Apple and Samsung are not on the same clock this time. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is set to arrive in September 2026, while the Galaxy S27 Ultra is still months away, expected in early 2027. That means everything below comes from leaks, not official spec sheets. Nothing here is final until each company holds its own launch event. Still, enough details have leaked from both camps to draw a useful early comparison.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro Max | Galaxy S27 Ultra |
| Expected Launch | September 2026 | January–February 2027 |
| Display | 6.9-inch LTPO+ OLED | ~6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Chipset | Apple A20 Pro (2nm) | Custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro (2nm) |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB+ |
| Rear Camera | Triple 48MP, variable aperture main | Upgraded triple/quad, possible 200MP main |
| Front Camera | 18MP, under-display Face ID | Upgraded, Polar ID authentication |
| Battery | ~5,100mAh | 5,500mAh+ (silicon-carbon) |
| Security | Face ID (under-display) | Polar ID + fingerprint |
| Storage Options | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
Numbers in this table are early estimates based on current leaks. Treat them as a guide, not a final spec sheet.
Release Date
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone in September 2026, following Apple’s usual fall schedule. The regular iPhone 18 and a budget iPhone 18e are reportedly being pushed back to spring 2027, which is why Apple is putting the spotlight on the Pro models this year.
Samsung is taking the opposite route. The Galaxy S27 Ultra isn’t expected until January or February 2027, at Samsung’s usual Unpacked event. That gives Apple a five-month head start in the market before Samsung’s next flagship even shows up.
Design and Build
Both phones are expected to keep a familiar look rather than go through a major redesign.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max should closely resemble the iPhone 17 Pro Max, though leaks point to a slightly thicker body and a larger camera bump to fit the new camera hardware. Reports suggest it could end up as Apple’s heaviest iPhone yet, crossing 240 grams. A smaller Dynamic Island is also expected, made possible by Face ID moving under the display.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra is rumored to carry over its current design, with early renders showing the same flat-edge, boxy style Samsung has used on recent Ultra models. One interesting leak suggests Samsung may add built-in magnets for Qi2.2 wireless charging, finally matching the MagSafe-style alignment iPhones have had for years.
Display
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to keep its 6.9-inch display size, but with upgraded LTPO+ panel technology for better power efficiency and smoother scaling between refresh rates.
Samsung hasn’t leaked exact display specs for the S27 Ultra yet, but expect a similar-sized AMOLED panel with the same high refresh rate Samsung has offered on recent Ultra models. Samsung’s panels have traditionally matched or edged out Apple on brightness and color tuning, so this is one area worth watching once real specs surface.
Processor and Performance
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to run on the A20 Pro chip, said to be Apple’s first processor built on a 2nm node. Early claims point to meaningful gains in both speed and power efficiency over the current A19 Pro.
Samsung’s Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to use a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, also built on a 2nm process, developed closely with Qualcomm. Leaks mention custom Orion CPU cores and a next-gen Adreno GPU, aimed at stronger sustained performance under heavy use.
Both chips are still unreleased, so real benchmark comparisons are months away. On paper, though, this looks like the closest generational race between the two in a while, since both are moving to 2nm around the same time.
Camera
Camera upgrades are the headline rumor on both phones this year.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max may get a variable aperture main camera, a first for iPhone. This would let the camera control how much light hits the sensor, improving low-light shots and giving more control over depth of field. A larger telephoto aperture is also rumored, along with a new stacked sensor for better dynamic range.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra is rumored to get upgrades across all three rear cameras, not just the main sensor, along with a new 200MP option under discussion. Samsung is also said to be testing “Polar ID,” a new face authentication system that could replace or sit alongside the current under-display fingerprint scanner.
Battery
Battery numbers are still rough estimates on both sides. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to land somewhere around 5,100mAh, a modest bump from the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Samsung is expected to keep pushing silicon-carbon battery tech, which packs more capacity into the same physical space. Some early estimates for the S27 Ultra go as high as 5,500mAh or more, though this figure isn’t confirmed and could easily change before launch.
Software
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will ship with whatever iOS version Apple has ready for fall 2026, expected to lean further into on-device AI features following Apple’s recent Apple Intelligence push.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra will launch with a newer version of One UI on top of Android, and Samsung is expected to keep expanding Galaxy AI across more apps and use cases, similar to what it did with the S26 series.
Price in Bangladesh
Neither company has leaked official pricing yet, so the numbers below are estimates based on how the current generation is priced in the Bangladesh market.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max officially retails in Bangladesh from around ৳2,05,000 to ৳2,17,000 for the 256GB model, going up to roughly ৳2,35,000 for the 2TB variant. Apple has kept its US pricing flat for two years in a row, so if that pattern holds and import costs stay similar, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could launch in Bangladesh somewhere in the ৳2,15,000 to ৳2,30,000 range for the base 256GB storage, with higher storage tiers going up from there.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra officially retails in Bangladesh at around ৳1,99,999 for the 256GB model, though unofficial and grey-market units sell for noticeably less. Samsung kept its global pricing flat from the S25 Ultra to the S26 Ultra, only raising prices on higher storage tiers. If the S27 Ultra follows that same pattern, expect the official price in Bangladesh to start close to ৳2,00,000 to ৳2,10,000 for the base model, with the possibility of a small hike if the new Pro tier and camera upgrades push costs up.
Keep in mind unofficial (non-warranty) units usually sell for ৳15,000 to ৳30,000 less than official retail price in Bangladesh, but come without the manufacturer’s local warranty.
Which One Should You Wait For?
If you need a new phone soon, the iPhone 18 Pro Max arrives first, in September 2026, with a faster chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, and a camera system built around variable aperture. It’s the safer near-term upgrade if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem.
If you can wait, the Galaxy S27 Ultra brings its own 2nm chip, a possible Polar ID security upgrade, and camera improvements across the board, but not until early 2027. That’s a long wait if you’re deciding today.
Both phones are still built on leaks at this point, so treat every spec here as a starting point, not a final answer. We’ll update this comparison as official details come in from Apple and Samsung.
