro and Pro Max and here for the Duo.
The Duo is a flex
I don't think anyone will buy the foldable to get more work done. If that's your reason, I doubt it'll make you any more productive than the phone you have now.
At ₹2,99,900 and up, you buy it because you want your friends to see it. Honestly, that's fine. It's a perfectly good reason to buy something. I just think we should call it what it is.
Supply is going to be limited too, so I'd expect it to sell out quickly no matter what it costs.
One thing I do like is that it's made of titanium, which is exactly what I miss on the newer Pro phones.
The 18 Pro and Pro Max
To me they've got fatter, and they have a better camera. That's pretty much the trade. If you already own a 17 Pro, I wouldn't bother. It's the same form factor, and people are already reporting problems with the new ones.
The biggest one is the Face ID bug. A failed Face ID attempt can freeze the phone and make it restart. Apple has acknowledged it and says a fix is on the way (Cult of Mac has the details). People have also reported touch freezing. A software fix is good, but I wouldn't want to be the one finding bugs on a phone that costs this much.
I think this is why sales are slow. A lot of 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max owners aren't upgrading. They're getting their old phone laminated in the new burgundy colour instead. Same phone, new look, and it costs a fraction of the price.
Who should actually buy one
If you're coming from a 14 series or older, the 18 Pro and Pro Max make sense, and I think those are the people who'll mostly pick them up. Then there's the crowd that upgrades every single year no matter what Apple launches. They'll be the ones driving the sales up front.
If you're on a 17 Pro, stay where you are.
Colours
I loved the titanium on the 15 Pro. It felt sturdy and the colours were mature. The 17 Pro and 18 Pro colours are too loud for me. I like things subtle.
Silver is the safe pick. Apple has shipped a white or silver iPhone since the iPhone 3G, and there hasn't been a single generation without one. It's dependable, but it's also a bit dull.
The aluminium bothers me too. In my experience it chips easily, which is a big reason I prefer other finishes.
The one I'd actually recommend
I bought an iPhone Air for my dad, and I think it's the perfect phone for today. It's light, it's simple, and it does everything most people need.
My other phone is an Android
My second personal phone is a vivo X200 Pro. I bought it for the camera, and the camera is amazing. Yes, I run an Apple store and I still carry an Android. I use whatever's best for the job.
That's my take. Which phone are you carrying right now, and are you upgrading?
