Apple’s latest flagship smartphones are coming to South Africa, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at R28,799 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at R31,299.
Apple Premium Resellers iStore and Digicape have opened pre-orders for the new devices, which are expected to ship from 18 September 2026. Vodacom World is also accepting pre-orders.
The prices are:
| Model | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | 2TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro | R28,799 | R33,599 | R43,299 | R57,699 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | R31,299 | R35,999 | R45,699 | R59,999 |
The launch means South African customers will once again be able to get the latest iPhone at the same time as the US market.
A20 Pro Brings A Major Performance Boost
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, built using a 2-nanometre process.
Apple says the chip delivers faster performance and improved energy efficiency, with its new CPU cores offering a 20% performance boost. The new GPU is also claimed to be 40% faster than the previous generation.
The phones also feature upgraded neural processing designed to run more AI workloads directly on the device. This will support the latest Apple Intelligence features while keeping more processing on the phone.
Battery life has also received attention. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max can deliver up to 45 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 18 Pro offers up to 37 hours.
Fast charging has been improved as well, with Apple claiming that users can reach 50% charge in around 15 minutes under supported conditions.
Bigger Camera Changes
Apple is positioning the iPhone 18 Pro range as one of its biggest camera upgrades in years.
Both models feature a 48MP main camera with variable aperture, allowing the camera to adjust how much light enters the lens. The company says the system can capture significantly more light in darker conditions.
The phones also include 48MP ultra-wide and telephoto cameras, while the front camera has been upgraded to an 18MP Center Stage camera.
Video recording supports up to 4K at 120 frames per second, alongside features such as Dolby Vision, Action Mode and Spatial Video.
Both models come with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays respectively, with ProMotion refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
Connectivity includes 5G and Wi-Fi 7, while the devices run iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence.
With prices reaching almost R60,000 for the top-end Pro Max, the new iPhone range is firmly positioned as a premium smartphone offering in South Africa.
Main Image: Apple
