Can you believe it? It's iPhone time again. Apple has revealed two new Pro iPhone models and its first foldable iPhone, while the standard iPhone 18 is missing in action.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max build on the foundation of last year's iPhone 17 Pro, while the iPhone Duo is a whole new beast for Apple.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now available, while iPhone Duo pre-orders start at 11pm AEDT on October 16 ahead of an October 23 release date.
In this guide, we'll look at plans, deals, pricing, and key features across the iPhone 18 Pro devices and the iPhone Duo.
iPhone 18 plans
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available on mobile plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. All three providers offer the choice of 24-month and 36-month repayment terms. A 24-month term means you own your iPhone 18 Pro faster, while a 36-month term brings down your monthly cost.
Compare 36-month mobile plans and deals for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max below.
iPhone 18 Pro 256GB Plans
|
#1
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$97.30/mth
Min. cost $2,137.80
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$58 Small Plan
$103.30/mth
Min. cost $2,143.80
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$68 Medium Plan
$108.30/mth
Min. cost $2,148.80
|
|
#4
|
Vodafone
$78 Large Plan
$113.30/mth
Min. cost $2,153.80
|
|
#5
|
Optus
$79 Optus Launch Plus Promo Plan
$117.30/mth
Min. cost $2,157.80
|
|
#6
|
Optus
$70 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$128.30/mth
Min. cost $2,168.80
|
|
#7
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$132.30/mth
Min. cost $2,172.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$132.30/mth
Min. cost $2,172.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Telstra
$99 Premium Upfront Mobile Plan
$142.30/mth
Min. cost $2,182.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Optus
$90 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$148.30/mth
Min. cost $2,188.80
|
iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB Plans
|
#1
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$102.86/mth
Min. cost $2,337.96
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$58 Small Plan
$108.86/mth
Min. cost $2,343.96
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$68 Medium Plan
$113.86/mth
Min. cost $2,348.96
|
|
#4
|
Vodafone
$78 Large Plan
$118.86/mth
Min. cost $2,353.96
|
|
#5
|
Optus
$79 Optus Launch Plus Promo Plan
$122.86/mth
Min. cost $2,357.96
|
|
#6
|
Optus
$70 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$133.86/mth
Min. cost $2,368.96
|
|
#7
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$137.86/mth
Min. cost $2,372.96
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$137.86/mth
Min. cost $2,372.96
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Telstra
$99 Premium Upfront Mobile Plan
$147.86/mth
Min. cost $2,382.96
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Optus
$90 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$153.86/mth
Min. cost $2,388.96
|
Click here to compare all iPhone 18 Pro plans or click here to compare all iPhone 18 Pro Max plans.
We'll update this guide with iPhone Duo plans after the phone goes on pre-order.
How much does the iPhone 18 cost in Australia?
Both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max got a little or a lot more expensive this year, depending on how much storage you're looking at. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max now start at $2,099 and $2,299, respectively, which is a $100 increase compared to the 2025 models. Similarly, the 512GB configurations are also $100 more expensive this time around.
There's bad news if you're looking at 1TB or 2TB models. The 1TB iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are $500 more expensive than what you'd pay for a 1TB iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max is $900 more expensive. Apple also introduced a 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max for the first time.
When it comes to the iPhone Duo, it starts at $3,499 for a 256GB model, and goes as high as $5,899 for a 2TB configuration.
Here's full pricing for the new 2026 iPhones:
| Phone | RRP | Check price on |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) | $2,099 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro (512GB) | $2,499 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro (1TB) | $3,299 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro (2TB) | $4,499 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max (256GB) | $2,299 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max (512GB) | $2,699 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max (1TB) | $3,499 | Amazon |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max (2TB) | $4,699 | Amazon |
| iPhone Duo (256GB) | $3,499 | - |
| iPhone Duo (512GB) | $3,899 | - |
| iPhone Duo (1TB) | $4,699 | - |
| iPhone Duo (2TB) | $5,899 | - |
These are the most popular NBN plans with speeds of 50Mbps or higher:
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
Editor's Pick
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Family Max nbn500/50
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN500
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
|
|
TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max features
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are reasonably similar to last year's models, design-wise, and use the same kind of aluminium unibody with a glass cutout for wireless charging.
Screen sizes are identical, with a choice of a 6.3-inch display for the iPhone 18 Pro, or a 6.9-inch display in the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple has shrunk the physical Dynamic Island slightly, allowing for up to three Live Activities at the same time.
Both phones are powered by the new A20 Pro chipset. Apple says CPU performance is up to 20% faster than the iPhone 17 Pro, and GPU performance is up to 40% faster.
The pair also have better battery. The iPhone 18 Pro offers up to 34 hours of video playback per charge, up from 31 on the iPhone 17 Pro. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro Max promises up to 43 hours, up from 37 hours in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Presented by: Anula Wiwatowska - WhistleOut telco expert:
I just spent two hours watching the Apple keynote. And here's everything that you need to know in under a minute.
We're getting three new iPhones, the 18 Pro and Pro Max and Apple’s foldable, The iPhone Duo. Battery life is better on the Pro models, and the main lens now has aperture control and Pro Tools, which lets you manually change the white balance, aperture and shutter speed. Also, the Dynamic Island is smaller. The Duo folds and is real!
the internal display is 7.6in, and the external is 5.4.
Apple completely redesigned iOS for it, and now the controls sit vertically on the side of the screen, and the UX auto adapts to how it’s folded. Even in weird in between stages. It doesn't have Face ID, but it does have the same ultra wide camera as the iPhone 18 Pro, but not the one with the adjustable aperture.
They're all powered by the A20 Pro chipset, which has 50% more memory bandwidth, mostly to accommodate Siri AI. Yep, Siri is AI now, or it will be when it launches.
It should draw from personal context across your apps and you see a log of your chats with it. And there are a bunch of camera features too,
But it's only coming to beta with iOS 27, and some of the features will be paywalled device dependent. So I guess we'll see. There's also an Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 which are really leaning into the Bryan Johnson of it all.
you'll now get a health, age and longevity tab that shows how your vitals and activity track against clinical guidelines. There's also a bunch of assessments, like strength and balance, you can do to add to your data points.
Audio intelligence also powered by Siri AI
will make a transcript of your conversations and let you do things like Live Rewind, which lets you rewind back by 15 seconds to see what someone just said. Or you could do a Siri Recap which creates a summary of your conversation. You can turn it off though, if all of that feels kind of weird to you. And then there's the AirPods 5, which have 50% more noise reduction than ApplePods 4.
and they come either with or without wireless charging. But the ones with wireless charging have on-ear volume controls.
All right. How long was that?
iPhone Duo features
The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, featuring a 5.4-inch passport-sized display on the front and a 7.6-inch display when unfolded. Both screens have an unusual 1:1.4 aspect ratio, making it similar to an iPad mini.
The iPhone Duo is just 5.2mm at its slimmest point, has a titanium frame, IP68 water and dust resistance, and weighs 254g. Inside is the same A20 Pro chipset found in the iPhone 18 Pro models.
In terms of battery, Apple says the iPhone Duo can achieve 31 hours of video playback on the internal display or 44 on the external display. It also says you can get a full 24 hours of usage when using both screens equally.
The iPhone Duo has two rear-facing cameras: a 48MP primary lens and a 48MP ultra-wide lens. These are joined by a 12MP selfie camera on the outer display, an under-display "FaceTime" camera on the inner display. The iPhone Duo doesn't support Face ID, and features a Touch ID fingerprint reader in the power button instead.
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch OLED | 6.9-inch OLED | 5.4-inch + 7.6-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 3x 48MP + LiDAR | 3x 48MP + LiDAR | 2x 48MP |
| Front Camera | 18MP | 18MP | 12MP + FaceTime |
| Processor | A20 Pro (6-core) | A20 Pro (6-core) | A20 Pro (6-core) |
| Storage | 256GB - 2TB | 256GB - 2TB | 256GB - 2TB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 |
| SIM | Physical + eSIM | Physical + eSIM | eSIM |
| Price | From $2,099 | From $2,299 | From $3,499 |
What about iPhone 18?
The standard iPhone 18 isn't expected to launch until next year. Early rumours suggest it will be fairly similar to the iPhone 17, but featuring a new chipset and a move to Apple's latest in-house modem, rather than using a third-party solution. We're expecting to see it launch with the iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e. The big iPhone Air 2 rumour is that it will have a second rear-facing camera.
iPhone 18 plan providers
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are all expected to range iPhone 18 family and devices. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Telstra iPhone 18 & iPhone Duo plans
Telstra iPhone plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a host of perks.
Telstra lets you pay your iPhone off over 12, 24, or 36 months, and all plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.
Telstra still has Australia's largest mobile network, covering over 2.14 million square kilometres. In addition, Telstra has a partnership with Starlink operator SpaceX, allowing you to send text messages and use select apps via satellite when mobile coverage is unavailable. A clear view of the sky is needed for this.
Telstra is the only telco in Australia to still have a rewards program. As a customer, you earn points for every dollar spent with Telstra, which can then be redeemed for discounts on new tech.
Optus iPhone 18 & iPhone Duo plans
Optus iPhone plans come with solid data inclusions.
Higher-end Optus plans also come with unlimited international calls to selected destinations included with the plan.
All Optus plans are contract-free, and devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months.
In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.
Vodafone iPhone 18 & iPhone Duo plans
Vodafone iPhone plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they have bonuses when it comes to bundling.
If you have a Vodafone mobile plan, you can get most of the telco's internet plans - NBN, 5G home internet, and 4G home internet - at a discounted rate.
Vodafone customers also save $5 per month if they bundle a second mobile plan on to their account, and then an extra $15 for each plan after.
Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped at 2Mbps.
You'll also get access to Vodafone's famous $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.
Thanks to a network sharing agreement with Optus, Vodafone's network coverage is now practically identical to Optus' when it comes to 4G.
Alex Choros
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