This year's iPhone 17 is still fresh in our minds, but there is already much speculation about what Apple has in store for 2026 and beyond with the iPhone 18. The iPhone 17 lineup -- released Sept. 19 -- impressed us with its surprisingly feature-packed base model, the incredibly slender iPhone Air and the boldly redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. There's hope that maybe, just maybe, next year's lineup could surprise us too.
Apple is less than two years away from the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone's launch. While the company sells more phones in the US than rival Android phone, abroad, Apple is consistently behind Samsung for global sales and just ahead of Chinese phone makers like Xiaomi. There is a lot at stake for Apple when it comes to the next iPhone, as well as building interest for a possible foldable, such as the rumored iPhone Fold.
But whether it's a brown iPhone 18 Pro or an under-display selfie camera, here's a look at all of the rumors and leaks we've uncovered about the potential iPhone 18 series.
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Latest rumors
iPhone 18 design differences
We had CNET's creative director show us what a coffee color iPhone 18 Pro might look like.
Viva Tung/Celso Bulgatti, CNETWe're hearing that there will likely be three models: the base iPhone 18, an iPhone 18 Pro and an iPhone 18 Pro Max. There may also be iPhone models not in this series, like a second-generation Air or the much-rumored folding iPhone.
Designs for the iPhone tend to remain the same from year to year, and current rumors reflect that trend. The screen sizes of the three handsets look to be the same as before -- 6.3 and 6.9 inches respectively -- with minor design differences on the camera bumps on the back. The base iPhone 18 is rumored to have a smaller camera bump compared to its predecessor, while the Pro and Pro Max will retain the wider "plateau" to accommodate its three rear cameras.
According to a leak from the Chinese social media site Weibo, the Pro model could get a "subtle transparent finish" on the rear glass panel. Additionally, it might come in three new colors: coffee, purple and burgundy. "Coffee" brown might seem like an odd choice for a phone color, but our own Patrick Holland is open to the concept.
Other rumors suggest that changes may be coming to the iPhone's Dynamic Island. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg and Weibo user Digital Chat Station say that Apple could shrink the size of the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models. This could result in a small pinhole cutout for the camera, as the Face ID sensors may be located under/behind the display instead.
We've tested under-display cameras on several phones over the years. The part of the display in front of the camera features fewer screen elements and translucent wiring, allowing the selfie camera to "see through" the screen, much like looking out a window with open blinds. While the idea of having a display with minimal or no cutouts is a worthy one, under-display cameras typically result in photos with poor image quality. However, maybe Apple is the company that will finally figure out how to integrate a camera under the display that captures high-quality images.
New cameras on iPhone 18
The iPhone 17 Pro had three rear cameras: an wide-angle lens, an ultrawide and a 4x telephoto.
CNETThe iPhone's cameras are another feature potentially getting a big upgrade in 2026. Macworld reports that a Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a camera with a variable rate aperture, similar to how the lenses on DSLR and mirrorless cameras work. This allows people greater control over depth of field and image brightness.
We've seen variable aperture phone cameras before. The Galaxy S9 launched in 2018 with a mechanical dual-aperture lens on its main camera that could switch between f/1.5, allowing more light to enter and creating a shallower depth of field, and f/2.4, which sharpened the subject more. But the S9's image sensor was tiny and photos from it were just OK. Xiaomi had a variable aperture, between f/1.9 and f/4.0, on the 2023 13 Ultra and 2024 14 Ultra but each had a large 1-inch-type sensor that could take advantage of it. Sadly, to the frustration of CNET's Andrew Lanxon, the company removed the variable aperture on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
Macworld also says that the telephoto lenses on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could get a faster aperture, which would let more light hit the sensor for better low-light shots. Additionally, MacRumors reports that all iPhone 18 models (except the 18E) would get upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing cameras for improved selfies. We should note that the iPhone 17 series and Air all have Apple's new Center Stage selfie camera, which has a square 24-megapixel sensor and can take either 18-megapixel horizontal or vertical photos, no matter which way you're holding the phones.
There is also some speculation that the iPhone's Camera Control button could be simplified. Instead of both capacitive and pressure sensors, it might just be pressure-sensing for all of the Camera Control's functions.
Updated A20 chip and iPhone 18 specs
The new iPhone models run iOS 26 and have either an A19 or A19 Pro chip: (left-to-right) iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro.
Patrick Holland/CNETAs the iPhone 17 lineup uses the A19 and A19 Pro chips, it makes sense that the upcoming iPhone 18 would use Apple's new A20 processor. The rumored chips are said to use a new process called Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM), which incorporates the RAM directly into the same wafer as the CPU, GPU and neural engine. This apparently results in better efficiency and faster performance since everything would be located on the same chip.
We're also hearing that the iPhone 18 lineup could use Apple's next-gen C2 modem chip for improved wireless connectivity. Additionally, The Information reports that Apple is preparing to support 5G networks from satellites, potentially giving iPhone 18 models full satellite phone capabilities instead of just for emergencies and texting.
iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro release date
The logo for Apple's fall 2025 event invitation is interactive: a heat signature stays where you touch or click and hold.
Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETFor years, Apple has held its annual iPhone launch event in the fall. But according to multiple reports, Apple's smartphone release schedule could look different in the coming years. Bloomberg reported that Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and its new foldable next fall.
The iPhone 18, the iPhone 18E and a potential iPhone Air 2, on the other hand, could then debut six months later in February or March 2027.
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