iPhone 18 - 2026
With the iPhone 18 lineup that's planned for 2026, Apple is going to be making some major changes. There will be tweaks to the launch timelines of various iPhone models, plus rumors suggest that Apple is planning to debut its first-ever foldable iPhone.
The full iPhone 18 lineup could include the iPhone 18, the low-cost iPhone 18e, the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the all-new iPhone 18 Fold, though naming for the new foldable hasn't been established. That's a lot of iPhones, so the expensive models will launch in fall 2026 and the less expensive models will follow in early 2027.
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A Split Launch Strategy
With the iPhone 18 lineup, Apple is going to change the way that it releases new iPhones. The more expensive iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max iPhones will launch in the fall of 2026 as usual, alongside the new foldable iPhone, but the more affordable iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models won't come out until spring 2027.
The First Foldable iPhone
Multiple rumors suggest that Apple's first foldable iPhone will launch in the fall of 2026, with the device coming alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. It's not clear what Apple plans to name the device at this time.
Design and Display
The first foldable iPhone will open up book style, which means it will have a smaller outer display and then a larger, wider open display. Design wise, it will be similar to the Pixel Fold or the Galaxy Fold.
When folded, the iPhone will have a display that's around 5.5 inches, and when open, it will have a much larger 7.8-inch display. It could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and around 9mm when it is closed.
The outer display will be usable when the device is closed, but opening it up will provide access to the larger inner display. Apple is expected to use a titanium casing, and the design is meant to minimize the creasing.
Apple will use ultra-thin glass for the foldable iPhone, with Samsung set to create the displays.
The outer display is expected to have a hole-punch rear camera, while the inner display will use under-display camera technology.
No Crease
Rumors suggest the first foldable iPhone will have no visible crease or a nearly invisible crease, unlike most of the foldable devices on the market. Apple pursued eliminating the crease regardless of cost, and ensuring no crease is why it took Apple so long to design a foldable iPhone.
Apple is using a combination of titanium and stainless steel for the hinge, along with liquid metal. The design minimizes creasing and improves durability.
No Face ID
The foldable iPhone might use some version of Touch ID in a side button instead of using Face ID.
Pricing
The foldable iPhone could cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and Apple could price it somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, which is double what the iPhone 16 Pro costs.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
Apple's first foldable will see the addition of a new high-end flagship model to the iPhone lineup, but Apple is still planning to launch standard iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max devices.
Under Display Face ID
The two iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to feature under-display Face ID, with the TrueDepth camera hardware located under the display. The front-facing camera won't be under the glass, though, so it will still have a pinhole cutout located at the top left of the device.
Variable Aperture Lens and New Sensor
The Main camera in the iPhone 18 Pro could have a variable aperture, which would provide users with more control over how their photos look. iPhone users would be able to manually adjust how much light gets to the sensor, cutting down on overexposure and providing new customization options for lighting and depth of field.
The 2026 iPhone models could also use a three-layer stacked image sensor that Samsung is developing. It would improve camera responsiveness, cut down on noise, and boost dynamic range.
C2 Modem
Apple's next-generation C2 modem chip is expected in 2026, and it is expected to be more capable than the current C1. The C2 will feature mmWave 5G connectivity, and it will be closer in performance to the Qualcomm modem chips that it will replace.
A20 Chip
The iPhone 18 Pro models, and perhaps the foldable iPhone, will use Apple's A20 chip. The A20 will use TSMC's 2nm process for power and efficiency improvements.
iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e
The lower cost iPhone models won't be Apple's focus in the fall of 2026, and we know little about them other than they are in development at the current time. Apple won't release them until spring 2027.
Launch Date
The foldable iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max could come out in September 2026, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e could follow in spring 2027.
