As we get closer to Apple’s September event, rumors about the next-generation iPhone are intensifying. This week, several Chinese leakers claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be significantly thicker than the current models—possibly as much as 20 percent.

Although rumors quickly fueled speculation about a much larger battery and a redesigned camera system, most of the previous evidence, including CADs and leaked dummy units, points to a much less dramatic change in the thickness of the iPhone 18 Pro models.

The evidence doesn’t point to a much thicker iPhone 18 Pro

When Macworld first reported on the iPhone 18 Pro design months ago, the CAD files consistently showed the same overall chassis thickness as the current generation, at 8.75 mm. That detail has remained consistent across subsequent leaks, including physical dummy units that have surfaced over the past few months.

While those models do show a larger camera bump and slightly taller lenses, the main body itself appears unchanged. That’s also what we’ve heard from sources connected to Apple’s supply chain. In other words, we can expect the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have a thicker camera plateau, but not necessarily thicker phone bodies. 

That’s an important distinction because many leaks tend to blur the line between overall device thickness and the size of the camera module. Looking at renders or dummy units from certain angles can easily give the impression that the entire phone has grown when, in reality, it’s only the camera housing protruding further from the back.

Foundry

For example, well-known leaker Ice Universe recently reported that the iPhone 18 Pro will be 9 mm thick. However, the same leaker reported in March that the new phones would be 8.8 mm thick instead. Of course, Apple’s plans do change, but it’s always important to take these rumors with a grain of salt and a little research. Often these rumors get reposted and spread with little regard for the original source in an effort to jump on the latest trending topic. A separate Weibo leak by Fixed Focus Digital suggested the phone could be as much as 2mm thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple’s hardware designs can continue evolving until relatively late in development, and it’s always possible that newer prototypes differ from the ones reflected in earlier CAD files. Supply chain leaks also don’t always tell the complete story, especially when they originate from different stages of production.

Even so, multiple other sources, including our own, still suggest that the new phones will be about the same thickness as the current models. We’ll know for sure in just a couple of months, but until then, I’d treat the latest “much thicker iPhone” rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.