Apple's new iPhones and Watches are better than the last ones

September 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“It’s a big deal that’s actually a small deal.” That’s how Verge senior reviewer Allison Johnson sums up the headline feature of the iPhone 18 Pro: a new mechanical variable aperture in the main camera. It’s the first time Apple has put moving aperture blades in an iPhone, laser-cut as thin as a human hair, capable of shifting from f/1.48 to f/4. But in practice, the effect is almost invisible. On a smartphone camera with a tiny sensor, depth of field is already enormous—everything is in focus most of the time. Johnson tested the feature in Apple’s demo and “couldn’t tell the difference” between photos taken at different apertures. The real benefit, she argues, is the slightly wider f/1.48 maximum aperture, which lets in a bit more light for low-light shots, shaving a couple seconds off night mode exposures. But even that is marginal: “We were doing a good job with f/1.8 and night mode,” she says. The variable aperture is a cool piece of engineering, but for most users, it’s a spec sheet talking point, not a photographic revolution.

Incremental improvements across the board

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What you'll learn

1 (03:19) **iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max Overview** - Allison Johnson explains that the new phones look nearly identical to the 17 series, with the main changes being internal.
2 (05:46) **Variable Aperture Mechanism Explained** - Johnson breaks down what a variable aperture is and why it matters on a smartphone.
3 (09:49) **The Camera's Real Benefit: Brighter Lens** - Alison argues that the wider f/1.48 aperture is actually more impactful than the variable mechanism itself.
4 (13:42) **New Pro Camera Controls** - Johnson details the new manual controls available in the native camera app on the 18 Pro models.
5 (16:12) **Siri AI and Real-World Use** - The conversation shifts to the new Siri AI, which Allison found genuinely useful in specific scenarios.
6 (19:38) **AI Quirks and Upgrade Advice** - The hosts discuss the mixed bag of AI features and who should actually buy the new iPhones.
7 (26:49) **Apple Watch Series 12 Hardware Updates** - V Song takes over to detail the physical changes in the new watch, focusing on the redesigned sensor array.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Allison Johnson Victoria Song

Show Notes

Senior reviewers Allison Johnson and Victoria Song trade host and guest duties in a Vergecasting ouroboros that's never been attempted before and will probably never be attempted again. Allison talks about the iPhone 18 Pro's new camera, Victoria talks about the Watch 12 and Ultra 4's new sensors, and they both give their verdicts on who should upgrade.