The iPhone 17 launch was a serious shake up for Apple. Not only did the basic model finally inherit the Pro models’ 120Hz screen, but we were introduced to Apples’ thinnest handset yet in the slight form of the iPhone Air.
So will the iPhone 18 family offer similarly big changes, or are we expecting more iterative change? Here’s everything we know so far about the iPhone 18.
Note, however, that it’s early days yet, with the handsets not expected until September 2026 — and possibly even later for some of them. More on that in a moment, but be aware that this page is a work in progress that will be updated as more rumors and leaks emerge over the coming months.
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iPhone 18: Expected release date and price
If you’ve followed iPhone rumors for years, you’ll be used to skimming this section. For numbered iPhones (i.e., not the SE or ‘e’ models), Apple has only released them in September for over a decade, excluding 2020 when, in the midst of Covid supply chain issues, the announcement was pushed back to October.
And yet the iPhone 18 may see a slight shakeup to this familiar formula. According to ETNews, Apple plans to release the Pro models and iPhone Fold in September 2026, but hold back the basic model for a Spring 2027 unveiling alongside the iPhone 18e.
Presumably, the aim is to push more people into picking the Pro models, but it’s certainly a gamble given the enduring popularity of the basic model. At this point, it’s not clear where the next version of the iPhone Air fits in all of this.
Pricing is completely up in the air, too. Despite worries about the impact of tariffs upon pricing, the basic iPhone 17 maintained the same $799 price point as the iPhone 16, while the Pro model only rose $100 to start at $1,099 (which was odd, given the iPhone 17 Pro Max stayed static at $1,199).
It seems likely that the Pro model will stay the same, rather than Apple doing back-to-back price rises. Whether the regular model will be able to maintain that comparatively low price with a Spring 2027 release date remains to be seen. A lot can happen in that time.
iPhone 18: Design
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
Given the iPhone 17 family mixed up how the phones looked, we’re not expecting huge changes in terms of design for the handsets’ successors, but there will likely be subtle refinements. Digital Chat Station claims that the Pro models will get a “transparent finish” to the rear glass panel, for example.
Beyond that, at the time of writing, we’re expecting a similar look across the board. Which is to say a 6.3-inch iPhone 18 and 18 Pro, a 6.5-inch iPhone Air 2, and a 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max.
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That said, there may be some visible changes from the front. Earlier this year, the leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that the clever Face ID technology required for Face Unlock would be hidden beneath the screen, ditching the need for the notch or Dynamic Island. The front-facing camera would be minimized to a single hole punch in the top-left corner, according to The Information.
But then another Weibo leaker, Instant Digital, said that Face ID would actually just be getting smaller — “a slightly narrower pill” in the leaker’s words. “The iPhone 18 series is just a slightly narrower pill,” the leaker says. “It does not have a single camera, and does not have under-screen Face ID or an under-screen camera,” he added.
Digital Chat Station doesn’t seem to have retreated from this, however, posting that new HIAA (hole-in-active-area) technology is being tested on the front-facing camera that could lead to a “more compact design”. No mention of Face ID this time, so file the fate of Dynamic Island under “uncertain” for the time being.
Finally, it seems that Apple may be continuing its experiment of bold new colors after the iPhone 17 Pro handsets arrived with an eye-catching orange option. The leaker Digital Chat Station thinks that the iPhone 18 Pro could arrive in brown, purple and burgundy, which is a break from the usual silvers and blacks.
iPhone 18: Performance
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
Apple has used 3nm chips in its flagship smartphones since the introduction of the A17 chipset with the iPhone 15 Pro, but it seems that the company will make the leap to 2nm chips with the iPhone 18’s A20.
The benefits of a smaller chip are significant. A 2nm chip packs more transistors into a smaller space, boosting performance while reducing power consumption, which can have a big impact on battery life. Based on previous generational jumps, we could be looking at a chip that’s 15% faster and 30% more efficient than the A19.
It’s worth noting that the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes this will be reserved for the Pro models to save on costs, but if it does reach the regular models, that could spell a big boost for Apple Intelligence, as the report mentions 12GB RAM within the chips. Currently, the iPhone 17 is capped at 8GB.
One other potential upgrade could come with the adoption of Apple’s C2 modem. Only two phones have Apple-built modems in at the moment: the iPhone 16e (C1) and the iPhone Air (C1X), and a wider roll out could lead to better efficiency and therefore further improvements to battery life.
However, this is far from a certainty, as Qualcomm — Apple’s existing supplier — is contracted to provide iPhone modems until some point in 2027. So it seems likely that some members of the iPhone 18 family will miss out on the upgrade — it’s just a question of which ones.
iPhone 18: Camera
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
It’s the iPhone 18’s cameras that have the most early rumors about them.
Firstly, after the iPhone 17 family saw the front-facing selfie camera jump from 12 megapixels to 18, it appears Apple may have another upgrade planned. According to a JP Morgan research report seen by MacRumors, all iPhone 18 models bar the 18e will be upgraded to a 24-megapixel camera, leading to sharper and more detailed selfies.
Another big rumored upgrade is sadly limited to the Pro models. According to ETNews, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max handsets will come with a variable rate aperture, allowing users to adjust the amount of light entering the lens for more flexibility with their photography.
This upgrade was briefly tipped for the iPhone 17 Pro, but the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted it for the iPhone 18 Pro a year ago, so this isn’t just a case of rolling over a disproved prediction to the next generation.
Finally, there’s some discussion about the mechanics of taking a photo, with the Camera Control button introduced with the iPhone 16 reportedly being reassessed. Originally, there was talk of it being scrapped altogether, but this has since been softened to it being simplified to save costs. Rather than offering capacitive and pressure-sensing functionality, Apple may only include the latter.
iPhone 18: Outlook
(Image credit: Future)
It’s early days for iPhone 18 rumors, and there are still an awful lot of gaps to fill.
All the same, there are real reasons for excitement. The move to 2nm chips could offer a huge boost to performance and battery life, and the introduction of a variable aperture on the Pro models could be a big boon for photographers.
The predicted shift of the basic iPhone 18 into 2027 is a gamble, however. If Apple is only offering phones that cost over $1,000 in September — and possibly as high as $2,000 for its first foldable — then an awful lot of potential buyers are going to be priced out of their usual upgrade path.
With the gap between basic and Pro iPhones shrinking in recent years, it will be interesting to see what kind of features Apple will be using to tempt those who would usually opt for the cheaper option. We’ll know more over the coming months as the various models take shape.
