An iPhone 18 Pro Teardown Already? How Did This Happen?

Early look · Unverified footage · Updated September 26, 2026

Update: our own iPhone 18 Pro Max teardown is now out. See what we found inside the battery, moving camera aperture, and Face ID hardware, plus our repairability findings. The original early-footage report below is preserved for context.

Wait. Someone already has an iPhone 18 Pro Max in pieces? An Instagram reel claims to show exactly that, ahead of the September 18 retail release. The display is off, the internals are exposed, and we have one immediate question: how did this guy even get the phone this early?

I don’t know yet whether this teardown is 100% real or fake. My first impression? It most likely is real. The disassembly looks convincing, but the clip alone cannot authenticate the model or tell us where it came from. So what are we actually looking at?

Opened chassis and shielded electronics in the claimed iPhone 18 Pro Max teardown.

Removed display assembly, including its rear layers and flex cables.

Which iPhone 18 Pro rumours held up?

The earlier internal leak pointed towards a bigger vapour chamber and rearranged Face ID hardware. As we covered in our iPhone 18 Pro breakdown, Apple has since announced upgraded cooling, a smaller Dynamic Island, and a camera with moving aperture blades. Those headlines have landed. But does this phone’s hardware tell the same story?

The exposed assemblies give us something to scrutinise, not enough to verify every component. Can we see the aperture actually move? How does the A20 Pro layout meet that larger vapour chamber? And what happens to thermals when the phone is working hard?

A removed internal plate. Its exact cooling role is not verified from this clip.

Exposed display cutouts after glass removal; this alone does not authenticate the phone.

What else is hiding inside?

Battery changes, adhesive, connectors, access to the cameras: this is where our teardown gets interesting. Does the extra battery space come with a repairability trade-off? Is a routine repair easier, or has Apple buried something important another layer down?

Tools for the repair bench

Looking for opening tools? Our Tools collection includes plastic prying cards, a Jakemy suction cup, and the iFixit Pro Kit. These are general bench tools, not a complete model-specific repair guide; check the repair procedure and required bits before opening a phone.

Affiliate disclosure: Phone Repair Guru may earn a commission if you buy through these product links.

Video and all frame captures: @honeykhatri_edgeexperts on Instagram. Device identity and the early-access claim remain unverified.