iPhone 18

Apple is deviating from its standard iPhone launch process in 2026 and 2027. Instead of introducing four new iPhones in September 2026, the iPhone 18 lineup will come out across fall 2026 and spring 2027.

The more expensive iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will launch in September as usual, with Apple also planning to introduce the first foldable iPhone. We'll get Apple's three most expensive iPhones in the fall: iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone Fold, which could be upwards of $2,000.

After the fall launch, Apple will introduce the standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and possibly a second-generation iPhone Air in spring 2027. If you typically buy a standard iPhone model, you won't be able to get a new one in the fall, because Apple wants to save its less expensive iPhone models for early 2027.

Most rumors about the iPhone 18 lineup are focused on the foldable iPhone and the iPhone 18 Pro models, because they're coming first and because they're more interesting than the less expensive models.

This roundup has information on all of Apple's planned iPhone 18 models, but it is largely for the iPhone 18. If you're curious about the iPhone Fold or the iPhone 18 Pro, we have separate rumor roundups for those devices.

• iPhone Fold Rumors
• iPhone 18 Pro Rumors

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The lower-cost iPhone models won't be Apple's focus in the fall of 2026, and we know little about them other than they are in development at the current time. The standard iPhone 18 models are not expected to feature design changes, with Apple using the same 6.3-inch display size for the iPhone 18 and the 6.1-inch size for the iPhone 18e.

A20 Chip

The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e could adopt Apple's next-generation 2-nanometer A20 chip. The iPhone Fold is expected to use the same A20 chip, while the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could get an A20 Pro variant.

The current A19 chip is built on a 3-nanometer process, and 2-nanometers is a long-awaited step down in node size. The chips are expected to feature performance and efficiency improvements, leading to increased battery life without compromising on speed.

RAM

The standard iPhone 18 could be upgraded to 12GB RAM in 2026, with all iPhone 18 models (including the iPhone Fold) to feature 12GB RAM.

Front Camera

All iPhone 18 models could include a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, up from 18 megapixels.

Display

The iPhone 18 will have an improved display, and Apple is said to have unprecedentedly high requirements for brightness, which at least one supplier is struggling with.

Camera Control

The iPhone 18 could have a simplified Camera Control, which would cut down on costs. The current Camera Control features both capacitive and pressure sensors for detecting touch gestures and pressure levels, but the next-generation version could eliminate the capacitive sensing layer. Pressure sensing would instead be used for all Camera Control functions.

The iPhone Air that came out in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 lineup didn't sell as well as expected, and a next-generation version is no longer slated for September 2026. There has been some debate about the future of the iPhone Air, but the latest rumors suggest a new model is still coming at some point in the future, perhaps in spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e.

Apple is exploring adding a second camera to the next iPhone Air to make it more appealing to consumers and to justify its $999 starting price.

Apple's first foldable iPhone is coming in fall of 2026. It's not clear what Apple plans to name the device at this time, but people have taken to calling it the "iPhone Fold" for now.

The first foldable iPhone will open up book style, which means it will have a smaller outer display and then a larger, wider inner display. Design wise, it will be similar to Google's Pixel Fold or Samsung's Galaxy Fold.

When closed, the iPhone Fold will have a display that's around 5.3 inches, and when open, it will have a much larger 7.6-inch display. It could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and around 9mm when it is closed, though rumors have differed on thickness.

The outer display will be usable when the device is closed, but opening it up will provide access to the larger inner display. Apple is expected to use a titanium casing, and the design is meant to minimize the creasing.

Because the iPhone Fold is so thin, it's expected to have Touch ID instead of Face ID. Touch ID will be built into the side button on the device, similar to the iPad Air and iPad mini.

The foldable iPhone could cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, meaning Apple could price it somewhere between $1,800 and $2,500.

For a more in-depth look at the iPhone Fold, we have a dedicated iPhone Fold roundup.

The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to feature the same general design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, offering a triple-lens rear camera system with camera plateau. The front of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could look a bit different, with a slimmed-down Dynamic Island.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max might be just a little thicker than the current iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Apple is considering a deep red color option for 2026. Sizes are not expected to change.

There are rumors of a notable camera change, with the iPhone 18 Pro models set to gain a variable aperture lens for the main camera. A variable aperture would let iPhone users manually adjust how much light gets to the sensor, cutting down on overexposure and providing new customization options for lighting and depth of field.

2026 could be the year that the Pro iPhone models get an Apple-designed modem, with rumors suggesting we'll see the debut of the C2 with mmWave 5G support.

Like the iPhone Fold and the iPhone 18, the iPhone 18 Pro models will get an A20 chip built on TSMC's 2-nanometer process. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could get the A20 Pro variant of the A20 chip series.

More iPhone 18 Pro rumors can be found in our iPhone 18 Pro roundup.

The foldable iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max will debut in September 2026. All three could launch in September, but there have recently been rumors suggesting the iPhone Fold will be introduced in September and will launch in December, so we could potentially get the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September and the iPhone Fold a bit later.

The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are expected to follow in spring 2027. The second-generation iPhone Air may also launch in spring 2027, though timing is unclear as of right now.