iPhone 18: Release date, design, specs, rumors for 2026 models

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.

One rumor suggest there will be three new colors for the Pro models: Coffee, Purple, and Burgundy. The same rumor claims there may be no black color, just like the iPhone 17 Pro.

One significant change could come to the Pro models: The Information claims Apple will but the Face ID sensors under the display, and move the front camera to the upper left corner in a punch-hole design. This would make the iPhone 18 Pro/ Max the first iPhones with a front camera in the corner.

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.

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 the most major changes will be limited to the folding iPhone or arrive on the 20th anniversary model.

A report in December 2025 from Weibo account “Smart Pikachu” claimed that Apple is testing an under-display “micro-transparent glass panel” for some Face ID sensors. That seems to indicate that the iPhone 18 will have a smaller Dynamic Island. The ever-reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg also reported that Apple will “shrink” the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models, so there’s strong evidence that some of the several sensors and emitters required for Face ID will be under the display or combined.

A report from The Information claims Apple will put the Face ID sensors under the display and move the front camera to the upper-left corner on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. It is unclear what this will do to the Dynamic Island software features.

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.