November 5, 2026, 8:56 am | Read time: 3 minutes
After the introduction of the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo in September, the regular iPhone 18 is finally expected to follow in spring 2027. Major innovations for the base model, aside from a larger battery and a new chip, are not anticipated.
Larger Battery and New Chip
The well-known leaker Digital Chat Station shares more details about the upcoming iPhone 18 in a post on the Chinese blog platform Weibo. Until now, little was known about the base model, which is set to complement the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.
According to the leaker, the iPhone 18 will be mostly identical to the iPhone 17 from 2025. This includes the 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and the 48-megapixel dual camera on the back. The screen cutout for Dynamic Island is also expected to remain unchanged. In the iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple reduced the cutout by moving part of the Face ID technology under the display.
The biggest changes concern the chip and the battery. The iPhone 18 is likely to get the A20 chip—a weaker version of the A20 Pro, which is installed in the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. The chip not only delivers more power but is also expected to run cooler and more energy-efficiently due to the 2-nanometer architecture. The battery capacity is also set to increase, although there are no further details. If Apple follows the Pro models, the runtime could significantly improve.
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Another Price Increase?
The leaker indicates that prices could also rise. Apple had just raised the starting price for the iPhone 17 from 949 euros to 1,099 euros in September 2026—a hefty increase of 150 euros.
It is unclear whether the information refers to the original or the adjusted price. The iPhone 17 already costs almost as much as an iPhone 16 Pro at launch (1,199 euros). If the price continues to rise, the base iPhone will enter Pro territory. Nevertheless, Digital Chat Station writes that it is expected to be the “best-selling model.”
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More iPhone Models in Spring
This September, Apple took an unusual step by splitting its iPhone lineup into two launch periods. In the fall, the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo were released. In spring 2027, the iPhone 18, along with iPhone 18e and the second generation of iPhone Air, are expected to appear.
Then, in fall 2027, the eagerly awaited iPhone 20 will follow—just in time for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. The device is expected to feature a completely new design with rounded display edges. It will again be available in two variants, which will be significantly larger with a 6.41-inch screen for the Pro model and 6.96 inches for the Pro Max.