iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders Live — Scammers Already Exploiting £1,199 Price Tag

Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are officially available for pre-order, but the excitement is tempered by a serious consumer warning. With the cheapest new model starting at £1,199, according to The Guardian, the high price is already creating a fertile ground for scammers targeting eager buyers.

The Predictable Pro Upgrade

As expected, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max represent another step forward in performance. Announced at Apple's "Sunrise and shine" event, the new phones are built around a faster A20 Pro processor, The Verge reports. The chip promises more GPU power and additional neural cores specifically for AI-related tasks. This suggests Apple is continuing its push for more powerful, on-device artificial intelligence, which can translate to faster photo processing, more responsive voice commands, and smarter software features that don't rely on the cloud. For users, this means the phone you use every day gets incrementally faster and more capable, especially for intensive apps and games.

For those ready to upgrade, MacRumors confirms that pre-orders for the Pro models began on Saturday, September 12, at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. This kicks off the familiar annual ritual for Apple enthusiasts and those whose contracts are up.

High Prices Fuel Scammer Season

The performance bumps come with a premium price tag, and that's where the problems begin. The Guardian Money issued a warning about criminal websites exploiting the demand for the new devices. These sites lure in customers searching for terms like “cheap iPhone deal” with offers that seem too good to be true — because they are. The £1,199 starting price creates a massive incentive for budget-conscious consumers to look for discounts, and scammers are ready to take advantage of that desperation.

This pattern is a direct consequence of Apple's pricing strategy. While the company secures high profit margins, the high barrier to entry pushes a segment of potential buyers toward riskier, unofficial channels. The launch of a desirable new iPhone has become synonymous with the launch of a new season for digital fraud. It's the predictable, dark underside of the immense hype Apple generates.

Apple Finally Enters the Foldable Fray

Perhaps the biggest surprise from the launch event was the introduction of an entirely new device category for Apple. Both The Verge and The Guardian noted the announcement of the iPhone Duo, a foldable handset. While details remain sparse, the introduction of the Duo signals that Apple is finally ready to compete with Samsung and other Android manufacturers in the foldable market. Announcing it alongside the flagship Pro models indicates Apple is treating it as a serious, top-tier product rather than a niche experiment. The move shows that the foldable form factor has matured enough to meet Apple's standards, potentially bringing the category into the mainstream once and for all.