The dress rehearsal for the iPhone 18 Pro is already underway behind the scenes – and it reveals more than expected.
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Apple has sent the iPhone 18 Pro models into late-stage production validation. According to the Chinese leaker “Fixed Focus Digital”, the devices are already going through “mass production tests” – a crucial step before the expected market launch in September 2026. The regular iPhone 18 is also in a testing phase, but is probably not quite there yet. There are apparently no major design changes planned; instead, Apple is relying on targeted upgrades to the interior (source: MacRumors).
iPhone 18 Pro arrived in production validation
In the typical development cycle of iPhone models, the transition from the Design Validation Test (DVT) to the Production Validation Test (PVT) phase marks an important milestone. This is exactly where the iPhone 18 Pro should now be located.
Specifically, that means: Apple tests manufacturing with final tools and real production lines. It’s no longer about pure prototypes, but about checking the yield, quality assurance and stability of the processes. Real mass production is not yet underway at this point – it usually starts in the summer, a few months before the presentation. If the report is accurate, Apple is right on schedule for a September event.
Interesting: According to the source, the normal iPhone 18 is also said to be in a testing phase. However, since this model is not expected to appear until the beginning of 2027, it is more likely to be an earlier validation stage – for example in the area of Engineering Validation Test (EVT) or early DVT. This fits with Apple’s new strategy of making the basic and Pro models more temporally equal in the future.
Hardly a new look – the focus is on the inside
Anyone hoping for a major design update might be disappointed. According to “Fixed Focus Digital”, materials and basic design language at the level of the iPhone 17 generation. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg had previously reported that the external changes should be manageable. Among other things, a smaller Dynamic Island is being discussed. However, the big breakthrough in the case seems to be missing.
Of course, it doesn’t work without innovations. Internally, Apple is planning several exciting improvements:
The latter feature in particular could be interesting for ambitious photographers, as it allows more control over depth of field and incidence of light.
iPhone 18 Pro not the star of the year?
Despite these upgrades, the iPhone 18 Pro might not be the star performer this year. According to Gurman, Apple is working hard on its first foldable iPhone, which should get a lot more attention in the fall.
The bottom line is: This iPhone 18 Pro will offer solid model upgrades – but not a revolution. The really big stage could get a different device this time.