Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max is said to be the same thickness as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, dashing hopes of a more svelte form factor this time around.
Just like its predecessor, a new report claims Apple's monster 2026 iPhone will measure 8.75mm. That's thicker than the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 8.25mm measurement, and a pocket-filler for fans of skinny jeans and the like.
The measurement comes from Weibo leaker Ice Universe, and is notable given their previous claims of an increase in thickness. They said in March that the iPhone 18 Pro Max would be 8.8mm thick, a modest growth.
Increase or not, it's increasingly likely that the iPhone 18 Pro Max won't be thinner than its predecessor. As for why that might be, the leaker suggests we can point the finger squarely at another iPhone altogether.
The blame game
In the same Chinese social media post, Ice Universe suggested that Apple's focus hasn't been on the iPhone 18 Pro Max this year. Instead, it's gone all-in on making sure the iPhone Ultra is ready for prime time.
The iPhone Ultra moniker is used by some people when referring to Apple's first foldable iPhone. Others have gone with the iPhone Fold name. But whatever it winds up being called, it's taken all of Apple's attention.
This year, Apple focused its "attention and energy on the iPhone Ultra," the leaker claims. With the foldable iPhone being Apple's first entry into a new market, a heavy focus on its development makes plenty of sense.
As for the leaker, Ice Universe has an accurate history in terms of sharing dimensions of iPhones ahead of their release. They aren't infallible, but this latest report does seem likely to be accurate based on the lack of conflicting reports and Apple's obvious focus on the foldable iPhone.
