Key takeaways:

• Features: The Dynamic Island may move to the upper left corner, the cameras may have a variable aperture and a larger battery is available.
• Colors: Apple may launch burgundy, purple and brown versions.
• Price: There are no leaks about the price increase, which is good news at this point.
• Release date: Apple may split the iPhone 18 launch between September 2026 and February/March 2027.

People are still comfortable with iPhone 17however many rumors are swirling about what Apple has in store for 2026 and beyond for its iPhone 18 line. Released on Sept. 19, the iPhone 17 series impressed us with its surprise feature-packed modelthe unbelievably slender iPhone Air and the boldly redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. We hope that next year’s lineup will surprise us as well.

Apple is less than two years away from its 20th anniversary original iPhone launch. Meanwhile the company sells more phones in the US than its rivals Android phonesApple has always trailed Samsung for global sales and is just ahead of Chinese phone makers like Xiaomi. There is a lot at stake for Apple in the next iPhone, as well as building interest in a possible foldable device, such as rumored iPhone Fold.

Already, some of the hottest rumors include the Dynamic Island move and that the new Pro models and the regular 18 will have the same RAM as the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Here’s a look at all the rumors and leaks we know about the potential iPhone 18 series.

Latest rumors

iPhone 18 design differences

We have heard that there will likely be three models: the base iPhone 18, the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. May also have iPhone models not in this series, like a second-generation Air or the much-rumored foldable iPhone. That could mean a total of six iPhone models if you include the 17E.

The designs for the iPhone tend to remain the same year after year, and current rumors suggest that this trend will continue. The screen sizes of the three handsets look the same as before – 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively – with a slight difference in the design of the rear camera bumps. The base iPhone 18 is rumored to have a smaller camera bump compared to its predecessor, while the Pro and Pro Max will retain a wider “plateau” to accommodate their three rear cameras.

According to a leak from Chinese social media site Weibo, the Pro model may get a “quiet transparent finish” on the back glass panel. A Chinese leaker It has been reported that the iPhone 18 Pro may have a more unified design compared to its current two-tone look. Some rumors also suggests it has a heavier, thicker build. In addition, it can enter three new colors: brown, purple and burgundy. Brown coffee may seem like an odd choice for a phone color, but our own Patrick Holland is open to the concept.

Some rumors suggest that changes may be coming to the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg and Weibo user Digital Chat Station suggests that Apple may reduce the size of the Dynamic Island in the iPhone 18 models. This may result in a small pinhole cutout for the camera, as the Face ID sensors may be located under the display.

The Information it was also recently reported that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature under-screen Face ID, confirming the Bloomberg rumor. In addition, the outlet also says that the front camera will be moved to the upper left corner of the screen and, as a result, the Dynamic Island cutout will disappear.

We tested the under-display cameras on many phones over the years. The display part in front of the camera has small screen elements and translucent cables, allowing the selfie camera to “see” the screen, like looking through a window with open blinds. While the idea of ​​having a display with little or no cutouts is a worthy one, under-display cameras often result in photos with poor image quality. However, maybe Apple is the company that will finally figure out how to integrate a camera under the display that captures high-quality images.

A bigger battery for the iPhone 18 Pro

After years of questions from customers, Apple has finally chosen the battery over the slimness of the iPhone 17 Pro case. And that model continues to surprise us, coming out on top in Patrick Holland’s recent comparison of battery life 35 phones. We especially wonder if Apple will adopt the new one silicon carbon battery technology.

Based on a post on the Chinese social media site Weibo, it was found 9 to 5 Macthe iPhone 18 Pro may include a battery of more than 5,000 mAh — specifically, 5,000 mAh for models with a physical SIM card slot (as required in some countries) and 5,200 mAh for models that rely only on eSIM (which provides additional internal space that can be filled with an additional battery).

New cameras on the iPhone 18

iPhone cameras are another feature that could receive a significant upgrade in 2026. Macworld reports that Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station says that the iPhone 18 Pro Max may get a camera with a variable aperture, similar to how the lenses of DSLR and mirrorless cameras work. This allows people to better control the depth of field and brightness of the image. The Information also reports that at least one rear camera on the 18 Pro has a mechanical iris, another name for lens aperture.

We’ve seen variable aperture phone cameras before. the Galaxy S9 launched in 2018 with a mechanical dual-aperture lens on the main camera that can switch between f / 1.5, which allows more light to enter and creates a shallower depth of field, and f / 2.4, which sharpens the subject more. But the S9’s image sensor is small and the photos from it are OK. Xiaomi will have a variable aperture, between f / 1.9 and f / 4.0, in 2023 13 Ultra and 2024 14 Ultrabut each has a large 1-inch type sensor that makes the most of it. Unfortunately, to the frustration of CNET’s Andrew Lanxon, the company has removed the variable aperture Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Macworld also said that the telephoto lenses on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could get a faster aperture, allowing more light to hit the sensor for better low-light shots. In addition, MacRumors reports that all iPhone 18 models (except the 18E) will get upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing cameras for better selfies. We must note that the iPhone 17 and Air series all have Apple’s new Center Stage selfie camera, which has a square 18-megapixel sensor and can take either horizontal or vertical photos, no matter how you hold the phones.

There is also some speculation that the iPhone Camera Control button can be simplified. Instead of capacitive and pressure sensors, it can only be pressure-sensing for all Camera Control functions.

Updated A20 chip and iPhone 18 specs

As the iPhone 17 lineup uses the A19 and A19 Pro chips, it makes sense that the upcoming iPhone 18 will use Apple’s new A20 processor. The rumored chips are said to use a new process called Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, which incorporates RAM directly on the same wafer as the CPU, GPU and neural engine. This obviously results in better efficiency and faster performance because everything is located on the same chip.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 18 lineup may use Apple’s next-gen C2 modem chip for better wireless connectivity. In addition, The Information reports that Apple is preparing to support 5G networks from satellites, potentially giving iPhone 18 models full satellite phone capabilities, not just for emergencies and texting.

MacRumors recently reported that the iPhone 18 could have 12GB of RAM, according to a research note by analyst Jeff Pu.

Although it is not exclusive to the iPhone 18, Apple also recently announced that Google’s Gemini will run its AI-powered Siri later this year.

iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro release date

For many years, Apple has held its annual iPhone launch event in the fall. but according to several reportsApple’s smartphone release schedule will be different in the coming years. Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and its new foldable next fall.

The iPhone 18, the iPhone 18E and a potential iPhone Air 2, on the other hand, could debut six months later in February or March 2027.

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