iPhone 18 Pro Models Tipped to Retain iPhone 17 Pro Design, Could Feature Transparent Back

Apple's iPhone 17 series officially went on sale in India earlier today, but attention is already shifting to the upcoming iPhone 18 lineup, which is expected to launch in the second half of 2026. A recent leak claims that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will retain a design similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models. Both handsets are said to feature the same display sizes used since the iPhone 16 Pro series. The rear panel of the iPhone 18 Pro models are said to use a transparent design.

Early Rumours About iPhone 18 Pro's Design

Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) on Weibo claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro series features the same rear camera system design as the iPhone 17 Pro models. The three-camera sensor arrangement is said to remain unchanged.

The back cover of the iPhone 18 Pro smartphones is said to feature a "slightly transparent design". This suggests that Apple could be exploring little changes to the rear glass cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models, instead of entirely sticking to the same design. A translucent glass design could potentially show elements like the MagSafe charging coils.

Further, the tipster states that iPhone 18 Pro models will pack a stainless-steel vapour chamber cooling system. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are said to have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 18 Pro is likely still in its early development phase, so these rumours should be taken with a grain of salt. Apple may introduce multiple hardware and design changes before the final version is locked in. Previous leaks indicated a narrower Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 lineup.

Apple introduced the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max earlier this month at its 'Awe Dropping' launch event. The new models are currently up for sale in India. They feature ProMotion displays, 18-megapixel selfie cameras, and 48-megapixel rear camera units. They ship with iOS 26. The standard iPhone 17 is powered by an A19 chipset, while the remaining models run on an A19 Pro chip.