IPhone 18 Pro Will Come With 'Aak Transparan' Background

The iPhone 18 Pro is estimated to be in the Proto1 development stage (photo: x @lukusois)

JAKARTA - According to the latest rumors, the iPhone 18 Pro, which is expected to launch in 2026, will likely have a "not transparent" rear glass design. This information comes from the leaker Digital Chat Station via a post on Weibo, although the details are still unclear.

Apple just introduced the iPhone 17 Pro at the "Awe Dropping" event on September 9, 2025, but news about its successor has begun to emerge. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to retain a similar design to the iPhone 17 Pro, including a 6.3-inch display, a rectangular camera plate, and a triangular camera array on the back. However, a prominent change is that the rear glass is said to have a "untransparent" design.

It is not clear what is meant by "untransparent". Chances are, this design allows users to see MagSafe charging coils on the device, providing a unique new look. However, there is also speculation that the term "transparent" could refer to the nature of heat conduction, not literally transparency, as the post also mentions an upgrade to the vapor chamber cooling system made from stainless steel. A more thermally conducting windshield can help with better heat disposal.

Transparent rearview is actually not new, because it has been available as a third-party customization option for years. However, this move will feel unusual for Apple, which is known for its modern design that tends not to use transparent elements. In addition, because these rumors come from Chinese sources, it is possible that the translation of "transparent" is not entirely accurate.

Currently, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be at the Proto1 development stage, meaning there is still a lot of room for design and hardware changes. In comparison, Apple has tested five rear plate designs for the iPhone 16e and some variations for the iPhone 16 before mass production. There is also the possibility that transparent glass is only used in testing units and will not reach consumers.

Digital Chat Stations are known to be quite accurate in some predictions, such as the iPhone 17 camera design, although they have also been wrong, for example about changes to UI Dynamic Island. Behind the rear glass, not much can be seen other than the new aluminum battery compartment and unibody shell. Apple may be able to take advantage of transparent designs to showcase charging coils with a unique style around the Apple logo, but transparency is not a hallmark of modern Apple design.

Because of that, these rumors are considered "impossible" to happen, especially as the premise is focused on "transparent backglasses" that sound less reasonable. Whatever the intent of these rumors, transparency literally doesn't seem to be the move Apple will take.