iPhone 18 Pro Max's Thicker Design Could Make It Heaviest iPhone Ever

Hardware changes Apple has planned for the iPhone 18 Pro Max will make it the heaviest iPhone yet, claims a Chinese leaker.

Apple isn't expected to change the screen size of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and it will feature the same 6.9-inch display as the current model. However, according to Weibo-based account Instant Digital, the body of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be slightly thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, tipping its weight over 240 grams.

In a follow-up post on Weibo, Instant Digital says the difference between the two generations will be about 10 grams, so it sounds like we're looking at around 243 grams. That would make next year's iPhone 18 Pro Max approximately 3 grams more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is currently the heaviest model Apple has produced.

Apple's use of titanium instead of stainless steel made the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models lighter. Apple then switched away from titanium to less-dense aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro models, but internal changes and slightly thicker designs bumped up their weight again. The iPhone 17 Pro Max weighs 233 grams, up from 227 grams.

Pro Max model weights:iPhone XS Max: 208 grams

iPhone 11 Pro Max: 226 grams

iPhone 12 Pro Max: 228 grams

iPhone 13 Pro Max: 238 grams

iPhone 14 Pro Max: 240 grams

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 221 grams

iPhone 16 Pro Max: 227 grams

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 233 grams

iPhone 18 Pro Max: ~243 grams?

In a swipe at the iPhone Air's reported poor sales, the leaker claims Apple has 'figured out' that making iPhones thinner and lighter doesn't necessarily make them more attractive to consumers if that means compromising on features and battery life.

The leaker doesn't give a specific reason for the alleged thicker design of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but a larger battery is the most likely cause. Apple is also said to be adopting a new type of vapor chamber that uses stainless steel.

In addition, there are camera upgrades rumored – a Main camera with a variable aperture and a new three-layer stacked image sensor developed by Samsung – and potentially changes coming to the Dynamic Island and Face ID. Whether the weight increase is due to the cumulative effect of multiple changes or a single hardware upgrade remains unclear.

Instant Digital has a mixed but occasionally reliable track record. The account previously revealed accurate details such as the Yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus finishes and the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though not all of its past claims have proven correct.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in the fall of 2026.Related Roundup: iPhone 18Tag: Instant DigitalRelated Forum: iPhoneThis article, "iPhone 18 Pro Max's Thicker Design Could Make It Heaviest iPhone Ever" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums