iPhone 18 Pro arrives in stores as Pixel 11 charging tests and Galaxy S27 battery leaks surface

iPhone 18 Pro hits store shelves worldwide

Apple's newest flagship, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, officially arrived in stores on Friday, September 18, 2026. Apple executives John Ternus, Deirdre O'Brien, and Greg Joswiak were on hand at the Apple Fifth Avenue store in New York City to greet customers. The launch also included the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5.

Shoppers can buy the devices in person, online at apple.com, or through the Apple Store app. Apple is promoting trade-in options through Apple Trade In, financing with Apple Card, and annual upgrades through Apple Upgrade. Store specialists are also offering Personal Setup to help customers configure their new devices.

To celebrate the launch, Apple released a new "Shot on iPhone 18 Pro" advertisement featuring K-Pop star ROSE, who is famous for her 2025 duet with Bruno Mars. The ad shows ROSE recording a music video using the iPhone 18 Pro.

Pixel 11 Pro XL wireless charging still disappoints

What this means for iPhone 18 Pro arrives in stores

While Apple fans are enjoying their new phones, Google Pixel owners are facing a different reality. A detailed test of the Pixel 11 Pro XL reveals that its 25W wireless charging via the PixelSnap charger is still far from impressive.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL took 119 minutes to reach a full charge wirelessly. That is an improvement over last year's Pixel 10 Pro XL, which took 145 minutes, but it is still slower than the two-year-old Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, using the older Pixel Stand (2nd gen), could fully charge in 101 minutes and reach 50% in just 33 minutes. By comparison, the Pixel 11 Pro XL hits 50% in 47 minutes.

The PixelSnap charger also struggles to maintain its advertised 25W power. In testing, it peaked at 23W and took about six minutes to reach that level. It only held peak power for a short time before dropping closer to 15W for most of the charge cycle. The phone also runs warm, with an average temperature of 37.4 degrees Celsius, about half a degree warmer than last year's model.

Worse, the old Pixel Stand (2nd gen) is now nearly useless with the Pixel 11 Pro XL. Because the charging coils are misaligned, power is capped at just 7.5W, leading to an estimated charge time of over four hours.

Wired charging on the Pixel 11 Pro XL has its own quirks

The Pixel 11 Pro XL supports 45W wired charging, but real-world performance is not straightforward. Testing showed a peak power output closer to 41W, and that only works if your charger supports 18V and 2.27A via the USB PD PPS protocol. Google also offers an Extreme Charging mode that gives a 5-minute boost but raises the phone's temperature by about 3 degrees Celsius, peaking at 42.9 degrees Celsius.

For anyone hoping for a simple fast-charging experience, the Pixel 11 series remains complicated. The PixelSnap charger itself requires a specific power adapter with similar specs, adding another layer of confusion for buyers.

Galaxy S27 battery leaks show modest gains

On the Samsung side, a new leak reveals the battery capacities for the upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra and Galaxy S27 Pro. The Galaxy S27 Ultra is rated at 5,534 mAh, which would likely be advertised as around 5,700 mAh. That is a jump of about 700 mAh over the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which had a 5,000 mAh battery. The Galaxy S27 Pro is rated at 5,087 mAh, likely advertised as around 5,200 mAh.

Both devices are also listed with 60W wired charging. While the 14% increase for the Ultra is welcome after years of small upgrades, it still lags behind competitors. For comparison, the Oppo Find X10 is rumored to pack an 8,000 mAh battery. The Galaxy S26, at the same physical size, had a 4,300 mAh battery, so the Pro model's jump is more significant.

Here is a quick look at the leaked battery specs:

Pixel 10 might get a Pixel 11 AI feature

In another interesting development, a beta version of Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 suggests that the Pixel 11's Proactive Assistance feature may also come to the Pixel 10 series. A YouTube channel called In Depth Tech Reviews showed the option appearing in the settings of a Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Proactive Assistance uses Gemini to offer context-aware suggestions. For example, it can turn a text conversation about meeting a friend into a booked restaurant table and a calendar event, or remind you to bring an umbrella when rain is expected later in the day. It is a more advanced version of the Pixel 10's Magic Cue feature.

Google's help page currently lists Proactive Assistance as exclusive to the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The beta menu on the Pixel 10 shows a slightly different description: "Personalized suggestions at the right time," compared to the Pixel 11's "Get personalized suggestions from Gemini at the right time." There is also a "Default digital assistant" option on the Pixel 10 that includes an Android Easter Egg, which may be a bug.

What these developments mean for your next phone: 18 Pro Pixel

If you are shopping for a new phone right now, the iPhone 18 Pro is available today with a polished launch experience and a celebrity-backed marketing push. But the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Galaxy S27 series are not far behind, each with their own trade-offs.

Google's wireless charging is still a weak point, even with the Pixel 11 Pro XL. If fast wireless charging matters to you, the Pixel 9 Pro XL on the old Pixel Stand is actually faster. Samsung's battery upgrades are real but modest compared to rivals like Oppo. And if you own a Pixel 10, you might get a useful AI feature without upgrading.

For now, the best choice depends on what you value most: a polished launch with strong carrier deals, a smarter AI assistant, or a larger battery. Check out our phone directory to compare specs, or use our phone finder to narrow down your options. You can also read our phone reviews for hands-on impressions of the latest models.