2026 iPhone 18 series: Summary
- iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch in September 2026
- iPhone 18 and 18e might not arrive until spring 2027
- Folding iPhone also said to launch in September 2026
- Smaller dynamic island, camera aperture enhancements, C2 5G modem
Another year, another iPhone, right? Not so fast. As Apple demonstrated with the iPhone Air in 2025 and the surprisingly full-featured regular iPhone 17, sometimes the company can surprise us with something new.
In addition to the ultra-premium folding iPhone, Apple is said to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in the fall of 2026, and then in a new scheduling shakeup, the base iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e in the spring of 2027.
Here’s a quick summary of what all the rumors and leaks say to expect from the iPhone 18 models.
iPhone 18/18 Pro: Latest rumors
October 27: Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station reports that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a variable aperture lens for the first time.
iPhone 18/18 Pro design: Three models, similar designs
Currently, the rumors suggest we’ll see a base iPhone 18, an iPhone 18 Pro, and an iPhone 18 Pro Max. That is in addition to any not-iPhone 18-models like the rumored folding iPhone and second-generation Air.
The designs are said to resemble the current iPhone 17 line. The base iPhone 18 will have just the smaller camera bump found on the iPhone 17, while the Pro and Pro Max will have the wider raised “plateau” with three cameras. Screen sizes should be consistent with the 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays on the current models.
One possible design change, according to a Weibo leaker, is with the charging area on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models. Reportedly, the ceramic shield section will be “slightly transparent,” but it’s not fully clear what that means.
iPhone 18/18 Pro camera: Aperture upgrades
Apple just upgraded the iPhone 17 camera system with 48MP sensors, so it’s unlikely there will be any significant changes to the hardware. One significant rumor we’ve heard about the iPhone 18 camera system comes from leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, who reports that the iPhone 18 Pro Max (and only that model) will get a camera with a mechanically-adjustable aperture like DSLR cameras. This would give users great control over background blurring, but primarily with the ability to keep the foreground and background sharp.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max’s telephoto lenses are also expected to have a larger overall aperture for sharper pictures in low-light situations.
Britta O’Boyle
iPhone 18/18 Pro: Dynamic Island
Apple hasn’t changed the size or shape of the Dynamic Island since its introduction on the iPhone 14 Pro, but some reports suggest there may be changes coming to the iPhone 18’s camera cutout. Some have claimed there will just be a pinhole cutout for the camera, with the whole Face ID assembly under the display, but most reports suggest those changes will be limited to the folding iPhone or arrive on the 20th anniversary model.
However, it still may look different. The ever-reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg has claimed that Apple will “shrink” the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models, which suggests that some of the several sensors and emitters required for Face ID will be under the display or combined.
iPhone 18/18 Pro specs: A20 chip
The iPhone 18 line will feature a new A20 processor, likely made using TSMC’s new 2nm fabrication process (which can allow for more complex chips in the same area, and could potentially allow for better power efficiency).
The A20 is rumored to use a new process called Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging to incorporate the RAM into the SoC’s package. It’s not clear what the benefit will be, but more tightly integrated RAM can mean more memory bandwidth and lower RAM latency, or better power efficiency.
iPhone 18/18 Pro: Wireless connectivity
While the iPhone Air features a more advanced version of Apple’s C1 modem, dubbed the C1X, the other iPhone 17 models still use Qualcomm wireless modems. That’s likely to change in the iPhone 18 line.
We’re told to expect a new C2 modem in the iPhone 18 phones, including the Pro and Pro Max. It’s not yet clear what features it will offer, but of course should deliver better performance and energy efficiency than the C1X and likely support high-speed mmWave networks in addition to the standard sub-6 networks.
Apple debuted its local networking chip in the iPhone 17 line as well; the N1 supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking. We haven’t heard anything about an N2 on the way, and honestly, one probably isn’t needed so soon. Could Apple have an “N1X” surprise in store the way it did with the C1X? It’s possible, but so far the rumor mill expects Apple to build the iPhone 18 line with the same N1 chip as found in the iPhone 17.
However, a report from The Information says that Apple is gearing up to support 5G networks that are served from satellites, namely Starlink satellites. While the iPhone has offered satellite connectivity for emergency situations for years, this would allow the iPhone 18 models to have full internet access via satellite, not just emergency services.
iPhone 18/18 Pro release date: Split launch
There have been consistent reports for some time that Apple will change up its release schedule. In September 2026, Apple will reportedly only release the high-end models: iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the new folding iPhone, and perhaps an updated iPhone Air.
That means the base model iPhone 18 will wait until spring 2027, when it will reportedly arrive alongside the iPhone 18e. This is a big departure for Apple, and it means that the new iPhones next year will all have price tags of $999 or more.
iPhone 18/18 Pro pricing: A wide range
We haven’t seen any reports about changes in pricing to the existing iPhone lineup in 2026. As it stands, the iPhone 17 starts at $799, the iPhone Air is $999, and the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models start at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively. However, the arrival of the folding iPhone could dramatically change the pricing structure, as it will reportedly have a starting price of $1,999 or more.
