iPhone 18: Everything we know about Apple’s next flagship phone

Main takeaways:

• Features: The Dynamic Island may move to the upper left corner, and cameras may have a variable aperture.
• colors: Apple could launch burgundy, purple, and brown versions.
• price: There have been no leaks about the price increase, which is good news at this stage.
• release date: Apple may split the iPhone 18 launch between September 2026 and February/March 2027.

the iPhone 17 It was only released a few months ago, but there are already a lot of rumors about what Apple has in store for 2026 and beyond with the iPhone 18 lineup. The iPhone 17 series was released on September 19, and it has surprisingly impressed us. Basic model packed with featuresIncredibly skinny iPhone Air Boldly redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Maybe, just maybe, next year’s lineup might surprise us too.

We’re less than two years away from Apple’s 20th anniversary Original iPhone launch. While the company sells more phones in the United States than its competitor Android phonesApple consistently lags behind Samsung in global sales and is right ahead of Chinese phone makers like Xiaomi. There’s a lot at stake for Apple when it comes to the next iPhone, as well as building interest in a potential foldable device, like the iPhone iPhone Fold rumored.

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

---

Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET As Google’s preferred source.

---

Latest rumours

iPhone 18 design differences

We hear there will likely be three models: the basic iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max. There may be too iPhone models Not in this series, like the second-generation Air or the much-rumored foldable iPhone. That would mean a total of six iPhone models if you include the 17E.

iPhone designs tend to stay the same year after year, and current rumors indicate that this trend will continue. The screen sizes of the three phones appear to be the same as before – 6.3 and 6.9 inches respectively – with slight design differences in the camera notches on the back. The base iPhone 18 is rumored to have a smaller camera notch compared to its predecessor, while the Pro and Pro Max will retain the wider ‘plateau’ to accommodate the three rear cameras.

According to a leak from Chinese social media site Weibo, the Pro model could get a “micro transparent finish” on the rear glass panel. A Chinese leaker The iPhone 18 Pro could reportedly have a more unified design versus the two-tone look it has now. Some rumours It also suggests that it could have a heavier and thicker body. In addition, it may come Three new colours: coffee, purple and burgundy. Coffee brown may seem like a strange choice for a phone color, however Our own Patrick Holland is open to the concept.

Other rumors suggest that changes may be coming to Dynamic Island on iPhone. Mark Gurman is a Bloomberg Weibo user Digital chat station It suggests that Apple may reduce the size of the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models. This may result in a small hole in the camera, where the Face ID sensors may be located below the screen.

Information It was also recently reported that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature Face ID under the display, confirming the Bloomberg rumour. Additionally, the outlet also said that the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, and as a result, it will lose the Dynamic Island slot.

We tested the under-display cameras On many phones over the years. The part in front of the camera features fewer screen elements and transparent wires, allowing the selfie camera to “see through” the screen, just like looking through a window with open curtains. While the idea of ​​a screen with minimal to no cutouts is a worthwhile idea, cameras below the screen usually result in poor image quality images. However, Apple may be the company that will finally figure out how to integrate an under-display camera that takes high-quality photos.

New cameras in iPhone 18

iPhone cameras are another feature that may receive a major upgrade in 2026. Macworld Reports That weebo leaker Digital chat station He said the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a variable aperture camera, similar to how lenses in DSLRs and mirrorless cameras work. This gives people greater control over depth of field and image brightness. The information also stated that at least one rear camera on the 18 Pro will have a mechanical iris, which is another name for the lens aperture.

We’ve seen variable aperture phone cameras before. the Galaxy S9 It launched in 2018 with a dual-aperture mechanical lens on its main camera that can switch between f/1.5, allowing more light in and creating a lower depth of field, and f/2.4, which increases subject clarity. But the S9’s image sensor was small and photos from it were quite good. Xiaomi had a variable aperture ranging between f/1.9 and f/4.0 in 2023 13 ultra And 2024 14 ultrabut each had a large 1-inch sensor that it could take advantage of. Unfortunately, to the frustration of CNET’s Andrew Lanxon, the company has removed the variable aperture from Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Macworld also says 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 indicate that all iPhone 18 models (except the 18E) will get improved 24-megapixel front cameras for better selfies. It’s worth noting that the iPhone 17 and Air series all feature Apple’s new Center Stage selfie camera, which has an 18-megapixel square sensor and can take horizontal or vertical photos, regardless of which way you hold the phones.

There too Some speculation It can simplify the iPhone’s camera control button. Instead of capacitance and pressure sensors, it may just be a pressure sensor for all the camera control functions.

Updated A20 chip and iPhone 18 specifications

Since the iPhone 17 lineup uses the A19 and A19 Pro chips, it makes sense that the upcoming iPhone 18 will use Apple chips. New A20 processor. The rumored chips are said to use a new process called the Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, which integrates RAM directly into the same chip as the CPU, GPU and neural engine. This seems to lead to better efficiency and faster performance since everything will be located on the same chip.

We’re also hearing that the iPhone 18 lineup could use Apple’s next-generation C2 modem chip to improve wireless connectivity. In addition, Information Apple is reportedly preparing to support 5G satellite networks, which could give the iPhone 18 models full satellite phone capabilities, and not only Emergency situations and Text messages.

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

Although this is not limited to the iPhone 18, As Apple recently announced Google’s Gemini will launch AI-powered Siri later this year.

iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro release date

For years, Apple has held its annual iPhone launch event in the fall. but According to multiple reportsApple’s smartphone release timeline may look different in the coming years. Bloomberg It was reported that Apple plans to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its new foldable phone next fall.

On the other hand, the iPhone 18, iPhone 18E and possible iPhone Air 2 could appear six months later in February or March 2027.