iPhone 18 release date expectations, price estimates, and upgrades
The iPhone 17 for illustrative purposes. | Image by PhoneArena
What's expected to change vs iPhone 17:
- The 2nm A20 chip to bring improvements to both performance and power efficiency
- Design on the back may get similar to the Pro models with a camera plateau
- Bezels around the display may get marginally thinner
- RAM is expected to land between 9GB and 12GB
- A smaller Dynamic Island is looking less likely for the standard model
- The Camera Control button may get a mechanical redesign
- The rear camera system is expected to match the iPhone 17's hardware
- Siri AI and iOS 27
Expected release timeline:
- The iPhone 18 is currently expected to come in spring 2027. The September launch brought only the Pro models and the iPhone Duo.
Expected price:
- The iPhone 18 is expected to come with a price hike of $100. According to some leakers, it may even start at $999.
Jump to:
iPhone 18 release date
- Spring 2027 is the current expectation for announcement and release. No concrete date has leaked.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 18 | Spring 2027* | Spring 2027* |
| Apple iPhone 17 | September 9, 2025 | September 19, 2025 |
| Apple iPhone 16 | September 9, 2024 | September 20, 2024 |
| Apple iPhone 15 | Sept 12, 2023 | Sept 22, 2023 |
* - probable dates
Apple's September 9, 2026 event was different this time around with the standard iPhone 18 not being announced. The Pro models and the iPhone Duo took the stage, and the base iPhone 18 is now expected to follow in spring 2027.
The iPhone 18 may arrive alongside the second-generation iPhone Air as well. The mid-range iPhone 18e may also be present with these two in the same release timeframe.
iPhone 18 price
- The latest rumors claim a dramatic price hike is coming. The iPhone 18 may start at $999
| 256GB of storage | 512GB of storage | 1TB of storage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 | - | $999* | $1,199* | - |
| iPhone 17 | - | $799 at launch, now $899 after Sept 2026 | $999 at launch, now $1,099 after Sept 2026 | - |
| iPhone 16 | $799 | $899 | $999 | - |
*- anticipated prices
Apple CEO Tim Cook stated officially that price hikes are unavoidable. He didn't specify by how much prices would rise or which models would be affected.
Now, reputable leaker Digital Chat Station claims a $100 price hike is coming to the iPhone 18. The iPhone 17 launched at $799, but in September 2026, Apple quietly raised its price with $100.
Another $100 price hike would mean the base iPhone would start at $999.
iPhone 18 camera
- Variable aperture present on the Pro is likely not coming
- No changes from its predecessor in the camera department are currently expected
The iPhone 18's camera is yet to leak. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max got variable aperture on their main cameras, but this upgrade is not expected for the base model.
The iPhone 17's imaging system is already a capable one. We have a reliable camera across varied lighting conditions, strong high-contrast scenes, and video support of up to 4K at 60 fps. The iPhone 18 is currently expected to match that.
iPhone 18 expected camera setup:
- 48 MP main camera
- 48 MP ultra-wide camera
- 24 MP Center Stage front camera
iPhone 18 storage
iPhone 18 expected storage capacity:
- 256 GB
- 512 GB
The iPhone 18 is expected to start at 256GB and max out at 512GB, with no rumors of a 1TB option coming.
Meanwhile, rumors are claiming that the base iPhone 18 will come with 12 GB of RAM – a figure that would carry real benefits for multitasking and on-device AI performance if accurate.
iPhone 18 design
- Design similar to the Pro models with a 'camera plateau'
- Redesigned Camera Control button with a pressure-based streamlined mechanism
According to a newly leaked dummy unit, the iPhone 18 may bring a change in design over its predecessor.
Reportedly, an iPhone 18 dummy unit. | Image by Majin Bu on X
As you can see by the image above, we may be getting a design similar to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with the iPhone 18, unlike the 17. The camera plateau may stretch along the top side of the phone just like it does for the Pro models.
Meanwhile, the Camera Control button is also reportedly being redesigned with a streamlined mechanism.
Apple may switch from a touch-sensitive surface to a pressure-based design that distinguishes between light taps and firm presses for the Camera Control on the iPhone 18. The simplified construction may bring manufacturing cost benefits.
The iPhone 17. | Image by PhoneArena
Meanwhile, at the front, earlier rumors claimed that the Dynamic Island may become smaller thanks to Apple being able to put some Face ID sensors under the display.
That change now appears to be limited to the Pro lineup and is not expected on the standard model.
European buyers are said to get eSIM-only iPhones with the iPhone 18, just like buyers in the States. Apple is also said to be leaning more heavily on carryover components from the iPhone 17 rather than sourcing new parts for the base model.
iPhone 18 display
- 6.3-inch OLED Super Retina XDR panel, same as the iPhone 17
| Phone Name | Screen size | Brightness |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 | 6.3 inches* | 3,000* |
| iPhone 17 | 6.3 inches | 3,000 |
* - anticipated sizes
The iPhone 17's display was already a step forward from the iPhone 16 – a larger panel with slimmer bezels that the iPhone 18 will likely inherit. ProMotion with 120Hz adaptive refresh is expected to return, keeping scrolling smooth.
If an iPhone 18 Plus arrives alongside the standard model, a 6.7-inch ProMotion panel is the expected configuration – consistent with what the Plus tier has delivered previously.
iPhone 18 battery
- No leaks on battery just yet
- Estimated battery size similar to the iPhone 17's
The iPhone 18's battery capacity has not leaked just yet. Keep in mind that Apple never publishes battery sizes in mAh. The iPhone 17 is estimated at around 3,692mAh based on third-party teardown analysis.
A larger cell isn't necessarily required for battery life improvements, though. The 2nm A20 is expected to run roughly 30% more efficiently than the A19 it succeeds, which means the iPhone 18 could see real improvements in its battery life without any change to the cell itself.
The iPhone 17. | Image by PhoneArena
For context, the iPhone 17 delivered 16 hours 47 minutes of continuous web browsing, 7 hours 19 minutes of video streaming, and 7 hours 40 minutes of gaming in our testing.
iPhone 18 features and software
- iOS 27 out of the box
- Apple Intelligence and Siri AI
The iPhone 18 will most likely come with iOS 27 out of the box. iOS 27 brings the long-awaited context-aware Siri while keeping and refining the Liquid Glass aesthetic.
Siri is now getting renamed Siri AI, and is built in collaboration with Google. The assistant gains the ability to understand natural conversation (finally!), read what's on your screen, and handle tasks across apps. It also gains personal context awareness.
Siri AI will have its dedicated app that stores your full conversation history and keeps it synced across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Meanwhile, iOS 27 is integrating Apple Intelligence features across the board, with many Apple apps getting an AI revamp, including Photos, Mail, Safari, and Shortcuts.
iPhone 18 hardware and specs
iPhone 18's expected specs:
- CPU: Apple A20 chip (2nm process)
- RAM: 9 GB or 12 GB
- Battery: around 3,692 mAh (estimated)
- Charging: 40W wired, 25W wireless, MagSafe, Qi2
- Storage: 256, 512GB
- Camera setup: 48 MP main, 48 MP ultra-wide, 24 MP selfie
The A20 rumored for the iPhone 18 is built on a 2nm process just like the A20 Pro in the Pro lineup. It is likely going to be tuned to a lower performance ceiling, though, to differentiate between the Pro and non-Pro models.
You can expect approximately 30% better power consumption on the A20 in comparison to the A19, which translates directly into real-world battery performance.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 is expected to support MagSafe and Qi2, but an upgrade in speeds (if it exists) is yet to leak.
As for RAM, rumors are not unanimous with some leakers claiming 12 GB of RAM for the iPhone 18, while others (such as reliable leaker Ming-Chi Kuo) remain more conservative, indicating that the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e may only get 9 GB of RAM.
The 9GB configuration would use six 1.5GB dies – a modest step from the 8GB in the iPhone 17, but a noticeable one when it comes to on-device Apple Intelligence processing. In technical terms, a die is an individual piece of silicon containing the microscopic circuitry that makes up the chip.
Should I wait for the iPhone 18?
- You should wait for the iPhone 18 if you're on an iPhone 15 or older. The jump to a 2nm A20 is a genuine efficiency leap, 256GB now comes standard rather than as a paid upgrade, and if the 12GB RAM reports prove accurate, the iPhone 18 will handle Apple Intelligence workloads with considerably more headroom than today's standard models.
- You should not wait for the iPhone 18 if your current phone is an iPhone 17, or if spring 2027 is too long to go without a reliable device. The two phones will look nearly identical from the outside. The screen size, refresh rate, and rear camera system are all expected to stay the same, and the iPhone 17 runs the full Apple Intelligence platform today with years of software support still ahead of it. Buying one now gets you nearly everything the iPhone 18 is expected to offer — without the wait.
Latest rumors about the iPhone 18:
Popular stories
Latest News
