What’s in the iPhone 18 Pro Box: A 1 m USB-C Cable, iOS 27 Preinstalled, and What You Must Buy Separately

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Clear Case
Image: Apple

The iPhone 18 Pro box contains two things, according to Apple’s tech specs: the iPhone with iOS 27 installed and a 1-meter USB-C charge cable. There is no power adapter and no earphones, so the 60W adapter that Apple’s 15-minute fast-charging claim depends on is a separate purchase.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro 2up
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max ship with iOS 27 installed and a 1-meter USB-C cable, and nothing else. Image: Apple

That is the same box list Apple publishes for the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Duo, and it is shorter than the boxes for AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12 in different ways. Here is the full checklist from Apple’s tech specs for the iPhone 18 Pro, what each missing item costs you in charging speed, and what Apple has not said about the cable.

Key facts from Apple’s tech specs

ItemiPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max
In the boxiPhone with iOS 27; USB-C Charge Cable (1 m)
Power adapterNot included; 60W USB-C adapter sold separately
EarphonesNot included
PortUSB-C with USB 3, up to 10 Gb/s
Fastest wired claimUp to 50 percent in around 15 minutes with a 60W adapter
WirelessMagSafe up to 25W; Qi2 up to 25W
Packaging100 percent fiber-based
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Wrist Strap
Apple's wrist strap for iPhone 18 Pro is one of four accessories sold separately. Image: Apple

The 1-meter USB-C cable

Apple lists the cable as a USB-C Charge Cable at 1 meter. The phone’s port supports USB 3 at up to 10 Gb/s, according to Apple’s tech specs, but the box listing describes the cable by its charging role and does not state a data speed. If you plan to pull ProRes footage or move a 2TB phone’s worth of photos over a wire, Apple has not said whether the included cable is rated for the port’s full 10 Gb/s.

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The cable is also the only accessory in the box. Apple’s press release mentions an updated Clear Case, a silicone case, a FineWoven case and a wrist strap for the iPhone 18 Pro, all sold separately, and the release does not list their prices.

Apple Watch Series 12 2up
Apple Watch Series 12 includes its magnetic fast-charging cable but, like the iPhone, no power adapter. Image: Apple

What you must buy separately to hit Apple’s charging claims

Apple’s charging figures on the tech specs page each assume a specific adapter, and none of them ship in the box. Our iPhone 18 Pro battery and charging article covers the hour ratings; the table below covers the hardware.

Apple’s claimWhat it requiresIn the box?
Up to 50 percent in around 15 minutes, wired60W USB-C adapter, sold separatelyNo
Up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, wireless35W adapter plus a MagSafe chargerNo
MagSafe charging up to 25WMagSafe charger and adapterNo
Qi2 charging up to 25WQi2 charger and adapterNo
Any charging at allUSB-C cable plus a USB-C power sourceCable only

The practical minimum is one USB-C adapter. Any USB-C power source will charge the phone through the included cable, but Apple’s headline speed is tied to the 60W adapter, and the wireless figure to a 35W adapter feeding MagSafe. Apple has not published the prices of those adapters in the September 9 materials, and it has not published charging times for adapters below 35W.

How the box compares with iPhone Duo, AirPods 5 and Apple Watch

ProductIn the box, per Apple’s tech specsCharger included?
iPhone 18 Pro / 18 Pro MaxiPhone with iOS 27, USB-C Charge Cable (1 m)Cable only
iPhone DuoiPhone with iOS 27, USB-C Charge Cable (1 m)Cable only
AirPods 5 ($129)AirPods 5, Charging Case (USB-C), documentationNo cable
AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case ($149)AirPods 5, Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, documentationNo cable
Apple Watch Series 12Apple Watch, band, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1 m)Cable only
Apple Watch Ultra 4Apple Watch Ultra 4, band, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1 m)Cable only

The iPhone Duo box matches the Pro exactly, even though Apple’s Duo tech specs quote a slower 20-minute figure to 50 percent with a 60W-capable adapter. The AirPods 5 go further and omit the cable entirely on both models; the case charges over USB-C, and only the $149 model adds Apple Watch chargers and Qi. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 include their magnetic fast-charging puck on a 1-meter cable but no adapter.

Unboxing checklist

  • Confirm the box holds the iPhone and the 1-meter USB-C cable; there is nothing else to look for.
  • Have a USB-C adapter ready; a 60W model is what Apple’s 15-minute claim assumes.
  • Expect iOS 27 preinstalled. The public release lands Monday, September 14, four days before the phone.
  • Budget for a case if you want one; Apple lists four accessories, none in the box.
  • Keep the packaging if you may return or trade the phone; it is fully fiber-based.

What Apple has not said

  • Whether the included 1-meter cable supports USB 3 data at 10 Gb/s or is charge-focused.
  • Prices for the 60W and 35W adapters, or for the Clear Case, silicone case, FineWoven case and wrist strap.
  • Charging times with adapters below 35W.
  • Whether the box varies by country, for example in the 12 eSIM-only markets that ship without a SIM tray.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299 for 256GB, according to Apple’s Store page. Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT and deliveries begin Friday, September 18. Our iPhone 18 Pro price article has the monthly figures if you would rather spread the cost and put the difference toward an adapter.