Apple’s push for ultra-thin iPhones may be slowing down. With the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the company delivered what many consider its thickest flagship iPhone so far—an obvious signal that battery life and high-end hardware are taking priority over shaving off millimeters. Now, early comparisons suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max will continue that trend, not necessarily by making the main body thicker, but by expanding the space devoted to camera hardware while reportedly packing in even better internal upgrades.
A hands-on size comparison shared by YouTuber Max Tech pits a real iPhone 17 Pro Max against an iPhone 18 Pro Max dummy model. The most interesting takeaway is that the overall body thickness appears unchanged. Measured without the camera plateau and camera bump, both phones come in at 8.75mm. That detail matters because it suggests Apple may be able to increase battery capacity or refresh internal components without “inflating” the chassis.
Where things do change is around the camera area. The iPhone 18 Pro Max dummy shows a thicker camera plateau and camera bump compared with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, hinting at more substantial camera upgrades.
Here’s how the measurements compare:
Thickness without camera bump or camera plateau
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 8.75mm
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.75mm
Thickness with the camera plateau only
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 11.54mm (about 2.76% thicker)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 11.23mm
Thickness with camera bump included
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 13.78mm (about 4.95% thicker)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 13.13mm
These changes strongly suggest Apple is dedicating more physical space to camera components—potentially to fit larger camera sensors. The added room could also support a variable aperture system, which has been rumored for both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. If that feature arrives, it could improve low-light performance and help produce more natural depth-of-field effects without relying as heavily on software processing.
Beyond the camera, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is also expected to refine Apple’s front design with a smaller Dynamic Island. That said, the biggest differences may be internal. Reports point to a major specifications bump, including a move to 12GB of RAM across the entire iPhone 18 lineup—an upgrade that could benefit multitasking, gaming performance, and on-device AI features.
With an expected launch later this year, the early dimensions comparison paints a clear picture of Apple’s current priorities: maintain a familiar feel in-hand, keep the main chassis thickness steady, and invest extra space where it counts—especially in the camera system and battery-related improvements.
