Apple’s Spring Surprise: What to Expect from the iPhone 18 and Budget iPhone 18e
SpexHive Editorial
October 8, 2026
news
Something strange happened at Apple’s September event: there was no iPhone 18. The company showed the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the new iPhone Duo foldable, and the regular iPhone simply was not there. If you were waiting for the everyday model, our sources say you will be waiting until spring 2027, and that it may cost more than you expect.
We pulled together the rumors, the analyst predictions and the facts Apple has actually confirmed, and compared them with the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e already in the SpexHive database. Keep reading, because one disagreement between two well known Apple analysts, 9 GB or 12 GB of RAM, could decide whether the cheaper iPhone gets the new Apple Intelligence features.
Only a little is certain, so let us separate it from the rest.
Confirmed. On 9 September 2026 Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Apple iPhone Duo. The standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e were not part of the event. Apple has not confirmed either phone, a release date, a price or the chip.
Rumored. Everything else here: a spring 2027 launch, the specifications and the price.
Why would Apple split the iPhone line?
Our sources agree on a pattern: premium phones in the autumn, cheaper ones in the spring. Apple has not explained why, so this part is interpretation. Two reasons make sense:
Manufacturing. Making fewer models at once eases pressure on factories during the busiest part of the year.
Attention. A fall event with only Pro phones and a foldable keeps the spotlight on the most expensive hardware, while a spring launch gives the cheaper models their own moment.
It also changes your decision. The standard iPhone buyer now has a choice: buy the current iPhone 17 today, or wait about six months for the iPhone 18.
Spec
iPhone 17 (released)
iPhone 18 (rumored)
iPhone 17e (released)
iPhone 18e (rumored)
Launch
September 2025
Spring 2027
March 2026
Spring 2027
Display
6.3 inch, 120 Hz
Similar to iPhone 17
6.1 inch, notch
6.1 inch, 60 Hz LTPS OLED
Chip
A19 (3 nm)
A20, possibly 2 nm
A19 (3 nm)
A20, reduced GPU
RAM
8 GB
9 GB or 12 GB (analysts differ)
8 GB
9 GB most likely
Rear cameras
Two 48 MP
Two 48 MP
One 48 MP
One 48 MP
Front camera
18 MP
24 MP
12 MP
12 MP
Battery
3,692 mAh
Not known
4,005 mAh
Not known
Modem
Not listed
Apple C2 expected
Not listed
Apple C2 expected
US price
$899 after the rise
About $899
$699 after the rise
About $699 (some sources say $599)
Current model figures come from the SpexHive database. Rumored figures are leaks, not facts.
The RAM debate: 9 GB or 12 GB?
The most detailed rumor comes from a well known Apple analyst, who says the lower cost iPhone 18 models will have 9 GB of RAM, one gigabyte more than the iPhone 17’s 8 GB. His reasoning is practical: the A20 would use six memory chips of 1.5 GB each. The Pro phones, in contrast, are expected to keep 12 GB, which matches the current iPhone 18 Pro. A second analyst predicts 12 GB for the iPhone 18.
Why it matters: more memory is what lets a phone run advanced on device AI. According to our sources, the extra RAM supports Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27. Apple has not said whether any feature will depend on 9 GB or 12 GB, so we do not yet know if the standard iPhone will be left out of anything.
The iPhone 17e shows how Apple treats its cheaper phones. In our database it carries 8 GB of RAM, the A19 chip and a single 48 MP camera, and it scored 2,187,425 in AnTuTu and 9,296 in Geekbench 6 in our tests. An A20 and 9 GB would be a clear step on top of that.
The chip, cameras and screen
Chip. The standard iPhone 18 is expected to use a regular A20, possibly on a 2 nm process like the A20 Pro in the new Pro phones. It would probably keep a six core CPU, with a five core GPU on the iPhone 18 and a trimmed GPU on the 18e.
Cameras. No big hardware leaps are expected. The iPhone 18 should keep two 48 MP rear cameras, while the 18e keeps one. The front camera is the one expected change: a 24 MP selfie camera on the iPhone 18 according to recent leaks, against 18 MP on the iPhone 17. The 18e is said to stay at 12 MP. Another leaker says the iPhone 18 may keep a pressure sensitive Camera Control but lose the touch sensitive part. The 18e is not expected to get Camera Control at all.
Display. The iPhone 18 is expected to look like the iPhone 17: a 6.3 inch screen with ProMotion up to 120 Hz. The iPhone 18e is expected to keep a 6.1 inch 60 Hz panel. Whether it gets a Dynamic Island in place of the notch is disputed among sources.
Apple’s own modem and wireless chips
Both models are expected to use Apple’s C2 modem, Apple’s own cellular modem. They are also likely to use Apple’s N1 wireless chip, which covers WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Apple has confirmed the C2 modem for the new Pro models, but has not said whether the cheaper phones will use it. For you, the practical effect should be better efficiency and more consistent connections, not a visible new feature.
Design: will it look new?
The base expectation is that the iPhone 18 will resemble the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 18e will resemble the iPhone 17e. There is a more adventurous rumor too: that the thin, single camera iPhone Air successor could be sold as the iPhone 18, possibly with a second rear camera. Even the leak that mentions this calls it fairly speculative, so we would not plan around it.
Price: the part nobody will like
Prices have already gone up. After the Pro launch, the US price of the iPhone 17 reportedly rose from $799 to $899 and the iPhone 17e from $599 to $699, while the new iPhone 18 Pro costs $1,199 and the Pro Max $1,299. In our database the Pro starts at £1,199 and €1,449, and the Pro Max at £1,299 and €1,599.
Our sources expect the same upward pressure on the new models:
iPhone 18: about $899;
iPhone 18e: about $699, with a few smaller sites quoting $599;
a major reason is the rising price of memory chips, with one leak saying Apple accepted higher memory prices from Samsung for early 2027.
Treat the $599 figure with caution. It comes from smaller outlets repeating each other, while the larger publications lean toward $699.
Every leak points to spring 2027, probably a March or April event or a quiet press release. The iPhone 18e is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 this time, rather than months after it as the e models usually have. Some leaks expect a second generation iPhone Air at the same time.
Should you wait, or buy now?
You want a regular iPhone and can wait. Wait. If the leaks are right, you will get a newer chip, more memory and a better front camera, probably for the price the iPhone 17 now sells at.
When will the iPhone 18 come out? Our sources say spring 2027. Apple has not confirmed a date.
How much RAM will it have? One analyst says 9 GB and another says 12 GB. The 18e is most likely 9 GB.
How much will the iPhone 18e cost? Most leaks say about $699. A few say $599.
Will the iPhone 18e have a Dynamic Island? Sources disagree.
Is the iPhone 18 the same as the iPhone Air 2? One rumor says it could be, but even its source calls it speculative.
What we think
The big story is not a spec, it is the calendar. Apple seems to be turning the regular iPhone into a spring product, and that forces buyers to choose between today’s phone and next year’s. Add rising memory prices, and the safest assumption is that every iPhone gets a little more expensive. We will keep this story updated when Apple confirms anything.
Will you wait for the iPhone 18, or buy now? Tell us in the comments below.
