iPhone 18 series: Everything we know so far

Interest in 2026’s big iPhone launches is increasing. You could build a likely version of every model from the specifications that have been leaked or rumoured so far. But nothing has yet been confirmed by Apple.

However, early insights from reliable industry analysts and leakers such as Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo have given us a glimpse of what to expect.

Here’s everything we know so far about the iPhone 18 series, including its release date, pricing, and specifications.

When will the iPhone 18 be released?

Based on Apple’s well-established release schedule, the iPhone 18 series is expected to debut in September 2026, likely around 8 September if previous announcements are anything to go by.

Here’s a look at the announcement dates of recent iPhones: 

• iPhone 17: 9 September 2025
• iPhone 16: 9 September 2024
• iPhone 15: 12 September 2023 
• iPhone 14: 7 September 2022 
• iPhone 13: 14 September 2021 
• iPhone 12: 13 October 2020 (delayed due to Covid) 

Pre-orders for the devices typically open on the Friday following the announcement, with phones shipped a week later.

However, it’s looking more likely that there may be a change in 2026. Rumours suggest that Apple could split the announcements and launch dates of its iPhone 18 models.

In this scenario, the high-end models – the expected foldable iPhone, the iPhone Pro, and Pro Max – would launch as usual in September. But the base iPhone 18 and budget 18e would launch at a spring 2027 event. It’s not yet confirmed at which event the Air 2 is more likely to launch.

Further confirmation of Apple’s new stratifying launch plan has come via Mark Gurman’s 8 March “Power on” newsletter. The prolific leaker says that, after Apple’s announcement of a number of new ‘affordable’ products, including the iPhone 17e and the MacBook Neo in early March, it will launch three new “Ultra” products later on in the year, one of which will be the foldable iPhone.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the foldable will be named the Ultra – although it could be – but it does seem to confirm that Apple is gearing up for a high-end September launch event at which we could also see a MacBook Ultra and AirPods Ultra announced.

The latest supply chain rumours suggest that the design of the foldable model has been finalised and has been undergoing engineering tests ahead of mass production.

Source: MacRumors | 9to5Mac | Mark Gurman for Bloomberg (1) | (2)

How much will the iPhone 18 cost?

Apple kept the starting prices of the 17 lineup very close to last year’s figures. Only the Pro model is more expensive:

• iPhone 17 (256GB) – £799/$799
• iPhone Air (256GB) – £999/$999
• iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) – £1,099/$1,099
• iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB) £1,199/$1,199

Here are the iPhone 16 prices:

• Phone 16 (128GB) – £799/$799
• iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) – £899/$899
• iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) – £999/$999
• iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) – £1,199/$1,199

The iPhone 18’s pricing could be complicated by the effects of tariffs. Otherwise, we would expect the prices of the iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max models to remain the same, or similar.

As for the ‘Ultra’ foldable iPhone, a starting price between $1,999 and $2,500 has been suggested, with the latest figure $2,399. It’s worth saying that rumoured prices come from analyst estimates and are based on current production costings for parts including the hinge, plus supply chain rumours and market factors. As such, these change regularly.

Still, the foldable is expected to be around the same price or more expensive than the Samsung Z Fold 7. The Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 in the US, although it’s available from £1,799 in the UK.

No international pricing has yet been mooted.

Source: MacRumors | MacRumors (2) | Android Headlines

Which models will Apple launch?

In terms of which models will launch, the base iPhone 18, the iPhone 18 Pro and the Pro Max seem assured and the iPhone Fold seems all but certain, judging from the number of supply chain leaks and rumours centred on the device.

Comments to reporters by President of Samsung Display Lee Cheon revealed that the company was gearing up to produce 8.6th-generation OLED panels for a foldable phone to a client in North America. Mass production of the panels is slated for the third quarter next year. As Samsung Display is the sole supplier of OLED panels to Apple, this seemingly confirms that the foldable will arrive next fall.

The latest supply chain chatter further confirms this, with reports that Apple has finalised its foldable design, having solved the tricky screen crease problem. Meanwhile, more leaks have seemingly confirmed display details of the other models.

However, what we don’t know is which iPhone 18 models will be available in September 2026. Currently, the expectation is that the Pro, Pro Max and Fold will arrive then, with the iPhone 18 base model instead arriving with the 18e in the spring.

Then there’s the question of an Air model. The latest rumour has it that an Air 2 model is still expected, in spite of poor sales of the original Air. Upgrades to the Air 2 are thought to be focused on a 2nm chipset, which would improve battery life. It’s currently projected for a spring 2027 release, along with the more affordable base and e models but this is early chatter.

Source: ChosunBiz | 9to5Mac | MacRumors | Digital Chat Station

What specs and features will the iPhone 18 have?

Although the iPhone 18 series is still in development, several rumours and leaks provide insight into its expected features.

Design

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models’ design caused surprise when the phones were revealed and their fresh appearance undoubtedly contributed to an uptick in sales, but we don’t expect Apple to redesign the Pro and Pro Max again only a year later.

Instead, incremental changes are likely, and new colourways all but assured. Recent rumours say we can expect the Pro model to come in three new colour options – brown, burgundy and purple.

However, according to Mark Gurman’s latest newsletter, these could all be test hues for a new colourway: red. After the success of the orange iPhone 17 option, Apple is thought to be looking for a new, bold colour to offer. Gurman believe that it’s unlikely to be a bright red, as it’s too close to the previous generation’s orange, so his assertion is that it’ll be some form of red, whether that’s a purple, brown or burgundy shade. It’s also thought that, once again, black won’t be an option.

One rumour out of China has it that the glass panel on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will be semi-transparent. However, it’s possible that this will have a functional, rather than an aesthetic purpose. The Pro is expected to feature a stainless steel vapour chamber and transparent glass may help to improve heat dissipation.

The phones are once again expected to feature durable ceramic and titanium elements – but Apple may consider replacing the anodised coating that’s currently used on the aluminium iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models in favour of something more scratch-resistant.

iPhone Fold

There is already a lot of focus on the design of the foldable model.

Apple’s priority has been to eliminate the appearance of a crease on the screen when the phone is unfolded. The Fold’s inner screen is a Samsung design, but the hinge, panel structure and lamination method are all Apple. And it’s the hinge design that should prevent a permanent crease on the screen.

Samsung Display showed a concept phone with a creaseless screen during CES which, rumour has it, uses the technology developed with and for Apple.

Elsewhere, the latest leaks say we should expect a fairly wide foldable, with a main display of 7.58 inches and an outer display of 5.25 inches. This somewhat contradicts an earlier research note from Japanese firm Mizuho Securities, which had the outer display at 5.38 inches, although the inner display was the same.

The screen will unlock via a Touch ID button on the side to help keep it slim.

Macworld, our sibling website, showed an image of a model of the iPhone foldable, based on CAD files allegedly leaked from Apple’s production line. It’s squarer than other iPhone models and would fold out to showcase a display with a shape and size that’s very close to an iPad mini, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Newly-leaked CAD images shared by tipster Sonny Dickson on X seem to confirm this design, showing what appears to be a very similar model.

But don’t expect a range of exciting colour options to choose from. It’s thought that Apple will play it safe with the new design, with only a dark grey or black option and a white or silver model available.

Display

Apple has continually enhanced its display technology, and the iPhone 18 series will likely continue this trend. Advancements in ProMotion technology and higher peak brightness are anticipated. The very freshest rumour has it that the iPhone 18’s screen brightness will increase from the iPhone 17’s 1000 nits of typical maximum brightness up to 1600 nits in HDR, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits.

The Pro models could feature an even smoother 120Hz refresh rate and more energy-efficient LTPO OLED panels, according to supply chain rumours. This will allow Apple to put the Face ID scanner behind the display. It’s also thought that the selfie camera may also be repositioned behind the display without loss of quality.

Regular tipster Digital Chat Station has allegedly leaked the display specifics of several iPhone models:

• iPhone 18 Pro: Its 6.27-inch LTPO panel with a 120Hz refresh rate will be the same but the difference is an under-display cutout for Face ID
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: A 6.86-inch LTPO display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and the redesigned under-display cutout
• iPhone Air 2: 6.55-inch LTPO 120Hz display, but with a standard Dynamic Island

Recently, reliable source Ice Universe has said that the Dynamic Island cutout will be significantly smaller on the iPhone 18 Pro models. It’s expected to be only 13.49mm in width, down from 20.76mm on the iPhone 17 Pros. This rumour has been strengthened by the most recent leaks.

Performance

Apple is expected to boost the RAM of the iPhone 18 base model to 12GB – 4GB up from the iPhone 17. This will bring it in line with the high-end models and, crucially, allow it to run AI models on the phone itself, without resorting to the cloud.

More models in the iPhone 18 could get the benefit of Apple’s second-generation 5G modem.

Apple’s first 5G modem, the C1, launched in the iPhone 16e after years of development. Its successor, the C1X, can only be found in the iPhone Air – not in any of the other iPhone 17 models. But the iPhone 18 models, including the Pro, Pro Mx and Apple’s foldable, could well debut with a C2 modem.

Meanwhile, at this stage at least, it’s speculated that all iPhone 18 models will run on Apple’s upcoming A20 chip. Pro models may run on an A20 Pro variant. This will be the brand’s first use of TSMC’s 2nm process, known as N2.

More transistors in a smaller space means up to 15% faster performance and 30% better power efficiency from the A19 chip found in the iPhone 18, and a performance bump on the A19 Pro found in the Pro models.

Cameras

Apple’s cameras are a standout feature, and the iPhone 18 Pro models are rumoured to introduce variable aperture technology to the 48Mp main camera.

This feature will allow users to control how much light enters the lens, enabling superior control over depth of field and enhancing low-light photography.

Samsung is reportedly working on a new three-layer stacked camera sensor called ‘PD-TR-Logic,’ designed for the iPhone 18 series.

This image sensor is expected to enhance the camera’s responsiveness, while also offering advantages such as reduced photo noise, improved dynamic range, and more.

While the Pro models are likely to receive the most significant upgrades, the standard iPhone 18 may also benefit from some of this new technology.

As far as the selfie camera is concerned, the Pro and Pro Max models are expected to come with a smaller hole punch for their selfie cameras. It’s projected to be paired with under-display Face ID tech.

However, the bigger rumour is that all models, including the iPhone 18 base model, will get a significant upgrade to the selfie camera, to 24Mp from the current generation’s 18Mp.

Battery & Charging

Details about battery capacity and charging speeds for the iPhone 18 series remain sparse.

However, Apple’s commitment to improving battery life and charging efficiency suggests incremental enhancements.

With growing competition in the fast-charging space, the iPhone 18 series could support faster wired and MagSafe charging capabilities.

Software

The iPhone 18 series is expected to run on iOS 27, offering new features and capabilities tailored to the hardware.

Apple typically introduces innovations in usability, security and AI with every new iOS version, and we can expect the iPhone 18 series to showcase these improvements.

We can also expect AI developments across the handsets – something prefigured by the fact that Apple has ordered LPDDR5X RAM from supplier Samsung for the next iPhone line-up.

Apple and Google issued a joint statement confirming a rumour that’s been swirling for some time. The expected Siri overhaul will be powered by Gemini, but it’ll likely be a bespoke version running on Apple’s own servers to ensure it can retain its high standards regarding users’ data privacy.

Sources: Mark Gurman for Bloomberg (1) | (2) | DigiTimes | Ming-Chi Kuo | 9to5Mac (1) | (2) | (3) | Apple Magazine | Vietnam Net | GSMArena (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | MacRumors | Google | Sonny Dickson on X

That’s all we currently know about the iPhone 18 series. You can find out more detail on the expected iPhone foldable and get our top buying recommendations in our round-up of the best phones we’ve tested.