The optimal choice is the one that aligns perfectly with your needs.

At 1:00 a.m. Beijing time on September 10, Apple's much-anticipated autumn event unfolded as planned, unveiling the long-awaited iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max and Apple's inaugural foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. However, the release of the iPhone 18 standard version has been delayed until the first quarter of next year.

According to Apple's roadmap, the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max will be up for pre-sale at 8:00 p.m. on September 12, with an official release on September 18. Meanwhile, the iPhone Duo will be available for pre-sale on October 16 and officially launched on October 23.

Each year, with the launch of new iPhones, consumers are faced with a familiar dilemma: which model should they purchase? This year, the decision is further complicated by the question of whether to wait for the iPhone 18 standard version. Fear not; let Leitech (ID: leitech) provide you with a comprehensive analysis.

iPhone Duo: Ideal for Entertainment and Office, Yet Falls Short in Imaging

Let's begin with the iPhone Duo. As Apple's first foray into foldable smartphones, its seamless natural bokeh transition animation during unfolding and folding has generated significant buzz online. Nevertheless, when purchasing a phone, it's crucial to adopt a pragmatic approach and objectively assess the pros and cons of the iPhone Duo.

In its folded state, the iPhone Duo boasts a 5.4-inch external screen. Thanks to its "wide" design, the screen area approaches 90% of that of the iPhone 18 Pro.

Upon unfolding, the iPhone Duo reveals a spacious 7.6-inch screen. Interestingly, the phone incorporates an under-display camera design for its internal screen.

(Image credit: Apple)

Since the introduction of the Galaxy Z Fold3 series, Samsung has employed under-display camera designs for the internal screens of its large foldables. However, the latest iteration, the Galaxy Z Fold8, has abandoned this approach. Surprisingly, Apple has embraced the design that Samsung has relinquished.

In today's market, with a plethora of foldable smartphone form factors available, including large, medium, small, triple, and wide foldables, consumers likely have a good understanding of the applicable scenarios for these devices. In Leitech's view, the iPhone Duo is best suited for entertainment and office use.

For entertainment purposes, the iPhone Duo's expansive 7.6-inch screen offers fewer black bars when watching videos and a larger display area for gaming. Particularly when playing MOBA mobile games, it provides an immersive experience akin to playing League of Legends with an unlimited field of view. Coupled with the Apple A20 Pro chip, a specially designed VC vapor chamber, and a dual-battery architecture, the iPhone Duo ensures robust overall performance.

(Image credit: Apple)

In office scenarios, the iPhone Duo's 7.6-inch screen provides 50% more display area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, making it ideal for handling documents and image content. Apple has also announced that later this year, the iPhone Duo will be compatible with the Apple Pencil (USB-C), enabling note-taking, sketching, and document annotation on both internal and external screens. When it comes to software and hardware compatibility, Apple consistently delivers.

Now that we've explored the suitable scenarios for the iPhone Duo, let's address its shortcomings.

Firstly, it lacks a dedicated telephoto lens. If you frequently attend events, concerts, or travel and wish to capture distant scenes, the iPhone Duo's photography experience may not match that of the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max.

Secondly, the iPhone Duo is priced at 15,999 yuan for the 256GB version, 17,999 yuan for the 512GB version, 21,499 yuan for the 1TB version, and 26,499 yuan for the 2TB version, positioning it as one of the more expensive options in the large/medium/wide foldable smartphone category. For gamers, the iPad mini 7 + iPhone 18 Pro might be a more cost-effective choice.

(Image credit: Apple)

Thirdly, the iPhone Duo utilizes side-mounted fingerprint unlocking and does not support Face ID. Due to its wide body, single-handed operation and unlocking may be inconvenient.

In summary, the iPhone Duo is suitable for three types of consumers:

1. Tech enthusiasts eager to experience Apple's latest innovations and unconcerned about price;

2. Business users who frequently handle documents and can utilize the iPhone Duo as a portable small tablet;

3. Consumers seeking a single device to fulfill both smartphone and small tablet functions.

Strictly speaking, given that Android and HarmonyOS foldable smartphones have been on the market for several years, the iPhone Duo does not offer groundbreaking surprises. However, Leitech recognizes that the iPhone Duo is a highly mature product in terms of design and software and hardware configuration. Its exceptional animation effects, iOS compatibility, and inconspicuous creases enable it to compete with products from other manufacturers that have undergone multiple iterations.

iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max: Regular Performance and Imaging Enhancements

In terms of form design, the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max adheres to the philosophy of its predecessor, featuring an aluminum alloy body and a horizontal large camera module, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screens, respectively. The primary upgrades for these two models are the A20 Pro processor and a variable aperture main camera.

During the event, Apple used Monster Hunter: Wanderer to demonstrate the phone's performance. This game still cannot achieve full frame rate on current Android phones, indicating Apple's confidence in the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max's capabilities.

(Image credit: Apple)

The A20 Pro is based on a 2nm manufacturing process, featuring a new CPU architecture with two super-large cores and four energy-efficient cores, along with a seven-core GPU that enhances GPU performance by 40%. To improve the user experience during extended gaming sessions, the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max also incorporates an upgraded VC vapor chamber for enhanced heat dissipation.

The addition of a variable aperture enables the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max to adjust light intake and depth of field. When photographing nearby objects, reducing the aperture expands the clear range and minimizes out-of-focus areas in front of and behind the subject. Opening the aperture allows more light intake and retains more pronounced optical bokeh effects, making it suitable for night photography.

Notably, although the screen sizes of the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max remain unchanged, the Dynamic Island is slightly smaller and now has the ability to display three live activities, increasing the amount of task information that can be displayed.

(Image credit: Apple)

In terms of pricing, the lowest-priced 256GB version of the iPhone 18 Pro starts at 9,999 yuan, with the 512GB version priced at 11,999 yuan, the 1TB version at 15,499 yuan, and the 2TB version at 20,499 yuan.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at 10,999 yuan for the 256GB version, 12,999 yuan for the 512GB version, 16,499 yuan for the 1TB version, and 21,499 yuan for the 2TB version.

Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max is well-suited for consumers who are deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, demand extreme gaming performance, or frequently engage in video or photo shooting. Moreover, in an environment where smartphone prices are generally on the rise, the price increases of the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max are relatively modest compared to the industry as a whole.

As for choosing between these two models, with starting prices of 9,999 yuan and 10,999 yuan, respectively, and only a 1,000 yuan difference between the same storage versions, Leitech believes it simply boils down to whether you prefer a small-screen flagship or a large-screen one.

The iPhone 18 Standard Version: Definitely Worth the Wait

Perhaps due to the high cost of memory and flash storage, or a strategic adjustment by Apple, the iPhone 18 standard version did not make an appearance at Apple's autumn event.

According to analyst Jeff Pu's leak, the iPhone 18 standard version will have its memory upgraded to 12GB, while the iPhone 18e will have 9GB of memory, and the Dynamic Island will be smaller. Given that the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max has been reduced in size, it is highly likely that the iPhone 18 standard version will also feature a smaller Dynamic Island and may include the same variable aperture main camera as the Pro versions. Following Apple's usual practice, the battery capacity of the iPhone 18 standard version is also expected to increase, and the processor is likely to be the A20 standard version.

12GB of memory and a variable aperture are significant upgrades for the iPhone 18 series. More memory can reduce background app closures, while a variable aperture can enhance the phone's photography performance in various environments.

The iPhone 17 had a starting price of 5,999 yuan, which has now increased to 6,799 yuan on Apple's official website. Leitech predicts that the starting price of the iPhone 18 standard version will not differ significantly from the current price of the iPhone 17 series, and its price advantage over the Pro/Pro Max versions ensures that its sales will remain robust.

Additionally, a recent leak from X platform blogger @earlyappleleaks claims that Apple is considering replacing the iPhone 18 standard version with the iPhone Air 2, which would feature a dual rear camera setup and start at $999 (approximately 6,700 yuan). Leitech believes that replacing the iPhone 18 standard version with the Air 2 is a strategy to highlight the version's uniqueness and reduce SKUs, but it would be a major commercial misstep.

(Image source: X platform screenshot)

On May 1 of this year, @DigitalChatStation stated that Air products receive praise but lack sales. The iPhone Air only managed to surpass 700,000 activations after multiple rounds of price cuts, while a certain domestic Air model only reached 50,000 activations. Xiaomi President Lu Weibing admitted that achieving extreme thinness requires sacrificing battery life, heat dissipation, camera performance, and overall performance, making it a bold attempt but a very niche product in terms of sales.

Therefore, Leitech believes that Apple is unlikely to replace the iPhone 18 standard version with the iPhone Air 2. Especially since the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max have reached the 10,000 yuan level, Apple needs an affordable and practical product to stabilize the market.

Even with only regular upgrades, the iPhone 18 will offer significant improvements in imaging, performance, and battery life compared to the previous generation. For budget-conscious consumers, it is definitely a product worth waiting for.

This year, the iPhone Pro series has generally seen price increases, with hardware upgrades focusing more on imaging, extreme performance, and foldable forms. Whether to buy and which model to choose ultimately depends on your budget and needs.

The iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max offers extreme performance, but for users who do not engage in heavy gaming, this may not be a significant selling point. The iPhone Duo features a novel form factor among Apple phones, but the iPad may be more practical for certain gaming and office scenarios.

Unless you have a clear need for a large screen, exceptional photography capabilities, heavy gaming, or a foldable form, there is no need to pay a premium.

If your budget exceeds 15,000 yuan and you seek form factor innovation and multitasking office capabilities, you can directly opt for the iPhone Duo. If your budget is around 10,000 yuan and you desire an all-around straight-board flagship, the iPhone 18 Pro is more suitable for you. If your budget is lower, you can wait for the iPhone 18 standard version, which will be released in the first quarter of next year, or consider the iPhone 17 series or Android and HarmonyOS phones.

Source: Leitech

All images in this article are sourced from the 123RF royalty-free image library. Source: Leitech