iPhone 18: All the Information We Have About Apple’s Upcoming Devices

A new foldable phone, a variable aperture camera, more RAM, longer battery life, and, yes, greater costs are among the latest rumors regarding Apple’s upcoming flagship phones.

Key takeaways

• Features: There are reports of a larger battery, the Dynamic Island may be smaller, and cameras may have a variable aperture. On the other hand, shortages of memory components and their high cost are a worry.
• Colors: Apple may introduce variants in light blue, burgundy, and black, possibly taking the place of the silver-gray hue.
• Price: It appears that iPhones will not be exempt from price increases after Apple’s increases for Macs, iPads, HomePods, and the Apple TV.
• Date of release: September 9 is the date of the announcement event. On Friday, September 11, preorders may start. Apple may, however, divide the release of the iPhone 18 between fall 2026 and spring 2027.

Now that Google and Samsung have shown their new phones for the year, Apple’s turn is quickly approaching. This year’s iPhone event, Apple’s autumn 2026 event, is scheduled on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST, and 3 a.m. AEST). New CEO John Ternus is anticipated to make his stage debut. Now that the release of Apple’s new iPhone 18 lineup is probably only a few days away, rumors concerning it are constantly circulating. This includes reports of colors including a dark cherry tone and leaked video of what looks to be iPhone 18 Pro drop testing that were removed. The continuous memory shortage raises concerns about price as well because it may have an impact on the new phones’ specifications and cost.

It appears that the iPhone 18 lineup will be one of Apple’s most significant in recent years, as well as one of its most intricate. Apple’s long-rumored foldable handset, also known as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra, which is anticipated to start at more than $2,000, is slated to join the Pro and Pro Max variants in September. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, both of which Samsung just unveiled, are anticipated to face direct competition from the rumored Apple foldable. The Pixel 11 Fold Pro was also just released by Google. This year is going to be a huge success for foldable phones.

In contrast to the all-in-one fall event model Apple has been using for years, the basic iPhone 18, iPhone 18E, and a second-generation iPhone Air are apparently being postponed to spring 2027. That move significantly alters the timetable if you have been holding off on upgrading to a regular iPhone.

In the past, the iPhone 17 series astonished us with the entry-level iPhone 17E, the boldly redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, the slim iPhone Air, and the unexpectedly feature-rich base model. We hope the selection for the iPhone 18 will also surprise us.

The business will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone’s release in about a year. Apple typically lags behind Samsung in global sales and is only slightly ahead of Chinese phone manufacturers like Xiaomi, despite selling more phones in the US than competing Android phones. With the upcoming iPhone, Apple has a lot on the line, including generating interest in a potential foldable smartphone like the rumored iPhone Fold.

The Dynamic Island shrinking and the potential for the iPhone 18 and 18 Pro to share RAM with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are two of the most popular speculations. Additionally, there are rumors that Apple may divide the release of its iPhone 18 series, releasing more entry-level models next year after the high-end ones this year. Here are all the speculations and leaks we have found regarding the possible iPhone 18 series.

Latest rumors

iPhone 18 design differences

The original iPhone 18, the iPhone 18 Pro, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max are reportedly the three variants that will be available. Additionally, there might be iPhone models that are not part of this series, such as the much-discussed folding iPhone or a second-generation Air. If you consider the also-rumored 18E, that may indicate that six iPhone models are in development.

Every year, iPhone designs tend to stay the same, and current rumors indicate that this pattern will continue. The three phones appear to have the same screen sizes (6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively), with only slight variations in the back camera bumps. Additionally, a Weibo source seems to suggest that Apple has strict brightness requirements, which could lead to problems with OLED supply. Some people believe it has a considerably brighter screen because of this.

According to rumors, the Pro and Pro Max will keep the bigger “plateau” to house their three back cameras, while the regular iPhone 18 will have a smaller camera hump than its predecessor.

A leak on the Chinese social media platform Weibo claims that the rear glass panel of the Pro model may have a “subtle translucent finish.” According to a Chinese leaker, the iPhone 18 Pro’s current two-tone appearance might be more cohesive. It may also have a thicker, heavier build, according to certain speculations.

Additionally, it may be available in three new hues: dark gray, dark cherry, and light blue. According to purported dummy units uploaded by Sonny Dickson on X, earlier speculations suggested a coffee brown color, however that option seems to have been abandoned. According to recent reports from Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital (via MacRumors), the iPhone 18 Pro will come in sky blue, pure black, and burgundy, the latter of which is probably the same hue as the previously rumored dark cherry. You may be out of luck if you were expecting for a silver-gray variant because Apple is reportedly bringing the black back to replace it, at least with the iPhone 18 Pro.

According to other sources, Dynamic Island on the iPhone might be changing. According to Gurman and Weibo user Digital Chat Station, Apple might make the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models smaller. Because the Face ID sensors might be underneath the display, this could lead to a tiny pinhole cutout for the camera.

Additionally, The Information has confirmed the Bloomberg story that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature under-screen Face ID. The site also said that the Dynamic Island cutout will be missed because the front camera would be shifted to the upper left corner of the screen.

The Dynamic Island cutout will still be present on the iPhone 18 Pro models, but it will be “roughly 35% thinner” than on the current iPhone 17 Pro models, according to X account Ice Universe. This has to do with how the Dynamic Island appears by default: exactly like the current Dynamic Island, the area grows when Live Activities or other information are shown. According to MacRumors, the new iPhone will only offer partial under-screen Face ID, which still needs a Dynamic Island.

Tata Electronics, Apple’s Indian manufacturing partner, was the target of a cyberattack on June 29 that reportedly led to the release of photographs and video showing the iPhone 18 Pro undergoing drop tests. In contrast to the two-tone appearance of the current 17 Pro model, the pictures depicted a silver-gray iPhone 18 Pro (though it may now come in black), according to MacRumors. According to the website, the Apple logo has a reflective surface and the lenses seem to protrude more.

Recently leaked photos from the X account @earlyappleleaks provide more proof that Dynamic Island is receding. The images appear to show a prototype iPhone 18 Pro with a significantly smaller Dynamic Island cutout. In a similar vein, Ice Universe posted a picture of what appears to be a screen protector for the iPhone 18 Pro. It also depicts a much smaller Dynamic Island.

Over the years, we have tested under-display cameras on a number of phones. The selfie camera can “see through” the screen, similar to gazing out a window with open blinds, because the portion of the display in front of the camera has less screen elements and translucent wiring. Although a display with few or no cuts is a good idea, under-display cameras frequently produce low-quality images. But perhaps Apple will be the first to find out how to incorporate a top-notch camera behind the display.

Otherwise, Gurman of Bloomberg cautions that the 18 Pro might be “underwhelming,” pointing out that just small changes might be made. Compared to previous iPhone Pros, which are usually high-end iterations of the most recent iPhone, this would be a change.

iPhone Air 2 rumors

Regarding the possibility of an iPhone Air 2, there have been some contradictory rumors. The Information claims that the release is being postponed, possibly as a result of last year’s dismal iPhone Air sales. Some claim that Apple will eventually introduce a successor to the Air, although it might happen in 2027 instead of 2026.

A second 48-megapixel ultrawide camera may be included in the iPhone Air 2, according to leaker Jon Prosser. This could be good news because the iPhone Air’s single wide camera was one of the main complaints. The Face ID component of the iPhone Air 2 might be modified to make room for the additional camera. Prosser added that it might have had a lavender model, a titanium design akin to the original Air, and longer battery life.

The aforementioned second 48-megapixel camera will be included in the iPhone Air 2, along with a smaller Dynamic Island, a faster and more efficient A20 Pro chip, a second-generation N2 chip for wireless networking, and a second-generation C2 chip for 5G, according to analyst Jeff Pu’s research note with GF Securities (via MacRumors). Pu goes on to say that he anticipates the iPhone Air 2 will include an 18-megapixel selfie camera, 12GB of RAM, and the same 6.5-inch display.

A bigger battery for iPhone 18 Pro

Apple finally decided to prioritize battery over case thinness in the iPhone 17 Pro after years of user requests. And in a recent assessment of battery life among 35 phones, Patrick Holland found that model to be the best, which continues to surprise us. We particularly want to know if Apple will use the new silicon-carbon battery technology.

The iPhone 18 Pro may have a battery larger 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 only use eSIM (which give up more internal space that can be filled with more battery), according to a post on the Chinese social media site Weibo that 9to5Mac saw.

According to a recent post by Chinese Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is experimenting with various battery capacity for various geographical areas. It appears that the US model is testing a 4,288-mAh battery, while the China model is testing a 4,056-mAh battery. According to MacRumors, this is because the US model has more room for a larger battery because it lacks a real SIM card slot.

New cameras on iPhone 18

Another feature that might be significantly improved in 2026 is the iPhone’s cameras. According to Macworld, Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that the iPhone 18 Pro Max might have a variable-aperture camera, which functions similarly to mirrorless and DSLR lenses. This gives users more control over image brightness and depth of field. According to another leaker, Ice Universe (via MacRumors), the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the only model with this variable aperture capability. Additionally, according to The Information, at least one of the 18 Pro’s rear cameras would have a mechanical iris, which is another term for a lens’ aperture.

Phone cameras with variable apertures have been seen previously. When the Galaxy S9 was first released in 2018, its primary camera included a mechanical dual-aperture lens that could alternate between f1.5, which let in more light and produced a shallower depth of field, and f2.4, which sharpened the subject more. However, the S9’s image sensor was small, and its pictures were mediocre. The 2023 13 Ultra and 2024 14 Ultra from Xiaomi had a variable aperture, ranging from f1.9 to f4.0, although both models had a sizable 1-inch sensor that might benefit from it. Unfortunately, the firm eliminated the variable aperture on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, much to Andrew Lanxon of CNET’s dismay.

Additionally, according to Macworld, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max’s telephoto lenses may have a faster aperture, which would allow more light to reach the sensor and improve low-light photos. Furthermore, according to MacRumors, all iPhone 18 models—aside from the 18E—will receive updated 24-megapixel front-facing cameras for better selfies. It should be noted that Apple’s new Center Stage selfie camera, which has a square 18-megapixel sensor and can take both horizontal and vertical images regardless of how the phones are held, is included in the iPhone 17 series and Air.

Additionally, there is some conjecture that the Camera Control button on the iPhone might be made simpler. For all of the Camera Control’s functionalities, pressure sensing may be used in place of capacitive and pressure sensors.