iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e: Expected Spring 2027 Launch, Rumored Specs, and Prices

If you were planning to buy a standard iPhone 18 this fall, you will have to wait. At its September 9 event, Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, but no base iPhone 18. According to Macworld, the standard model is now expected in spring 2027, alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2. Apple also raised prices on the iPhones that remain on sale, which makes the choice between buying an iPhone 17 now and waiting harder. Some insiders also question whether the new phone will keep the iPhone 18 name. Below is what the reports suggest about release timing, differences between the two models, and where the budget version may cut corners again.

Renders of iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e

Why the standard iPhone 18 is expected in spring

This is the first time since the Pro models arrived that Apple has launched its flagships without a base model, and the absence appears to be deliberate. Macworld expects the standard iPhone 18 in spring 2027, together with the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2. Another rumor claims the iPhone 18 could be cancelled entirely and replaced by a second-generation Air.

Rumored design of iPhone Air 2

The source author sees a clear rationale. The iPhone lineup has grown, and releasing every model in the same month is difficult even for Apple. The fall spotlight now goes to the expensive Pro models and the foldable, while spring gives the company a second full launch window. March used to be reserved for the inexpensive SE models and, later, the e-series. Under this plan, the main iPhone would move to that window too.

Possible color options and new design of iPhone 18

The change is also unusual for the iPhone 17. It would stay on sale for a year and a half without a successor, which the source says has never happened with a base iPhone. Early iPhone 17 buyers who already want to upgrade have limited options: move to the iPhone 18 Pro or wait until March or April. Apple could hold a dedicated event for the spring models or announce them by press release.

Rumored design and colors of iPhone 18e

The naming rumor

The strangest claim comes from the insider Early Apple, who wrote on X that Apple is considering calling the iPhone Air 2 simply “iPhone 18” and not releasing a third device. Jon Prosser suggested something similar over the summer. In his account, the lineup could eventually shrink to iPhone, iPhone Pro, and iPhone Ultra, with the Air serving as a transitional step. The source author calls the idea plausible but notes there is no confirmation yet and advises not taking it seriously before spring.

A20 chip, more memory, and Apple’s own modem

The internals of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are expected to be nearly identical. Both would use the standard A20 processor, while the Pro models got the A20 Pro. TSMC manufactures the chip on a 2nm process, so the source expects gains in both speed and power efficiency. The CPU will likely remain 6-core, like the A19, and the GPU is expected to have five cores. Apple may disable one GPU core in the iPhone 18e, as it has done with budget models before. The biggest jump is expected in the Neural Engine, since Apple is leaning more heavily on on-device AI.

The processor in iPhone 18 and 18e

The RAM debate: 9GB or 12GB

RAM is the most disputed spec. The iPhone 17 has 8GB, and the source expects the new generation to get more. Analyst Jeff Pu says 12GB, matching the iPhone 17 Pro. Ming-Chi Kuo expects an unusual 9GB configuration made from six 1.5GB chips for both the iPhone 18 and 18e. Macworld leans toward the 9GB option, and the source author agrees, noting that memory is in short supply and rising in price faster than other components.

A 3GB gap may look minor, but the source argues it matters for Apple Intelligence. More memory and higher bandwidth help a phone run neural networks without the cloud. If the Pro models have 12GB and the standard models only 9GB, some future iOS AI features could run in a reduced form on the cheaper phones or not arrive at all.

Connectivity: the C2 modem

Both models are expected to get Apple’s second-generation in-house modem, the C2. It is unclear whether it will support mmWave in the US, but the source considers improvements in 5G speed, power consumption, and satellite connectivity quite likely. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will probably remain the job of the N1 chip, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support. According to the source, Apple has little reason to replace it yet.

Cameras and display: where the iPhone 18e may cut corners again

The standard iPhone 18’s front camera may get another upgrade. The iPhone 17 uses an 18MP module with Center Stage. Rumors from Weibo say the resolution will rise to 24MP, which would mean more detail and more room for cropping and processing selfies.

The outlook for the iPhone 18e is weaker. Some rumors promised 24MP across the lineup, but a J.P. Morgan report from November 2025 said the budget model would keep a 12MP front camera. The source author advises against counting on a selfie camera upgrade in the 18e.

There are almost no reliable leaks about the rear cameras. The iPhone 17 currently has two 48MP modules, a main and an ultra-wide, and the iPhone 17e has a single 48MP main camera. The source expects this arrangement to carry over, with one possible exception: if the iPhone 18 and Air 2 turn out to be the same phone, the Air would finally gain a second camera.

According to a leak from the insider Instant Digital, the iPhone 18’s Camera Control button will be simplified. It would stay pressure-sensitive but lose the capacitive sensor that currently handles swipes, reducing complexity and cost. The iPhone 18e reportedly will not have Camera Control at all.

The iPhone 15 display, which may be used in the 18e

The standard iPhone 18’s display will apparently match the iPhone 17’s. That means 120Hz ProMotion, up to 1,000 nits in normal use, up to 1,600 nits in HDR, and up to 3,000 nits outdoors. The iPhone 18e is less certain. The 17e uses a fairly old panel with modest brightness and a notch instead of the Dynamic Island. Some sources claim the 18e will get a newer panel with the Dynamic Island, roughly like the iPhone 15’s, with up to 2,000 nits in sunlight, but reports conflict. Insiders do agree on one point: according to Digital Chat Station, the 18e will keep a 60Hz display using an LTPS OLED panel rather than LTPO. That would mean no ProMotion and no Always-On display on the budget iPhone again.

How much the new models may cost

Right after the September 9 event, Apple raised prices on every iPhone that remained on sale. Each model went up by $100. The iPhone 17 now starts at $899, and the iPhone 17e at $699. The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max were removed from the lineup entirely. According to the source, Tim Cook said over the summer that the increase was unavoidable because Apple could no longer absorb the rising cost of memory chips.

Concept of iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e

The source author expects the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e to launch at the prices their predecessors now carry: from $899 for the iPhone 18 and from $699 for the iPhone 18e. Macworld gives a similar forecast with a slight range downward. The author reasons that the increase is already built into current pricing and the iPhone 18 Pro went up by only $100, so a sharp jump for the cheaper models seems unlikely. If the memory shortage lasts until spring, however, Apple could raise prices further.

iPhone 18 vs. iPhone 18e: rumored specs at a glance

The table below compiles the source’s expected differences. These are forecasts based on leaks and analyst reports; Apple has not announced official specifications.

As the table shows, the expected differences again lie in the display and cameras, not performance, since both phones would share the processor and modem. The source author argues that paying more for the iPhone 18 makes sense for the 120Hz display, second camera, and Dynamic Island, not for speed.

Should you wait?

In the source author’s view, waiting six months just for the A20 makes little sense if you need a phone now. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e remain good options, and the author does not expect price cuts. Waiting for spring makes more sense for people who dislike the 17e’s notch and 60Hz screen and hope the 18e finally gets the Dynamic Island, and for those who want extra memory headroom for future Apple Intelligence features. All of this depends on rumors that Apple has not confirmed.