For years, Apple has followed a predictable iPhone launch schedule, introducing new iPhones in September – the standard model and the Pro model. In the spring, Apple often releases a less expensive phone – previously the “SE” iPhones and, more recently, the “e” series.
Apple has now split the iPhone 18 launch. It unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone Duo in September 2026, without announcing a standard iPhone 18 or iPhone 18e. Reports point to a spring 2027 launch for the less expensive models, but Apple has not confirmed either phone or a release date.
So, what can we expect from the iPhone 18 and 18e? Detailed specifications are scarce, but there are indications that the iPhone 18 may face some compromises.
Below is a log of what we’ve heard so far about the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, based on the most recent and reliable rumors, analyst reports, and leaks, along with historical precedent.
iPhone 18 vs 18e rumors at a glance
| iPhone 18 | iPhone 18e | |
|---|---|---|
| Expected release | Spring 2027 | Spring 2027 |
| Expected price | $899 | $699 |
| Display size | 6.3 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Refresh rate | Up to 120Hz ProMotion | 60Hz |
| Display cutout | Dynamic Island; possibly smaller | Notch or possibly Dynamic Island |
| Processor | A20, expected 2nm | A20, expected 2nm |
| RAM | 9GB or 12GB | 9GB most likely |
| Rear cameras | Two 48MP cameras expected | Single 48MP Main expected |
| Front camera | Rumored 24MP | Rumored 12MP |
| Camera Control | Yes, possibly simplified | Not expected |
| Cellular modem | Apple C2 expected | Apple C2 expected |
| Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Likely N1 | Likely N1 |
| Design | Similar to iPhone 17, unless replaced by Air-style design | Similar to iPhone 17e |
| Biggest uncertainty | Could potentially be replaced/reimagined as Air 2 | Whether it gains Dynamic Island |
Did Apple launch the iPhone 18 in September?
No. Apple’s September 9 event came and went without an iPhone 18 or 18e. The company announced the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Duo instead. The standard and lower-cost models are rumored for spring 2027, although Apple has not confirmed that timetable.
The new split-release strategy may make Apple’s increasingly large iPhone lineup easier to manufacture, while giving its premium models the spotlight during the crucial fall launch period.
It would also create a second major iPhone launch window in spring, when the iPhone 18 is expected to arrive alongside the iPhone 18e and Air 2. There is a separate rumor that the Air 2 could effectively become the iPhone 18, but that claim remains fairly speculative at this stage.
When will the iPhone 18 and 18e release?
- iPhone 18: Expected in spring 2027 with an A20 chip, rumored to have more RAM and cameras, the iPhone 18 could even disappear entirely if Apple turns the thinner dual-camera Air 2 into its standard iPhone.
- iPhone 18e: The iPhone 18e is expected in spring 2027 rumored to have an A20 chip, 9GB RAM and a C2 modem, while retaining a single 48MP rear camera.
While Apple has launched its standard and high-end iPhone models together ever since the first Pro phone arrived in 2019, this year looks to be different. Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro models in September 2026 without a standard iPhone 18. Reports now point to a spring 2027 launch for the standard model, which would leave the iPhone 17 on sale for roughly 18 months before its replacement.
So if you bought an iPhone 17 at launch and are looking to upgrade, you’ll either need to spring for an iPhone 18 Pro or wait until March or April when Apple may hold a second iPhone event or at least launch the new iPhones via press release.
We also expect Apple to release the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 at the same time – although there is a rumor that the iPhone 18 might actually be the iPhone Air 2.
“Early Apple” published a claim on X that Apple is “exploring the idea” of calling what is essentially the iPhone Air 2 the iPhone 18 rather than launching a third device. In July Jon Prosser made a similar suggestion in a FTP video that Apple could eventually streamline the lineup around the iPhone, iPhone Pro and iPhone Duo, with the Air serving as a stepping stone toward that strategy.
What the iPhone 18 Pro launch revealed about the iPhone 18
The iPhone 18 Pro’s A20 Pro chip gives us our first look at this generation of Apple silicon.
It does not confirm the standard A20’s specifications though. We still don’t know how much RAM the iPhone 18 or 18e will have, or which Pro features will be available with the cheaper phones.
What specs will the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e have?
Apple has introduced the A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 18 and 18e are expected to use a standard A20, although Apple has not announced that chip. Like A20 Pro, the standard chip could use a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, but its specifications remain unknown.
The A20 may retain the A19’s six-core CPU while improving performance and efficiency. A five-core GPU is possible for the iPhone 18, with a reduced configuration potentially reserved for the 18e. Those are predictions based on Apple’s existing chip lineup, rather than confirmed details. We also expect improvements to on-device AI processing, although the standard A20 may differ substantially from A20 Pro, which has a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
The standard iPhone 18 is rumored to have more RAM than the iPhone 17’s 8GB. Analyst Jeff Pu has predicted 12GB, while Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested an unusual 9GB configuration for both the iPhone 18 and 18e. Given rising memory costs, we consider 9GB plausible, but there is no agreement yet on how much memory either phone will have.
The amount of RAM could affect more than multitasking. Apple already reserves some iOS 27 features – including customizable Siri voice expressivity and pace, and more accurate on-device dictation – for iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models and later. That makes feature support an important question for the iPhone 18 and 18e. Apple has not said whether 9GB or 12GB of RAM determines eligibility for those features, so we cannot assume that either phone will include or miss out on them.
Apple has also introduced its C2 cellular modem in the iPhone 18 Pro. Apple says it supports mmWave in the U.S., delivers faster uploads than C1X and uses 15 percent less energy. The iPhone 18 and 18e may adopt C2, but Apple has not confirmed their modems. Both could also use Apple’s N1 wireless chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, though that remains a prediction for the unannounced phones.
Will the iPhone 18 and 18e’s cameras be improved?
David Price / Foundry
- 24MP selfie camera on iPhone 18
- iPhone 18e may retain a 12MP selfie camera
- 48MP Main cameras expected
- Revised Camera Control button on iPhone 18
The iPhone 18 could get another front-camera upgrade. Apple introduced an 18MP Center Stage camera with the iPhone 17 generation, but reports now suggest the standard iPhone 18 will move to a 24MP selfie camera. That should potentially deliver more detail and give Apple more resolution to work with for cropping and computational photography.
The rumor that the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 could be one and the same may mean that the iPhone Air gets a second rear camera.
The situation with the iPhone 18e is less clear. While some rumors have suggested that 24MP cameras could spread across the wider iPhone 18 family, a November 2025 J.P. Morgan report said the lower-cost iPhone 18e will retain a 12MP front camera. For now, we wouldn’t assume that the 18e will get the same selfie-camera upgrade as the iPhone 18.
There has been much less information about the rear cameras. The current iPhone 17 has 48MP Main and 48MP Ultra Wide cameras, while the iPhone 17e has a single 48MP Main camera. We therefore expect the iPhone 18 to retain two 48MP rear cameras and the iPhone 18e to continue with a single 48MP Main camera, although there haven’t yet been reliable reports of major sensor upgrades for either model.
Apple may also simplify Camera Control. According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the iPhone 18’s button will retain pressure sensitivity but drop the capacitive sensing used by current models, potentially reducing complexity and cost. The iPhone 18e isn’t expected to gain Camera Control.
Will the iPhone 18e get a display upgrade?
David Price / Foundry
The iPhone 18 is likely to use a display similar to the iPhone 17, with up to 1,000 nits of typical SDR brightness, 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, and up to 3,000 nits outdoors.
The iPhone 18e could get a more noticeable upgrade, although reports remain inconsistent. The current iPhone 17e uses an older display with relatively modest brightness and a notch rather than Dynamic Island. Some reports suggest the iPhone 18e will finally move to a newer panel with Dynamic Island, potentially bringing it closer to the iPhone 15, which offered up to 2,000 nits of outdoor brightness. However, the Dynamic Island upgrade remains disputed.
What does appear more likely is that Apple will continue to limit the 18e to a 60Hz display. According to Digital Chat Station, the phone will retain a 60Hz LTPS OLED panel rather than adopting the LTPO technology used for ProMotion. That would mean no 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate or Always-On display, even as those features become more widespread elsewhere in the iPhone lineup.
How much will the iPhone 18 and 18e cost?
Following the iPhone 18 Pro launch in September, Apple increased the price of the iPhone 17 from $799 to $899 and the iPhone 17e from $599 to $699 in the U.S.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launched at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, also reflecting a $100 increase over their predecessors.
Rising DRAM and NAND costs may help explain the increases, although Apple has not attributed these specific iPhone price changes to a single cause.
There may be further pressure on 2027 prices. DigiTimes reports that Apple has accepted higher prices from Samsung for memory supplied in early 2027. That could make it harder for Apple to hold the iPhone 18 and 18e at the current models’ starting prices.
Will Apple increase prices further when the new models launch? Rising component costs could also affect the iPhone 18 and 18e, but it is too early to say whether Apple will raise their prices, or by how much.
Should you wait for iPhone 18?
If you want a Pro iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are available now. If you prefer a standard or lower-cost model and your current phone is serving you well, you could wait: the iPhone 18 and 18e are rumored to arrive in spring 2027, although Apple has not confirmed either launch.
There’s no need to wait if you need a phone now. We still recommend the iPhone 17 and 17e, which start at $899 and $699 respectively.
If price is your main concern, look for discounts during Amazon’s October sale and Black Friday. You may also find a worthwhile deal sooner, particularly from a retailer or through a carrier offer. Read: When is the best time to buy a new iPhone?
